Cook

Catalyst Family; Huntington Beach (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision Benefits

401(k) Retirement plan and EAP

Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays

Commuter pre-tax benefit

Discounted childcare

Access to the Calm app

Tickets at Work employee discounts

Professional growth advisory

Job summary

Catalyst Family is seeking a Cook to manage the child care center food service in line with CACFP and Healthy Environment policy. You will prepare meals, order supplies, and ensure safety and sanitation in a busy kitchen at Huntington Beach, CA.

Responsibilities include maintaining records, accommodating dietary needs, and collaborating with the Nutrition Health Educator. The role offers full-time hours, and a pathway to growth within the Nutrition Services Department.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum 6 months experience as a cook in an institutional setting (cafeteria, hospital).
• Completion of Food Safety Certification (Serve Safe) renewed every 3 years.
• Knowledge of CACFP meal patterns and nutrition guidelines.
• Able to budget and purchase supplies weekly.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve meals and snacks daily following CACFP guidelines.
• Shop and order food weekly within budget.
• Operate and clean kitchen equipment; maintain safety and sanitation.
• Accommodate for special dietary needs; consult with Site Supervisor and Nutrition Health Educator.
• Maintain menu production records daily; ensure accurate meal counts.
• Ensure meals are served classroom staff in family-style portions.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Bilingual Spanish

Independent worker

Budget management

Food safety

Safety compliance

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

A Cook is responsible for maintaining the child care center food service in accordance with requirements of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and in alignment with the Healthy Environment policy. The role will set a high standard for the quality of food served through participation in the CACFP and will follow CACFP nutrition guidelines for all children’s meals and snacks. Additionally, a Cook is responsible for adhering to Title 5 and/or Title 22 food service and health and safety state regulations.

Essential Functions

• Prepare and serve meals and snacks daily. Ensure portion sizes are in alignment with CACFP nutrition guidelines. Ensure food preparation is in accordance with accepted food handling, sanitation and kitchen hygiene procedures.
• Shop/order food from suppliers weekly. Purchase foods which are consistent with CACFP nutrition guidelines. Stay within food budget for center Follow seasonal menu cycle from organization’s Nutrition Services Department; make appropriate substitutions when necessary in accordance with USDA CACFP meal pattern. Maintain menu production records by recording meal counts and amounts of food prepared each day.
• Operate and clean all kitchen equipment. Maintain safe kitchen practices, including effective food storage practices, wet/dry safety, and knife/equipment handling safety.
• Accommodate for special dietary needs, i.e., food allergies and other medical conditions. Consult with Site Supervisor and Nutrition Health Educator for the appropriate modifications to the menu.
• Ensure the cleanliness of refrigerator, freezer, stove, microwave/toaster oven, countertops, garbage can and other equipment to standards of daily kitchen checklist.
• Ensure meals and snacks are presented so that classroom staff can serve family style with adequate serving supplies.
• Ensure that food preparation and storage meets health and safety storage (i.e., refrigerator is 40 degrees or less; freezer is 0 degrees or less); frozen food labeled; dry goods stored in airtight containers; expiration dates listed).

Physical Environment

• Must be able to work and stand for the majority of scheduled shift.
• Able to bend, pull, push and left medium (up to 40 pounds) weights (boxes, cans, liquids) throughout the work day. Items may be stored at ground level/below counter height or above shoulder height and worked at counter level.
• Prepare recipes, slice vegetables and work over hot stoves.
• The mishandling of cooking utensils, knives and machinery can result in severe burns or injury.
• Must prepare carts for delivery of meals / snacks with utensils to classrooms which requires pushing/pulling carts through indoor halls/rooms or outdoors across parking lots/corridors.
• Hazards may include slippery floors, moving objects and uneven surfaces.

Qualifications

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent

Experience

• Minimum 6 months experience as a cook in an institutional setting (i.e., cafeteria, hospital)

Other Qualifications

• Completion of Food Safety Certification (Serve Safe) and renewal every 3 years
• Knowledge of principles and methods of volume/high quantity food preparation; serving and storage; care and use of standard cafeteria equipment (range, oven, mixer, toaster, food processor, refrigerator, freezer); sanitation and safety methods
• Experience in a children’s program desirable
• Able to prepare weekly reports, including vouchers
• Good planning and organization. Manage food budget and purchase supplies to ensure availability of items for weekly meal preparation.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Able to work independently.
• Bilingual (Spanish) preferred
• Driver’s license and appropriate insurance
• TB/Fingerprint clearance

Shift Type: Full Time

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7am - 1:30pm

What We Offer

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Benefits
• 401(k) Retirement plan and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Personal Health Advocate
• Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
• Commuter pre-tax benefit
• Discounted childcare
• Access to the Calm app
• Tickets at Work employee discounts
• Be constantly in a learning and growth process with training and professional growth advisory

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace.

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.