Food Service Aide (Temporary)

Educational Alliance brings together and partners with diverse communities in Lower Manhattan, offering individuals and families high-quality, multi-generational programs and services that enhance their well-being and socioeconomic opportunities. We are a place where everyone is welcome and where progress is powered one relationship at a time. We are proud of our legacy as a Jewish organization, and we provide high-quality, transformational services and programs to all New Yorkers through our network of community centers on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and East Village.

Manny Cantor Center (MCC) is one of New York City’s original settlement houses. Educational Alliance was founded in 1889 to offer educational, social, and cultural services to Jewish immigrants arriving to the Lower East Side. Today, we partner with diverse communities throughout Lower Manhattan. Across our network of community centers, we empower people of all backgrounds to flourish, recognizing the intrinsic value within each individual and the importance of building community.

About the role

We are seeking a temporary Food Service Aide who will work in tandem with the Kitchen staff to execute meal services at the Weinberg Center for Balanced Living (WCBL), ensuring that congregate breakfast, congregate lunch, and take-home meal services run efficiently and comply with federal, state, and local government laws and regulations regarding nutrition, health, and safety for older adults. This role performs a variety of routine food service tasks, such as setting up service areas, preparing, packing, and serving meals to the older adult center’s members, and cleaning.

This is a temporary position, expected to last approximately 3 months.

Responsibilities

• Work in tandem with the Food Service Aide, Senior to ensure efficient dining room, pantry, and kitchen operations, punctual meal service, and compliance with federal, state, and local laws and government agency regulations.
• Prepare, transport, assemble, and serve congregate breakfast and lunch meals, ensuring proper portion control and compliance with food safety standards.
• Assemble, pack, and distribute appropriately portioned take-home meals.
• Utilize appropriate kitchen equipment to ensure the preparation and service of meals meet NYC Aging, HACCP and DOH standards for time and temperatures.
• Observe and implement all safety, hygiene, and sanitation guidelines, including maintaining personal cleanliness and grooming standards, frequent handwashing, proper glove use, and the wearing of required protective gear (e.g., hat, apron, non-slip shoes).
• Properly set up food service and supply areas, preparing and clearing away food service equipment for congregate meals and special events, and receiving, unpacking, storing, and labeling food and supplies, in accordance with funders’ protocols and procedures.
• Follow daily, weekly, and monthly food safety routines, maintaining a clean and sanitary service line, dining area, and pantry, and regularly cleaning and sanitizing frequently used kitchen equipment, including the steam table, cold food station, coffee and ice machines, refrigerators/freezers, sinks, utensils, pitchers, cups, carts, trays, and tables.
• Ensure take-home meal containers are labeled with “Made On:” and “Expires:” dates and include reheating instructions and Nutrition Facts.
• Perform other appropriate tasks and occasionally flex work hours as your immediate supervisor or task manager deem necessary.

Requirements

• High school diploma with NYC Food Handler Certification.
• English fluency required. Fluency in Spanish, Mandarin, or Cantonese a plus.
• Experience working with older adults a plus.
• Excellent customer service skills, including patience and flexibility.
• 1+ years of experience in food services preferred.
• Basic knowledge of commercial kitchen equipment operation and utensils.
• Proficient in NYC DOH and NYC Aging food safety requirements and sanitation procedures.
• Possess a high degree of cleanliness and sanitation.
• Excellent communication, member service, and interpersonal skills.
• Basic computer skills.
• Ability to work autonomously in a high-pressure, deadline-driven environment.

Schedule

Monday-Friday, 7:30am-2pm.