Child Care Cook

About the role

As a Cook at Bright Horizons, you will plan and prepare nutritious, family-style meals that support children’s health, growth, and learning. Each day, your care in the kitchen will create a warm, predictable routine for children, educators, and center staff. From simmering soups to perfectly portioned plates, your work will fuel growing minds. Join a team where your contributions matter and where you are supported to grow professionally while making a meaningful difference each day.

Responsibilities

• Plan and prepare balanced, family-style meals and snacks following approved menus, nutritional guidelines, and daily attendance counts.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized kitchen by following food safety, allergy-management, sanitation, and health procedures.
• Manage food and supply inventory, place orders through approved vendors, and partner with center staff to support smooth daily meal service.

Requirements

• Candidates must pass required state and company background checks and meet state and company minimum education and experience requirements.
• 18 years of age with a high school diploma or GED is required.
• Having or obtaining a food handler certification within 30 days of hire is required.
• Course work or certification in Nutrition is preferred.
• Food service experience in a childcare center, school cafeteria, commercial kitchen, or high-volume food service setting is preferred.

Physical Requirements

This position requires the employee to comply with all applicable federal, state, local, Bright Horizons’, and client site requirements concerning immunizations, employment physical/screening, and health and safety training. If hired, you will work in person in an early education/preschool child care center to provide food service per Bright Horizons’ policies, procedures and guidance, in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations, and in a manner that will ensure safety of children in Bright Horizons care and the employee.

• Lifting and carrying food and supplies (typically 10 to 40 pounds, occasionally up to 50 pounds).
• Standing for extended periods, bending, reaching, pushing carts, and performing repetitive kitchen and cleaning tasks.
• Maintaining mental and physical alertness and being able to respond immediately and appropriately to unexpected situations or emergencies.

Bright Horizons complies with all laws that require reasonable accommodations for qualifying disabilities and/or pregnancy-related limitations.

Pay

The annual rate for this position is between $24.00 - $26.00 per hour. The pay range listed here is what Bright Horizons in good faith anticipates offering for this job opening. Actual compensation offers within this range will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education and training, certifications, geography, and other relevant business or organizational factors.

Benefits

Bright Horizons offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid vacation, sick, holiday, and parental bonding leave.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Long-term and short-term disability insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Money-saving discounts and financial planning tools.
• Career development opportunities and free college degrees through our Horizons CDA & Degree Program.
• Caregiving support and resources for the children and adults in your family.

Depending on hire date and subject to applicable eligibility requirements and accrual schedules, new employees in this role receive up to:

• 9 paid holidays annually.
• 40 hours of sick time per year based on full-time schedule.
• 64 hours of vacation time per year based on full-time schedule (vacation time may be used for sick leave purposes under any applicable state or local sick or safe time law).