Cafeteria Cook

District of Columbia Public Schools; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 17,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

District of Columbia Public Schools is seeking a Food Service Worker (FSW), Cafeteria Cook, to prepare, heat, cook, bake, and serve a variety of foods in DCPS cafeterias, following USDA nutritional standards and production records. The role supports daily meal service and contributes to safe, sanitary kitchen operations.

You will rotate between schools within the same cluster as scheduling requires, and report to the Cafeteria Lead.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• At least 1–3 years related work experience.
• Experience in education sector a plus.
• Computer literacy (email, attachments, etc.).
• Ability to lift up to 35 pounds and stand/walk up to eight hours.
• Follow written and oral instructions.
• Sanitation certification (ServSafe or equivalent) and DD Health certification.

Responsibilities

• Prepares, cooks, bakes, and serves a variety of foods per menus and production records.
• Sets up and merchandises food service areas and serves food.
• Estimates quantities and adjusts recipes to meet meal requirements and minimize waste.
• Cooks menu items to meet nutritional requirements and production needs.
• Maintains sanitary conditions in storage, prep, and serving areas.
• Operates kitchen equipment and handles inventory reports as needed.
• Monitors staff for safe working conditions and supports supervision when needed.
• Assists with inventories, sales/production reports, and trainings.

Skills

Food prep

Sanitation

Safety compliance

Teamwork

Reading recipes

Physical stamina

Education

High school diploma or GED

Sanitation certification (ServSafe or equivalent)

DC Department of Health certified

Job description

TheOfficeofOperations (OoO) iscomprisedof the Strategic School Operations, FoodandNutrition Services, School Security, andFacilitiesPlanningandDesign divisions.OoOis responsible forguiding the operations and functions for all117schools within theDistrict. Our mission is to ensure DCPS Stakeholders – principals, teachers, students, and central services teams – have the operationalsystems,facilities, and support to be excellent.

Divisions/Teams:

• TheOperations Strategy team manages major initiatives across allOoOteams and oversees the DCPS Operations Center, the central operations hub which receives, triages, dispatches, monitors, and analyzes both emergency and non-emergency issues related to all operations functions across all117DCPS Schools, central servicesoffice, warehouse, satellite sites, and related properties. The Operations Strategy team directly supports the Chief OperatingOfficer to ensure all schools and DCPS divisions are supported and to operationalizeOoO’smission and vision. The team managesoffice-wide initiatives including budget oversight, procurement support, fleet management, and strategic planning.
• TheFacilities Planning and Designdivision iscomprisedof two main teams: Modernizations and Small Capital Projects. The Manager supports the overallFacilitiesPlanning and Design approach for both teams.
• TheSchool Securitydivision provides direct, day-to-day school safety and security related support to all DCPS schools. Thisdivision iscomprisedof the Contract SecurityandTraining, DCPS Special Police, and Physical Security teams. The mission of theSchool Security division is to ensure the safety and security of all DCPS students, staff, buildings, public spaces, and property. Asafe school promotes a healthy learning environment – where teachers can teach, Principals can lead, and students can learnand enjoy a rich academic experience.
• TheStrategic School Operations (SSO)division provides direct, day-to-day support to all DCPS schools, students, and staff. The Division consists of the following areas of focus: day-to-day support from SSO specialists, School StrategyandLogistics program, Intra/Interagency Affairs, Emergency PreparednessandGuidance, and Warehouselogistics. The mission of the SSO division is to provide excellent customer service and operational support toschool. The division has a 1:1 ratio of School Operations Specialists to each school cluster. SSO is prepared to support and liaise on behalf of schools to ensure they are equipped with and connected to appropriate operational resources.
• TheWarehouse and Logisticsteamwithin the Strategic School Operations division provides direct operational support to all DCPS schools. The Warehouse consists of the following areas of focus: emergency supplies and equipment, textbook replacements and closed school records, mail distribution, special event support, shippingandreceiving, DCPS fleet management and copier management, emergency school moves and surplusofficeand student furniture. The mission of the WarehouseandLogistics department is to provide DC Public Schools with the logistical support necessary to achieve its academic mission.
• TheFood and Nutrition Services (FNS)division is recognized for its healthy andinnovative school food. The Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) division is recognized for its healthy andinnovative school food. The scope of the DCPS FNS’ operations extends beyond school meals to include nutrition-related activities such as school gardens and farm-to-school as well as environmental sustainability and stewardship initiatives for cafeteria operations. FNS is made up of three smaller teams: Finance, Strategy andData, Nutrition, Compliance & Partnerships, and Food Service Operations. The mission of the DCPS FNS is: All DC Public Schools students are engaged and have access to wholesome and delicious meals that promote long-term wellness, preparation for learning, and satisfaction with their school.

The Food Service Worker (FSW), Cafeteria prepares, produces, heats, cooks, bakes, and serves a variety of foods from fresh, canned, dry, or frozen states according to recipes and assists in other related tasks in a designated food service production and/or service area. The FSW, Cafeteria assists service during meal periods, interacts directly with the students, and is responsible for contributing to the efficient, effective, compliant, and positive culture in the building and among the staff.The FSW, Cafeteria is responsible for supporting the overall quality of food and providing exemplary service at the assigned school; meeting the mandated nutritional needs of students; ensuring that all processes are met in utilizing standardized recipes; executing and supervising the cooking of meals to comply with USDA nutrition standards; ensuring all storage rooms and refrigerators/freezers are maintained according to FNS standards; and complying with mandated health requirements.

The FSW will receive a school-specific assignment, where they are expected to report unless otherwise scheduled. FSWs may be required to rotate between schools within the same Cluster due to changing scheduling and staffing needs. FSWs will be notified of their rotation schedule in writing by their supervisor prior to their schedule going into effect.

This position has been designated as Safety Sensitive. Pursuant to section 410 of Chapter 4 of the D.C. Personnel Regulations; in addition to the general suitability screening, individuals applying for or occupying safety sensitive positions are subject to the following checks and tests: Criminal background check; Sex Offender Registry check; Pre-employment drug and alcohol test; Traffic record check (as applicable); Reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol test; and Post-accident or incident drug and alcohol test.

The Cafeteria Cook will report to the Cafeteria Lead.

Position Overview

TheOfficeofOperations (OoO) iscomprisedof the Strategic School Operations, FoodandNutrition Services, School Security, andFacilitiesPlanningandDesign divisions.OoOis responsible forguiding the operations and functions for all117schools within theDistrict. Our mission is to ensure DCPS Stakeholders – principals, teachers, students, and central services teams – have the operationalsystems,facilities, and support to be excellent.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned.

• Prepares, produces, heats, cooks, bakes, and serves a variety of foods, including entrees, meats, vegetables, desserts, breads, salads, sandwiches, beverages, or other foods and beverages, as specified by the menus, recipes, and production records.

• Sets up and merchandises food and food service areas and serves food.

• Estimates food preparation amounts and adjusts recipes, if required, for the purpose of meeting projected meal requirements and minimizing waste.

• Cooks food items identified in pre-planned menus and a la carte menu items for the purpose of meeting mandated nutritional requirements and/or projected meal requirements.

• Cleans utensils, equipment, and the storage, food preparation, and serving areas for the purpose of maintaining sanitary conditions.

• Operates kitchen equipment such as, but not limited to, electric mixers, slicers, grinders, ovens, stove tops, tilt-skillets, tilt kettles, warmers, and coolers; and u tilizes kitchenware such as, but not limited to, knives, spatulas, whisks, tongs, spoons, and ladles.

• Monitors cafeteria workers and kitchen areas for the purpose of ensuring a safe and sanitary working environment in the absence of or delegation by the appropriate leadership.

• Assists in completing food and supply inventories; assists in preparing sales, production, and other reports; and attends training programs (classroom and virtual) as designated.

• Oversees the preparation, cooking, and serving of food and beverage items for the purpose of meeting mandated nutritional and health requirements.

• Prepares production records, inventory reports, substitution reports, etc. for the purpose of complying with District and federal food service requirements.

• Assists in the monitoring, reduction, and management of food waste.

• Receives food items and/or supplies for the purpose of verifying quantity, quality, and specifications of orders and/or complying with mandated health requirements.

• Reports equipment malfunctions for the purpose of maintaining equipment in safe working order.

• Responds to inquiries of students, staff, and the public for the purpose of providing information and/or direction regarding the type and/or cost of meals.

• Assists other personnel for the purpose of supporting them in the completion of their work activities.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• At least one to three years of related work experience.
• Previous exposure to or experience in the education sector a plus.
• Computer literacy (email, attachments, printing, etc.).
• Ability to follow written instructions.
• Ability to follow oral instructions.
• Ability to lift up to 35 pounds, stand, and walk for up to eight hours.
• Good working knowledge of food preparation.
• Familiarity of kitchen equipment.
• Can read and follow a recipe unsupervised.
• Sanitation certification (ServSafe or equivalent) and status must remain current throughout employment.
• DC Department of Health certified, and status must remain current throughout employment.

DCPS Values

• STUDENTS FIRST: We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do.
• COURAGE: We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success.
• EQUITY: We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds.
• EXCELLENCE: We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions.
• TEAMWORK: We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically.
• JOY: We enjoy our collective work and will enthusiastically celebrate our success and each other.

We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating an inclusive, accessible workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals with disabilities. Accommodation and/or application assistance is available upon request at all stages of the application and employment process. To request accommodation, please contact [e-mail].