Examination: Cook Specialist I

View All Exams
Working title
Cook Specialist I
Monthly salary
$3,165.83 - $4,656.00 per Month
Exam #
5294
Deadline
Continuous
View Full Bulletin
Position Description

00102185 - COOK SPECIALIST I

Performs the less responsible and less skilled tasks required in preparing, cooking, and dispensing various food items; relieves the cooks, bakers, or meat cutters of routine operations such as tending steam kettles, watching, turning, and stirring food; supervises clean-up operations and such other duties as slicing bread, weighing ingredients, and cutting and grinding meat; cleans and maintains culinary utensils, equipment, and work areas with the assistance of employees and helpers from the resident population; participates in on-the-job or classroom instruction for cooks; may supervise the work of helpers from the resident population; as required, acts for the Cook Specialist II, Baker I, or Butcher-Meat Cutter I in his/her absence.

Sympathetic understanding of and willingness to work with the resident population of a State institution; personal cleanliness; good sense of smell and taste; and freedom from communicable diseases.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00102185 - COOK SPECIALIST I

Either I

: One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Food Service Technician I.

Or II

: One year of experience in assisting a cook in the preparation and cooking of a varied menu. (Full-time training in a recognized trade school or training program for cooks may be substituted for the required experience on the basis of one month of school attendance being equal to two months of experience.)

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Upcoming Filing Cutoff Dates:

  • 9/1/2026
  • 10/1/2026
  • 11/1/2026
  • 12/1/2026
  • 1/1/2027

Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) must be received or postmarked by the filing date indicated above. Applications postmarked, personally delivered or received via interoffice mail after the filing date will be processed in the next group.

Who Should Apply

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • COOK SPECIALIST I - Open

How to Apply

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

You may apply by mail to:

  • Examinations Unit
    Department of Veterans Affairs
    Human Resources Branch
    1227 O Street, Room 404
    Sacramento, CA 95814

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678).

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

  • Department of Veterans Affairs
    Human Resources Branch
    1227 O Street, Room 404
    Sacramento, CA 95814
    8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678). All applicants must provide proof of identification. Accepted forms of identification are: 1) a photo identification card or 2) two forms of signed identification.

You may email your application and any applicable or required documents to:

exams@calvet.ca.gov

Special Testing Arrangements

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Application Link

Cook Specialist I

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

Department of Veterans Affairs
Examinations Unit
Human Resources Branch
1227 O Street, Room 404
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 653-2535
exams@calvet.ca.gov

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.