Food Preparation & Cooking - Junior Stars Pty Ltd

Junior Stars Pty Ltd; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 72,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

Junior Stars Pty Ltd trading as Greenfield Early Learning Centre in Brookfield, VIC is seeking a Cook to run the centre’s commercial kitchen and supply meals for children from six weeks to five years.

Working with a kitchen assistant and reporting to centre management, you will plan and prepare nutritious, age-appropriate meals, manage dietary and allergy requirements, and ensure compliance with Food Standards Code and Victorian food safety rules.

Qualifications

• Certificate III or IV in Commercial Cookery or equivalent.
• At least one year of experience as a Cook in a high-volume setting.
• Experience in childcare or education sector is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Plan and prepare daily menus for six weeks to five years.
• Prepare meals for up to 120 children and plate by age group.
• Meet dietary, allergy, and cultural requirements; keep records.
• Check deliveries, rotate stock and store food safely.
• Regulate oven temps and operate kitchen equipment safely.
• Maintain the food safety program and logs.
• Estimate quantities, order supplies, manage stock within budget.
• Supervise and train the kitchen assistant.
• Liaise with educators about menus and feedback.
• Keep the kitchen clean, hygienic and compliant with policies.

Skills

Strong communication

Leadership

Time management

Food safety knowledge

Allergen management

Education

Certificate III/IV in Commercial Cookery

Job description

Position: Cook

Type: Full-time

Employer: Junior Stars Pty Ltd trading as Greenfield Early Learning Centre

Location: Brookfield VIC 3338

Salary: A$80,000 per annum plus superannuation

About the Business

Greenfield Early Learning Centre is a privately owned long day care and early childhood education provider operating in Melbourne’s west, with centres in Brookfield and Truganina. The Brookfield centre at 120 Brooklyn Road is a modern, purpose-built service for children from six weeks to five years, with six spacious rooms each catering to a different age and stage of development, large outdoor yards and parking on site, operating Monday to Friday from 6:30am to 6:30pm with approval for up to 120 children. The centre holds a Meeting NQS rating across all seven quality areas and follows a play-based, strengths-focused approach in which qualified educators guide children to explore, interact and exercise their imagination through purposeful play, supported by STEM resources in every room and a sustainability program that includes plant care, recycling and worm farming. Greenfield is built on the belief that every child deserves a high-quality, equitable early childhood education, and it is known among its families for warm, approachable management and a team of 39 educators and support staff who go above and beyond for the children in their care.

About the Position

The Cook runs the centre’s commercial kitchen and is responsible for every meal and snack served to the children attending the Brookfield centre each day. Working with a kitchen assistant and reporting to centre management, the Cook plans and prepares nutritious, age-appropriate food for babies, toddlers and preschoolers across the centre’s six rooms, manages the dietary, allergy and cultural requirements of each child, and keeps the kitchen fully compliant with the food safety standards that apply to a childcare service. Meal times in a long day care centre are fixed and the children cannot wait, so the role calls for a cook who is organised, calm under pressure and committed to the health and wellbeing of very young children.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and prepare the centre’s daily menu of meals and snacks for children aged six weeks to five years, in line with Australian dietary guidelines for early childhood settings and the centre’s nutrition policy.
• Prepare, cook, season and portion meals for up to 120 children, modifying textures for infants and toddlers and plating food by room and age group for service at set meal times.
• Prepare food that meets special dietary requirements, including allergies and intolerances, medical dietary plans, and cultural and religious requirements, and keep accurate, current records of each child’s needs in the kitchen.
• Examine foodstuffs on delivery to ensure quality, check and rotate stock, and store food in temperature-controlled facilities at the correct temperatures.
• Regulate the temperatures of ovens, cooktops and other cooking equipment, and operate, clean and maintain commercial kitchen equipment safely.
• Maintain the centre’s food safety program, including temperature logs, cleaning schedules, allergen controls and the records required for council and regulatory inspection, in accordance with the Food Standards Code and Victorian food safety requirements.
• Estimate food requirements, order supplies and manage kitchen stock within the centre’s budget, minimising waste.
• Supervise and direct the kitchen assistant, allocate daily tasks and train them in safe food handling and hygiene practices.
• Liaise with room educators and centre management on menu planning, children’s feedback, changes to dietary requirements and the display of menus for families.
• Keep the kitchen clean, hygienic and safe at all times and follow the centre’s workplace health and safety and child-safe policies.

Requirements

• Australian citizens and permanent residents are encouraged to apply.
• Certificate III or Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery, or an equivalent qualification.
• At least one year of experience working as a Cook, with experience in a childcare, school or other high-volume kitchen well regarded.
• Sound working knowledge of food safety and hygiene practices, menu planning to nutrition guidelines for young children, allergen management, texture modification for infants, stock ordering and the safe operation of commercial kitchen equipment, together with the ability to keep accurate food safety records.
• Strong communication skills with educators, management and families, the ability to lead and train a kitchen assistant, excellent organisation and time management to meet fixed meal times, a calm and practical approach under pressure, a current Victorian Working with Children Check or willingness to obtain one, and availability to work early starts Monday to Friday.