Child Care Cook - Northside

VCU Health System Authority; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 24,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

VCU Health System Authority seeks a Child Care Cook to provide safe, nutritious meals for center children and support health education. You will plan menus, prepare meals, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local rules while maintaining sanitation and safety standards.

Collaborating with families and staff, you will incorporate feedback, manage inventory, and document meal services, with emphasis on allergy accommodations and nutrition education in a busy childcare setting in

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Preferred: Professional culinary training.
• Certification: ServSafe Food Manager Certification required.

Responsibilities

• Plan Menus: Create seasonal menus that are nutritious, balanced, and appropriate for the center's age groups.
• Prepare and serve food: Prepare breakfast, lunch, and snacks on schedule; portion and serve meals following portion guidelines and food-safety procedures.
• Follow program rules: Prepare meals that comply with federal, state, and local regulations; promote and adhere to Family Style Dining Service.
• Food safety and sanitation: Maintain kitchen cleanliness, store foods safely, monitor temperatures, rotate stock, and follow health department and ServSafe standards and sanitation protocols.
• Special diets and allergies: Ensure accommodations for children with allergies, medical diets, or cultural/religious needs; document substitutions and communicate with supervisors and families as required .
• Inventory and purchasing: Create shopping lists, order or purchase supplies within budget, receive deliveries, and monitor inventory to reduce waste.
• Recordkeeping: Maintain records for menus, temperature logs, and any program-related documentation.
• Teamwork and communication: Coordinate with classroom staff and center leadership to schedule mealtime visits, assist with safe mealtime practices and Family Style Dining, and support nutrition education activities.
• Gather and act on feedback: Regularly solicit input from children through age-appropriate activities (taste tests, preference charts) and from families and staff via surveys and conversations; review collected feedback monthly and adjust menus as appropriate .
• Miscellaneous Responsibilities: Perform other duties as assigned and/or participate in special projects to support the mission of VCUHS and the Department.

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Professional culinary training

Job description

The Child Care Cook provides safe, nutritious, age-appropriate meals and snacks for children enrolled in the childcare center. This position manages kitchen operations to meet ServSafe, health department, and program standards, and supports healthy eating habits and food-related education for children and staff. This position also works collaboratively with children, families, and center staff to solicit, evaluate, and incorporate feedback on menus, meal service, and food-related activities.

Essential Job Statements

• Plan Menus: Create seasonal menus that are nutritious, balanced, and appropriate for the center's age groups.
• Prepare and serve food: Prepare breakfast, lunch, and snacks on schedule; portion and serve meals following portion guidelines and food-safety procedures.
• Follow program rules: Prepare meals that comply with federal, state, and local regulations; promote and adhere to Family Style Dining Service.
• Food safety and sanitation: Maintain kitchen cleanliness, store foods safely, monitor temperatures, rotate stock, and follow health department and ServSafe standards and sanitation protocols.
• Special diets and allergies: Ensure accommodations for children with allergies, medical diets, or cultural/religious needs; document substitutions and communicate with supervisors and families as required .
• Inventory and purchasing : Create shopping lists, order or purchase supplies within budget, receive deliveries, and monitor inventory to reduce waste.
• Recordkeeping: Maintain records for menus, temperature logs, and any program-related documentation.
• Teamwork and communication: Coordinate with classroom staff and center leadership to schedule mealtime visits, assist with safe mealtime practices and Family Style Dining, and support nutrition education activities.
• Gather and act on feedback: Regularly solicit input from children through age-appropriate activities (taste tests, preference charts) and from families and staff via surveys and conversations; review collected feedback monthly and adjust menus as appropriate .
• Miscellaneous Responsibilities : Perform other duties as assigned and/or participate in special projects to support the mission of VCUHS and the Department. Provide assistance to team members. Accept alternate assignments, as required .

Patient Population: N/A

Employment Qualifications

• Education Required: High School Diploma or equivalent
• Education Preferred: Professional culinary training

Licensing/ Certification

• Licensure Required: N/A
• Licensure Preferred: N/A
• Certification Required: ServSafe Food Manager Certification required
• Certification Preferred: N/A

Minimum Qualifications

• Years and Type of Required Experience: Two years of professional cooking experience
• Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required: N/A
• Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred: N/A

Working Conditions

P eriods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur. Prolonged periods of working alone.

Physical Requirements

• Physical Demands: Lifting/ Carrying (0-50 lbs.), Push/ Pull (0-50 lbs.), Stoop, Kneel, Squat, Climbing, Balance, Bending
• Work Position: Sitting, Walking, Standing

Additional Physical Requirements/ Hazards

• Physical Requirements: Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination), Reach above shoulder, Repetitive arm/hand movements, Finger Dexterity
• Hazards: N/A

Mental/Sensory - Emotional

• Mental/Sensory: Reasoning, Problem Solving, Hearing, Speak Clearly, Reading, Logical Thinking
• Emotional: S teady Pace, Able to Handle Multiple Priorities, Noisy Environment, Able to Adapt to Frequent Change

Compensation Range

$17.25 - $26.39 Actual salary offers will be based on several key factors to include relevant work experience, credentials, and qualifications.

EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran