Cook

Brighthorizons; McHenry (IL); On-site; USD 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid vacation and holidays

401(k) retirement plan

Parental bonding leave

Job summary

Bright Horizons is hiring a Cook to plan and prepare nutritious, family‑style meals that support children's health and learning. You will maintain a safe kitchen, manage inventory, and partner with staff to ensure smooth daily meal service.

Qualifications include being 18+, high school diploma or GED, and food handler certification within 30 days. Ohio background checks apply; this is a daytime, weekday role with benefits.

Qualifications

• Pass required state and company background checks.
• 18 years of age or older with a high school diploma or GED.
• Food handler certification within 30 days of hire required.
• Nutrition coursework or certification preferred.
• Food service experience in childcare, school cafeteria, or high‑volume setting preferred.

Responsibilities

• Plan and prepare balanced, family‑style meals and snacks per menus and guidelines.
• Maintain a clean, safe kitchen following sanitation and health procedures.
• Manage inventory and place orders with approved vendors, supporting daily meal service.

Skills

Food safety

Nutrition knowledge

Teamwork

Communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

As a Cook at Bright Horizons , you will plan and prepare nutritious, family‑style meals that support children's health, growth, and learning. Each day, your care in the kitchen will create a warm, predictable routine for children, educators, and center staff. From simmering soups to perfectly portioned plates, your work will fuel growing minds.

Join a team where your contributions matter and where you are supported to grow professionally while making a meaningful difference each day.

Must be available

Monday through Friday, 6:15am-3:15pm. No nights or weekends! Benefits available!

Responsibilities

• Plan and prepare balanced, family‑style meals and snacks following approved menus, nutritional guidelines, and daily attendance counts.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized kitchen by following food safety, allergy‑management, sanitation, and health procedures.
• Manage food and supply inventory, place orders through approved vendors, and partner with center staff to support smooth daily meal service.

Qualifications

• Candidates must pass required state and company background checks and meet state and company minimum education and experience requirements:
• 18 years of age with a high school diploma or GED is required
• Having or obtaining a food handler certification within 30 days of hire is required
• Course work or certification in Nutrition is preferred
• Food service experience in a childcare center, school cafeteria, commercial kitchen, or high‑volume food service setting is preferred

Be part of a community where people grow, futures are shaped, and lives are changed. We offer the rewards, opportunities, and support you deserve because making a difference goes both ways. We're changing the world of work and family, and it starts with you. At Bright Horizons, you're the difference .

Physical Requirements

This position requires the employee to comply with all applicable federal, state, local, Bright Horizons', and client site requirements concerning immunizations, employment physical/screening, and health and safety training. If hired, you will work in person in an early education/preschool child care center to provide food service per Bright Horizons' policies, procedures and guidance, in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations, and in a manner that will ensure safety of children in Bright Horizons care and the employee.

Physical demands include lifting and carrying food and supplies (typically 10 to 40 pounds, occasionally up to 50 pounds), standing for extended periods, bending, reaching, pushing carts, and performing repetitive kitchen and cleaning tasks. Employees must maintain mental and physical alertness and be able to respond immediately and appropriately to unexpected situations or emergencies.

The full set of physical requirements for this role can be reviewed at https://careers.brighthorizons.com/job-descriptions . Bright Horizons complies with all laws that require reasonable accommodations for qualifying disabilities and/or pregnancy-related limitations.

Compensation

The hourly rate for this position is between $14.42 - $19.47 per hour. The pay range listed here is what Bright Horizons in good faith anticipates offering for this job opening. Actual compensation offers within this range will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education and training, certifications, geography, and other relevant business or organizational factors.

Compensation: $14.42 - $19.47 / hr

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid vacation, sick, holiday, and parental bonding leave
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Long-term and short-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Money-saving discounts and financial planning tools
• Career development opportunities and free college degrees through our Horizons CDA & Degree Program
• Caregiving support and resources for the children and adults in your family
• Employee Referral Bonus Program
• Learn more at https://careers.brighthorizons.com/us/en/health-and-wellness

Life at Bright Horizons

At Bright Horizons, you're more than your job title - you're the difference . Whether you're nurturing a child's first steps or supporting the systems behind the scenes, your work creates real impact. We're a community that celebrates individuality, invests in your growth, and supports your whole self. Because when you thrive, so do the children, families, and clients we serve. Join us and help build a brighter future - for yourself and for others.

Bright Horizons provides equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Bright Horizons complies with the laws and regulations described in the followin