Cook - Lehigh Valley Culinary Center

Whitsons Culinary Group•Allentown, PA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Cook prepares meals according to school menus for students, ensuring food is safely cooked, properly portioned, presented with care, and served on time. The role supports special dietary needs and food-allergy safety procedures, maintains a clean and organized kitchen, and works cooperatively with the Chef Manager and other food service team members. Cooks follow recipes, production standards, HACCP and food-safety requirements, and applicable Whitsons and government procedures, while completing temperature logs and production records accurately. The position is full-time and non-exempt, with workdays and hours aligned with the school district’s food service schedule. It is primarily site-based, with occasional travel to other district school locations for coverage or operational support. Occasional extended hours may be needed for special events or operational needs. The work takes place primarily in a kitchen and food-service production environment, with moderate to loud noise during meal service and exposure to hot and cold temperatures.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 1 year of professional culinary or food-service experience.
Proficiency in recipe procedures, cooking techniques, batch cooking, and recipe execution.
ServSafe certification, or the ability to obtain it within a defined timeframe upon hire.
Local food-safety certification in the jurisdiction of employment.
English speaking and reading ability sufficient to understand and perform job assignments, follow recipes, and comply with safety requirements.
Commitment to cleanliness and food safety, and a dependable, positive, and professional attitude.
Ability to work effectively as part of a food-service team in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
Genuine interest in school nutrition and student health.
Ability to stand for the majority of the workday; frequently walk, talk, and hear; handle food, tools, and equipment; reach with hands and arms; and lift or move up to 50 pounds, including while turning side to side.
Ability to work around ovens, freezers, refrigeration equipment, storerooms, and hot and cold temperatures.
Close vision and ability to adjust focus.

Nice To Haves

School nutrition or institutional food-service experience.
Basic knowledge of cooking techniques; training may be provided to the right person.

Responsibilities

Cook and prepare a variety of meals according to school menus and recipes.
Ensure food is safely cooked and presented with care, meeting portioning, presentation, and nutritional compliance standards.
Support special dietary needs and follow food-allergy safety procedures.
Maintain a clean, organized, stocked, and properly maintained kitchen and service station.
Work with team members to serve meals in a timely, friendly manner and meet meal-service deadlines.
Follow HACCP, ServSafe, food-safety, sanitation, Whitsons, and applicable government requirements and procedures.
Complete temperature logs, production records, and other required documentation accurately and on time.
Manage the timing and sequencing of cooking operations and follow assigned schedules reliably.
Maintain station setup, signage, and food-service presentation, and support student satisfaction.
Cooperate with the Chef Manager and fellow food service workers to achieve daily service goals.
Travel occasionally to other school locations within the district for substitute coverage or operational support.