Examination: Cook Specialist II

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Working title
Cook Specialist II
Monthly salary
$4,239.00 - $5,206.00 (A) per Month | $3,532.50 - $4,338.33 (F) per Month
Exam #
5306
Deadline
Continuous
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Position Description

00102184 - COOK SPECIALIST II

Prepares, cooks, and dispenses soups, sauces, meats, eggs, dairy products, vegetables, salads, salad dressing, fruits, pastries, desserts, breads, and beverages; cleans and maintains culinary utensils and equipment and the working area with the assistance of helpers; assigns work and gives instruction and training to employees and helpers from the resident population, evaluates their performance, and takes or recommends appropriate action; may plan menus; inspects personnel and working areas and maintains safety and sanitation standards; reports on the work progress of assistants; keeps records; as required, requisitions, receives, inspects, stores, and inventories supplies; and acts for the Supervising Cook in his absence.

Sympathetic understanding of and willingness to work with resident population of State institutions; 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.

00102184 - COOK SPECIALIST II

Either I

: Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Cook Specialist I.

Or II

: Three years of experience as a cook in one or a combination of the following:

1. Preparing food for at least 250 persons a meal with experience at the various stations, not less than six months of which shall have been in charge of the work of kitchen helpers or others doing similar work. or

2. Personally preparing complete breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for 50 or more persons a meal. (Short-order cooking experience is not considered qualifying.)

(Full-time training in a recognized trade school for cooks and bakers may be substituted for not more than two years of either type of the required experience on the basis of one month of such 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 II - 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 II

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.