Cook

Covenant House; New York (NY); On-site; USD 20,639 - 29,395; Full time

Job summary

A community service organization in New York seeks a dedicated Kitchen Staff member to prepare and serve nutritious meals for vulnerable youth. The ideal candidate will possess a high school diploma, culinary skills, and experience in food service. Responsibilities include meal preparation, sanitation, and assisting with menu development while ensuring adherence to health standards. This role offers a pay range of $18.16 per hour and is vital for empowering young people in need.

Qualifications

• High School diploma/GED and Certificate in Food Protection required.
• Culinary school diploma is a plus.
• 2–3 years’ experience in the food service industry.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to operate institutional ovens, steamers, kettles, and slicers.
• Highly skilled in food preparation and presentation of food.
• Must have knowledge of knife skills.
• Must be able to read and follow a recipe unsupervised.
• Must be willing to follow directions and ask clarifying questions as needed.

Responsibilities

• Prepare/serve food for Covenant House clients/special events.
• Clean and sanitize dishes/kitchen utensils.
• Provide assistance in the development of daily menus.
• Complete production sheet on a daily basis.
• Strictly follow sanitation, hygiene and food handling standards.
• Promptly report equipment and food quality or shortage problems to the Kitchen Supervisor.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Food preparation

Knife skills

Kitchen equipment operation

Education

High School diploma/GED

Certificate in Food Protection

Culinary school diploma

Tools

Institutional ovens

Steamers

Kettles

Slicers

Job description

Join a Legacy of Hope and Empowerment at Covenant House New York!

For over 50 years, Covenant House New York (CHNY) has been at the forefront of transforming lives by providing comprehensive shelter, housing, and wrap‑around support services for vulnerable homeless, runaway, and exploited youth. As the largest provider of these essential services in New York City, CHNY impacts the lives of over 1,500 young people aged 16‑24 every year.

At CHNY, our doors are open to all young people in need, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. Our dedicated team offers various services, including shelter, housing, education, employment, health, mental health support, youth development, and anti‑human trafficking initiatives. We operate with harm reduction and trauma‑informed principles to ensure the best care for our youth.

But our mission goes beyond immediate support. We are passionate advocates for systemic change, influencing public policy, and raising awareness of the critical issues surrounding youth homelessness. Our ultimate goal is to provide a safe refuge and empower young people to build a brighter future founded on compassion, unconditional love, and absolute respect.

Join us in making a difference in the lives of countless young people. Join a team that inspires long‑term transformation and hope.

About the role

Prepare and serve well‑balanced and nutritious meals for clients/special events. Serve clients in a courteous, helpful, and prompt manner. Provide support in various areas, including but not limited to dishwashing and minor food shopping.

What you’ll do

• Prepare/serve food for Covenant House clients/special events.
• Clean and sanitize dishes/kitchen utensils.
• Provide assistance in the development of daily menus.
• Complete production sheet on a daily basis.
• Strictly follow sanitation, hygiene and food handling standards as per Department of Health and Hygiene.
• Promptly report equipment and food quality or shortage problems to the Kitchen Supervisor.
• Attend all scheduled employee meetings and bring suggestions for improvement.

Qualifications

• High School diploma/GED and Certificate in Food Protection required.
• Culinary school diploma A PLUS
• 2–3 years’ experience in the food service industry
• Strong organizational and communication skills
• Ability to operate institutional ovens, steamers, kettles, and slicers
• Highly skilled in food preparation and presentation of food
• Must have knowledge of knife skills
• Must be able to read and follow a recipe unsupervised
• Must be willing to follow directions and ask clarifying questions as needed.
• Must be able to communicate clearly with managers, kitchen, and dining room personnel.
• Ability to consistently comply with our standard portion sizes, cooking methods, quality standards and kitchen rules, recipes, policies and procedures.
• Knowledgeable in the proper technique of food preparation
• Be able to reach, bend, stoop, and frequently lift 40 pounds and up
• Knowledge of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

The pay range for this role is:

18.16 – 18.16 USD per hour (41st ST – SHELTER)