Cook

About the Role

Join our team as a Cook and put your culinary skills to work for the most adorable little eaters in town. You'll craft nutritious and delicious meals for our preschool program, ensuring a wholesome and enjoyable dining experience for the children in our care. Enjoy a work-life balance with weekends at home and dinner every evening.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with all Local, State, and Federal regulations related to food services.
• Order, prepare, serve, and document meals and snacks for the Head Start Center.
• Follow planned menus and manage kitchen operations, including inventory control.
• Maintain a clean and safe kitchen environment, adhering to health and food safety codes.
• Prepare meals for infants, toddlers, and preschool children following USDA/CACFP standards.

Requirements

• High School diploma or GED.
• Minimum of one year of experience in food preparation.
• Familiarity with USDA/CACFP meal requirements is preferred.
• Familiarity with computer programs.
• Experience in preparing diverse and appropriate foods.
• Ability to read and write English.
• Experience in purchasing, documenting food production, food costs, and meal counts.
• Experience in supervising staff or volunteers is desirable.
• Current and former Early Head Start and Head Start parents will receive preference for employment vacancies for which they are qualified.

Skills

• Language Skills: Bilingual English/Spanish preferred. Ability to read and interpret documents such as recipes, menus, production records, safety rules, operating instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and interpret graphs and charts.
• Physical Demands: Occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Qualifications

• USDA/CACFP certification.
• Food handlers certification.
• SERV Safe Manager certification.
• CPR and First Aid certification.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and benefits to support your well-being.
• Ongoing professional development, certifications, and career pathways.
• Team-based guidance from experienced mentors and coaches.
• Positive, respectful environment with support for healthy boundaries.
• Inclusive culture with wellness programs and team-building.
• Regular recognition of your hard work and dedication.

About Us

We are passionate about our work and the incredible children and families we support. Since 1975, we have been dedicated to Community and Family Engagement, operating Head Start Programs since 1991. Our experience includes managing programs in challenging, isolated, and underserved areas. Our curricula and programs are rooted in science, and we are committed to the professional growth of minority communities. Our team includes bilingual and bicultural staff to ensure inclusive and culturally sensitive care.