CYP Child and Youth Program Cook

About the Role

The Child and Youth Program (CYP) Cook performs a variety of food preparation and food service tasks for the CYP, primarily located in a Child Development Center (CDC) with occasional assistance for the School Age Care (SAC) Program. The role involves multiple steps and procedures in food preparation, kitchen maintenance, and food storage.

Responsibilities

• Food Preparation and Service
  • Prepares meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables, fruit sauces, and gravies for menus.
  • Cooks, seasons, and portions food following standardized recipes of varying difficulty.
  • Plans, regulates, and schedules cooking procedures to ensure food is ready at the appropriate temperature and time.
  • Prepares entire meals, including complex recipes with numerous steps, ingredients, and lengthy preparation times.
  • Uses multiple cooking methods (e.g., cooling, chilling) for a variety of menu items.
  • Monitors temperatures, steam pressures, and food conditions; turns and bastes meats to ensure even cooking.
  • Modifies recipes based on ingredient quantities, serving sizes, and available equipment.
• Kitchen Maintenance
  • Cleans serving carts, food preparation areas, cupboards, drawers, and dishwashing areas.
  • Operates mechanical dishwashers; scrapes, soaks, and scrubs heavy cooking utensils (e.g., mixing bowls, pots).
  • Performs heavy-duty cleaning tasks, including ceilings, exhaust hoods, spaces behind equipment, floors, and walls using powered equipment.
  • Cleans walk-in refrigerators, freezers, and sanitizes garbage rooms.
  • Maintains a clean and orderly work area in compliance with NAVMED P5010 and local policies.
• Food Storage
  • Labels and dates all items in refrigerators and freezers; stores leftovers according to sanitation and health standards.
  • Stores canned, boxed, and frozen items in designated food storage areas.
  • May unload food and supplies from delivery trucks.
• Additional Responsibilities
  • Complies with security, fire, and sanitation rules, policies, and regulations.
  • Ensures compliance with U.S. Agriculture (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) standards.
  • Serves as a mandatory reporter for suspected child abuse or neglect to Family Advocacy and Child Protective Services.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• Meet federal suitability requirements, including a background investigation.
• Comply with special inoculation and immunization requirements for working with children, including the influenza vaccine per ACIP recommendations.
• Obtain and maintain a valid food handler’s card.
• Pass a pre-employment physical and provide evidence of immunization; be free from communicable disease.
• Complete all background checks, including National Agency Check with Written Inquiries (NACI).
• Obtain and maintain required training certificates and credentials as mandated by federal, state, or national accreditation institutions.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of food handling techniques, personal hygiene standards, and safe work procedures.
• Thorough understanding of food preparation principles, including techniques for revising or developing new recipes and cooking food in large quantities.
• Working knowledge of sanitation standards to prevent contamination (e.g., cleaning equipment, using chemical sanitizers).
• Skill in performing multi-step food preparation tasks and troubleshooting production issues.
• Ability to evaluate final food products and initiate corrective actions to meet quality standards.
• Skill in developing standardized recipes for quantity cooking, adjusting for equipment capacity and serving sizes.
• Ability to manage multiple cooking processes simultaneously, ensuring food is served at peak quality with minimal holding time while meeting safety standards.
• Strong coordination skills for large-scale food preparation involving varied cooking methods, timing, and ingredients.
• Effective oral and written communication skills in English, with strong interpersonal abilities.
• Minimum age of 18 years.
• High School Diploma or equivalent (transcripts required upon application).

Additional Information

This position is subject to a drug-free workplace per Executive Order 12564. Non-U.S. citizens with fewer than three years of recent U.S. residential history may be ineligible. Selectees may be required to complete a one-year probationary period. Participation in Direct Deposit/Electronic Fund Transfer is mandatory within the first 30 days. Access to military installations may require a REAL ID or acceptable identity documents as outlined in the Base Access Form.