Child Care Cook

About the Role

The Student Parent Support Center at the University of Utah provides support and child care services to students, faculty, and staff within the Division of Student Affairs. The UKids Guardsman Way child care program is seeking an energetic, dedicated, and consistent child care cook to prepare a variety of food service items following established child care-specific recipes and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy food and snacks for children by following instructions and recipes.
• Utilize knowledge of cooking methods and preparation time requirements to ensure timely and adequate food provision.
• Operate kitchen machinery and equipment (e.g., slicers, choppers, steamers, broilers, griddles, fryers, blenders, microwaves) according to manufacturer instructions and standard procedures.
• Weigh cooking products to ensure proper portion delivery.
• Maintain cleanliness of work area, refrigerators, stoves, ovens, storeroom, and utensils to comply with county and state sanitation requirements.
• Perform quality checks for taste and appearance of finished food products.
• Use department-specific computer software for purchase requisitions, production forecasting, and inventory management.
• Set up and stock food service areas for delivery to classrooms; assist in serving cooked items.
• Order, rotate, and maintain adequate stock levels based on production schedules.
• Adjust recipes for factors such as altitude, special diet orders, and food allergies or sensitivities.
• Monitor packaged food ingredients for known allergens and make daily substitutions for children with allergies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Sufficient vision to read small printed material and supervise staff and children across playgrounds and classrooms.
• Sufficient hearing to understand normal and telephone conversations.
• Ability to speak clearly and audibly in normal conversation.
• Physical ability to lift up to 50 lbs (with or without aids).
• Must pass a Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) background check.
• Must have or immediately obtain a Salt Lake County Food Handler's Permit.
• Exposure to potentially dangerous cleaning chemicals, hot or wet work surfaces, sharp edges, and heavy equipment (e.g., slicers, mixers, steam kettles).
• Compliance with departmental attendance and evaluation policies in an early childhood environment.

Qualifications

• Two years of institutional cooking experience or equivalency (one year of education may substitute for two years of experience).
• Demonstrated human relations, computer literacy, and effective communication skills.
• Current food service worker's permit required.
• Previous food production experience in a child care or health care setting is preferred.
• Up to four additional years of institutional cooking experience and supervisory experience may be preferred, depending on assignment.

Skills

• Knowledge of cooking methods, preparation times, and kitchen procedures.
• Ability to adjust recipes for altitude, special diets, and food allergies.
• Experience with inventory management, stock rotation, and production scheduling.
• Problem-solving skills for organizing functions with minimal notice, reducing waste, and prioritizing duties.

Pay

$18.00 per hour.

Schedule

Day shift, with occasional weekend or evening work required.