Residential Cook

Casa Serena • Santa Barbara, CA

9d • $25 - $27 • Onsite

About The Position

Casa Serena is hiring a Residential Cook to prepare lunch and dinner for women in its residential treatment program. The cook selects weekly meals from an existing recipe bank based on available ingredients, client response, and current dietary needs, focusing on preparing meals well rather than creating menus from scratch. The role also includes preparing snacks and breakfast items, batch-prepping food, maintaining backup meals, managing kitchen inventory and grocery shopping, and keeping the kitchen clean and organized. The cook meets weekly with the Residential Manager. This is home-style institutional cooking for approximately 10 to 15 residents. The position does not involve designing menus, directing the kitchen, supervising kitchen staff, preparing separate meals to order, or accommodating food preferences beyond documented dietary restrictions.

Requirements

• Comfortable cooking for 10 to 20 people and scaling recipes up or down.
• Proficient at accommodating common dietary restrictions, including vegetarian and vegan diets, and preparing vegan proteins such as tofu.
• Food Handler Card, or ability to obtain one upon hire.
• Reliable attendance and ability to serve meals consistently on time.
• Willingness to follow a recipe bank and daily structure.
• Organized, clean, a team player, and receptive to feedback.
• Basic computer skills.
• Able to pass a background check.
• Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and ability to be insured by the company’s insurance carrier.
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, and respond quickly to emergencies.
• Occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to work around clients in emotional distress or crisis situations.

Nice To Haves

• ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification.
• Experience cooking for dietary restrictions such as gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets.
• Experience in a treatment, healthcare, or social services setting.
• Current CPR and First Aid Certification and TB/Health Screen within 60 days of employment, or willingness to obtain these within 7 days of hire.
• Experience with MS Office or Google Suite.

Responsibilities

• Cook lunch and dinner daily for approximately 10 to 15 residents, including a fresh green salad at every meal.
• Choose weekly meals from the recipe bank based on ingredients on hand, client response, and current dietary needs.
• Prepare an afternoon snack and set up breakfast items for overnight staff.
• Batch-prepare items such as dressings, dips, make-ahead hot breakfast, vegetable sticks, and other snacks.
• Prepare additional meals for program staff to reheat and serve on days the cook is unavailable.
• Maintain freezer stock of backup entrees, including gluten-free and vegan options.
• Accommodate documented dietary restrictions within the planned meal.
• Maintain inventory of kitchen staples and fresh and frozen foods.
• Complete weekly grocery shopping based on current inventory and the weekly menu.
• Clean client and prep dishes; keep the kitchen clean and organized; maintain proper food labeling and storage.
• Complete rotating weekly kitchen-related projects, such as organizing the refrigerator, freezers, and pantry.
• Meet weekly with the Residential Manager.

Benefits

• Medical insurance (90% employer sponsored).
• 401(k) with 10% employer match.
• Paid vacation and sick leave.
• Paid training time.
• Tuition Assistance.
• EAP.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed