Food Service Specialist - IDEA Horizon Vista (Immediate Opening)
About The Position
The Food Service Specialist ensures that appropriate quantities of food are prepared, portioned, and served to IDEA students. This role involves tasks such as cutting/chopping fruits & vegetables, following recipes, adhering to established kitchen processes, and monitoring students during meal periods (e.g., for appropriate behavior, encouraging consumption of fresh fruits & vegetables, and preventing food sharing). Additionally, the specialist is responsible for various kitchen cleaning duties including sweeping, mopping, wiping tables, washing dishes, and disposing of trash. At IDEA Public Schools, the mission is to ensure every child can go to college. Since its inception in 2000, IDEA Public Schools has expanded from a small school of 150 students to a multi-state network of tuition-free, Pre-K-12 public charter schools, serving over 80,000 college-bound students across 143 schools in Texas, Florida, and Ohio. IDEA Public Schools consistently achieves national rankings for its high schools and maintains a legacy of sending 100% of its graduates to college. Working at IDEA means joining a "Team and Family" committed to ambitious goals and making college for all a reality, fostering a culture of integrity, respect, and belonging through its Core Values.
Requirements
- Ability to understand food recipes, safe handling of food and sanitation practices
- Working knowledge of kitchen/food production procedures
- Ability to operate kitchen equipment, tools, and utensils
- Ability to perform basic math skill
- Works well under pressure in a team setting
- Ability to lift, bend, pull, push, twist
- 1+ years of experience in a job that shows physical activity or requires you to be on your feet for multiple hours a day
- Interest or passion for working with food
- Basic knowledge or ability to quickly learn food production processes
- Ability to meet the physical demands of the job (lifting, bending, walking, etc.)
- Basic knowledge of providing service to our customers (students)
- Ability to read and execute recipes
- Ability to handle working with medium to large equipment (i.e. ovens, slicer, steamer, etc.)
- Basic math skills that directly relate to portioning food items in small trays
- Ability to take direction and feedback well
- Ability to adapt quickly in being switched from serving food to washing dishes
- Ability to self-reflect and be honest with own performance, desire to correct mistakes quickly
- Ability to work around or with an academic calendar
- Believes and is committed to the mission that all students are capable of getting to and through college
- Has demonstrated effective outcomes and results, and wants to be held accountable for them
- Has a propensity for action, willing to make mistakes by doing in order to learn and improve quickly
- Works with urgency and purpose to drive student outcomes
- Thrives in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment; is comfortable with ambiguity and change
- Seeks and responds well to feedback, which is shared often and freely across all levels of the organization
- Works through silos and forges strong cross-departmental relationships in order to achieve outcomes
- Holds self to a high level of conduct, professionalism and behaviors as models for colleagues and students
Nice To Haves
- High School Diploma Preferred but Not Required
- Food Handler’s Permit (City of County) preferred
Responsibilities
- Ensure appropriate quantities of food are prepared, portioned, and served to IDEA students
- Cut/chop fruits & vegetables
- Follow recipes
- Adhere to established kitchen processes
- Monitor students during meal periods (e.g., for appropriate behavior, encouraging consumption of fresh fruits & vegetables, no sharing of food)
- Perform kitchen cleaning duties (sweeping, mopping, wiping tables, washing dishes, disposing of trash)
- Cook, clean, restock and reset the kitchen for the next day
- Meet the physical demands of the job (lifting, bending, walking, etc.)
- Provide service to customers (students)
- Read and execute recipes
- Handle working with medium to large equipment (i.e. ovens, slicer, steamer, etc.)
- Apply basic math skills that directly relate to portioning food items in small trays
- Take direction and feedback well
- Adapt quickly to changes, such as being switched from serving food to washing dishes
- Self-reflect and be honest with own performance, with a desire to correct mistakes quickly
- Work around or with an academic calendar
- Move cafeteria tables daily (due to a shared cafeteria/gymnasium space)
- Dispose of garbage
Benefits
- Comprehensive benefits plan, covering the majority of the employee premium for the base medical plan and subsidizing the majority of costs for a spouse/domestic partner and children
- Up to 8 weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child (Paid Family Leave), based on tenure with the organization and caregiver designation
- Up to 50% of tuition paid toward a qualifying degree program, up to $5,250 maximum per year (Tuition Reimbursement), subject to manager discretion and budget availability
- Employer-Paid Mental/Behavioral Health: 5 face-to-face counseling sessions within a year, unlimited 24/7 telephonic counseling, and other work-life services available at no cost
- Dental plans
- Vision plans
- Disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Parenting benefits
- Generous vacation time
- Referral bonuses
- Professional development
- Relocation allowance to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable
- Performance bonus based on team performance and goal attainment
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
Number of Employees
501-1,000 employees
