School Cook / Chef

The Goddard School•Magnolia, TX

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Preschool Cook/Chef is responsible for preparing and serving safe, nutritious, and appealing meals and snacks for children and staff while maintaining a clean, sanitary, organized, and properly stocked kitchen. Because the kitchen serves young children, food safety, allergy awareness, sanitation, portion control, and following the school menu are essential responsibilities of this position. The Cook/Chef is also a member of the entire school team and is expected to assist with reasonable school-related responsibilities when kitchen duties are completed.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED preferred.
Previous cooking, food-service, childcare, school, or commercial kitchen experience preferred.
Must meet all state childcare licensing and food-handling requirements.
Food Handler certification required or must be obtained within the required timeframe.
Must successfully complete required background checks and school training.
Must understand basic food safety, sanitation, cross-contamination prevention, and proper food storage.
Must be able to follow menus, recipes, portion requirements, and allergy restrictions.
Must be dependable, punctual, organized, flexible, and professional.
No experience necessary. Will train on-site.
Must love working with children and teachers.

Nice To Haves

Previous cooking, food-service, childcare, school, or commercial kitchen experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Preparing breakfast, lunch, and snacks according to the school's approved menu and schedule.
Following established recipes, serving sizes, and portion requirements.
Preparing food appropriate for the ages of the children being served.
Ensuring meals and snacks are prepared and delivered to classrooms on time.
Preparing classroom food containers, serving utensils, milk/water, and other meal supplies as required.
Properly portioning food to minimize unnecessary waste.
Following approved menu substitutions when an item is unavailable.
Not making significant menu changes without administrative approval.
Ensuring food is properly cooked, cooled, reheated, and held at safe temperatures.
Maintaining required food-temperature records and other kitchen documentation.
Returning unused food to proper storage when appropriate and safely disposing of food that cannot be reused.
Knowing and following the school's allergy and dietary restriction procedures.
Reviewing current allergy information and understanding which children require substitutions or special meal preparation.
Preventing cross-contact between allergens and other foods.
Using separate utensils, preparation surfaces, containers, or other precautions when required.
Clearly identifying special meals before they are delivered to classrooms.
Never making assumptions regarding whether a child can have a particular food.
Immediately asking administration when there is uncertainty regarding an allergy, dietary restriction, or food substitution.
Immediately reporting any food-allergy error or possible exposure to administration.
Washing and sanitizing dishes, utensils, pots, pans, trays, and food-preparation equipment.
Cleaning and sanitizing countertops and food-preparation surfaces.
Sweeping and mopping kitchen floors as needed.
Cleaning sinks, refrigerators, freezers, cabinets, shelves, appliances, and food-storage areas.
Properly removing kitchen trash.
Following proper handwashing procedures.
Wearing gloves when required and changing gloves whenever they become contaminated or when changing tasks.
Preventing cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods.
Properly labeling and dating opened and prepared foods.
Following appropriate food-storage and expiration procedures.
Maintaining refrigerators and freezers at required temperatures.
Keeping chemicals and cleaning products properly labeled and stored away from food.
Checking food deliveries for accuracy and quality.
Opening delivered food boxes and promptly putting refrigerated, frozen, and dry goods in their proper locations.
Rotating inventory using a first-in, first-out (FIFO) system.
Monitoring expiration and use-by dates.
Informing administration before essential food or kitchen supplies run out.
Keeping refrigerators, freezers, pantry areas, and storage shelves clean and organized.
Minimizing unnecessary food waste.
Informing administration of damaged products, shortages, delivery errors, or quality concerns.
Delivering food according to the school's established schedule.
Being mindful that classrooms may be conducting lessons, activities, or nap routines.
Entering classrooms quietly and professionally.
Avoiding unnecessarily interrupting teachers or disrupting children.
Ensuring special dietary meals are delivered to the correct classroom and clearly identified.
Communicating important meal or allergy information directly to the appropriate staff member when necessary.
Providing staff bathroom breaks when qualified and directed by administration.
Helping with school parties, celebrations, and special events.
Assisting with setup and cleanup for school activities.
Helping maintain common areas.
Assisting with other reasonable school-related duties as assigned by administration.
Attending required staff meetings, professional development, training, and school events.
Checking with the front office or administration to determine where additional assistance may be needed when kitchen responsibilities are completed.
Maintaining professional and respectful communication with coworkers, administrators, children, and families.
Following directions from school administration.
Working cooperatively with teachers and other school employees.
Handling disagreements and frustrations professionally.
Maintaining appropriate behavior and language while on school property.
Accepting constructive feedback professionally.
Avoiding unnecessary conflict with coworkers.
Maintaining confidentiality regarding children, families, and employees.
Following all food safety and sanitation requirements.
Immediately cleaning spills and addressing slip or fall hazards.
Safely operating kitchen equipment.
Keeping knives and other potentially dangerous kitchen equipment secured and inaccessible to children.
Keeping cleaning chemicals and other hazardous materials properly stored.
Immediately reporting broken equipment, unsafe conditions, pest concerns, or other kitchen safety issues to administration.
Following all school emergency procedures.
Standing and walking for extended periods.
Bending, reaching, lifting, carrying, and moving food and kitchen supplies.
Safely lifting and carrying reasonable quantities of food, milk, kitchen supplies, pots, pans, and equipment.
Working around ovens, stovetops, refrigerators, freezers, and other commercial kitchen equipment.
Performing repetitive food-preparation and cleaning tasks.
Arriving on time and being prepared to begin kitchen responsibilities according to the assigned schedule.
Maintaining a safe, clean, organized, efficient, and welcoming kitchen.
Providing children with nutritious meals and snacks.
Carefully protecting children with food allergies and dietary restrictions.
Contributing positively to the overall operation and culture of the school.