School Nutrition Head Cook 2026-2027

Ector County Independent School District•Odessa, TX

18h•Onsite

About The Position

To safely and efficiently perform cleaning and sanitation, food preparation, food safety, and serving procedures while serving healthy, nutritious, and appealing meals to students, staff, and families. To ensure compliance with the following United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs, each having its separate regulations: National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

Requirements

High school graduate or equivalent preferred.
Ability to understand and follow written and oral recipes, menus, and instructions in English.
Ability to obtain a Texas-approved Food Handler Certification.
Ability to complete 6 hours of continuing education in Nutrition, Operations, Administration, and Communication/Marketing annually as required by the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Ability to complete cashier training to identify reimbursable meals, customer services, register operations, money handling, and procedures for managing allergy alerts.

Nice To Haves

Working towards the Texas Association for School Nutrition Level III Certification

Responsibilities

Accurately prepare and assemble meals in compliance with meal pattern requirements, keeping in mind which USDA program the meal is being assembled for.
Ensure compliance with the FDA Food Code and local health department regulations when storing, preparing, and serving food.
Refills and replaces food, condiments, and utensils as needed.
Maintains high standards of personal hygiene, appearance, and grooming.
Exhibit highly ethical and professional conduct at all times.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Manager.
Routinely clean and sanitize kitchen equipment and premises.
Anticipates inventory and menu requirements then reports to Manager.
Participates in department meetings and education seminars, as necessary.
Facilitate labor and money-saving techniques, as identified, to the Manager for use to improve efficiency.
Ensures that all kitchen equipment is in good working condition, reporting any deficiencies to the Manager.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Manager.
Assist in the daily completion of production records, grocery orders, and perpetual inventory.
Responsible for opening and closing the kitchen daily.
Reduce food waste by adjusting each day’s production of food or spoilage.
Ensure that First In, First Out method is being adhered to.
Receive deliveries from the warehouse and other vendors to ensure accuracy and wholesomeness of products.
Fill in for manager when needed.