School Cook II - Waiakeawaena Elementary

Hawaii State Department of Education•Hilo, HI

16h

About The Position

The School Cook II plans and coordinates food preparation with other food service employees to ensure meals are ready for scheduled meal service and satellite delivery. The role reviews food production records, plans cooking and preparation activities, estimates timing, selects standardized recipes, and obtains ingredients and equipment. It prepares and cooks a range of foods, assists with principal meals and supplementary items, and may prepare meals for students with special dietary needs. The position also sets up and replenishes serving counters, serves students and staff, portions or packs satellite meals, and maintains clean and sanitary work and dining areas. The School Cook II labels, stores, or disposes of leftovers and records relevant information; receives and stores provisions; tracks supplies and ingredients; and helps with inventory and routine records. The role directs helpers, assists with training food service employees, and may supervise satellite-school serving operations. The employee attends staff meetings and training and completes the annual minimum training hours required by the USDA.

Requirements

High school graduation or equivalent.
At least 1.5 years of qualifying experience: 0.5 year of general experience preparing and cooking food and 1 year of specialized experience in quantity cooking.
General experience must demonstrate knowledge of food preparation and cooking, such as preparing produce, salads, sandwiches, and simple foods, or fry-cooking in a fast-food operation.
Specialized experience must include hands-on quantity cooking in a restaurant, hotel, hospital, school, or institution and demonstrate proficiency in large-scale food preparation.
Specialized experience must demonstrate knowledge of ingredients and their properties, functions, and substitutions; measuring and combining ingredients; safe use and care of kitchen utensils and equipment; food handling and storage; kitchen safety and sanitation; following and adjusting standardized recipes; estimating ingredients; and estimating preparation and cooking times to meet meal schedules.
Serving food, cleaning, dishwashing, fry-cooking alone, or other experience that does not provide the knowledge and skills of quantity cooking does not qualify as specialized experience.
An associate’s degree in Food Service from an accredited community college food service or culinary arts program that includes quantity cooking may substitute for all required experience.
Substantially full-time coursework at an accredited technical school, community college, or university that provides comparable knowledge and hands-on practice in quantity food preparation and cooking may substitute for pertinent experience on a month-for-month basis.
Excess specialized experience may substitute for general experience on a month-for-month basis.
Experience must be of sufficient scope and responsibility to demonstrate the ability to perform the duties; part-time experience is prorated, and hours exceeding 40 per week are not credited.
Applicants must meet the position requirements as of the application date unless otherwise specified; required education and experience may not be gained concurrently unless specifically indicated.

Responsibilities

Coordinate with food service employees to prepare meals on time for meal service and satellite delivery schedules.
Review daily, weekly, and monthly food production records and plan cooking and preparation accordingly.
Estimate preparation and cooking times, select appropriate standardized recipes, and secure ingredients and equipment.
Weigh and measure ingredients according to standardized recipes and production needs; calculate adjustments to recipe yield and serving portions.
Prepare, cook, and heat a variety of foods, including sandwiches, breakfast meals, taco shells, and French fries; slice food and assemble salads and sandwiches; cook starches and season vegetables; assist with principal meals and supplementary items; and possibly prepare food for students with special dietary needs.
Set up serving counters, serve students and staff, and replenish food and supplementary items as needed.
Portion or direct the portioning and packing of menu items for satellite meals.
Clean and maintain work areas, serving counters, and dining areas; clean and sanitize pots, pans, utensils, and equipment.
Label, store, or dispose of leftovers; document them on production records; inform the School Food Services Manager; and possibly recommend their utilization.
Receive provisions, document product temperatures when applicable, report discrepancies to the School Food Services Manager, date and store goods properly, record supplies and ingredients used, and assist with monthly inventory and routine records.
Direct or instruct cafeteria helpers and other adult or student helpers assigned to food preparation, serving, or cleanup.
Assist in training new food service employees and possibly supervise serving operations at satellite schools.
Attend staff meetings, workshops, and in-service training, and complete annual minimum training hours required by the USDA.