Cook-2026-27 School Year

South Newton Jr-Sr High School; Kentland (IN); On-site; USD 17,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

South Newton School Corporation is seeking a Cook to prepare and serve school meals, maintain kitchen sanitation, and assist with inventory and record-keeping under supervision of the Food Service Director.

The role involves reading recipes, following menus, ensuring portion control, and supporting special dietary needs for identified students, with opportunities to participate in training and site meetings.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Ability to read, understand and speak Basic English to perform essential functions.
• ServSafe Certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Reviews weekly menus for planning food preparation schedule.
• Follows written and verbal directions.
• Reads, interprets, and follows recipes to ensure safe and quality production of menu items.
• Sets up and arranges food to be served daily.
• Makes menu item substitutions with the approval of Food Service Director.
• Promote student and staff satisfaction through preparing and merchandising meals in an attractive manner.
• Assists with proper labeling, dating, and rotation of products in storage facilities.
• Collects, records, and reports quantities used, amounts produced, and meal counts in compliance with regulations.
• Offers and serves correct portions to comply with NSLP standards.
• Maintains sanitation and safety practices in line with required codes.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Summary

The cook is responsible for the preparation and serving of school meals, cleanliness and sanitation of the school kitchen, and may be assigned inventory, record keeping and computer input responsibilities. Nature of the work requires moderate physical effort, continuous standing and use of commercial food service equipment with minimum supervision.

• Reviews weekly menus for planning food preparation schedule.
• Follows written and verbal directions.
• Reads, interprets, and follows recipes to ensure safe and quality production of menu items.
• Sets up and arranges food to be served daily.
• Makes menu item substitutions with the approval of Food Service Director.
• Learns to appropriately operate industrial dishwashers, mixers, ovens, other related school kitchen equipment, appliances, and utensilscommon to large quantity preparation, cooking, storage and distribution of food.
• Promote student and staff satisfaction through preparing and merchandising meals in an attractive manner.
• Assists in proper labeling, dating, and rotation of products in dry storage, coolers, and freezers.
• Assists in maintaining organized storage of dry goods, refrigerated and frozen products utilizing the FIFO (first in, first out) procedure.
• Assists in the cooking, preparation, and service of food for special events when required.
• Assists substitute cooks assigned to the work location in preparation of school meals.
• Assists with preparation of special dietary items for identified students.
• Collects, records, and reports quantities used, amounts produced, amounts left over and meal counts accurately in compliance with government regulations.
• Offers and serves correct portions to comply with National School Breakfast and Lunch Program standards.
• May operate cash register/point of sale device during serving period as needed.
• Adheres to sanitation and safety practices, which comply with State, County, and Corporation requirements and codes, which includes receiving, storing, handling, preparing and serving of food products, and the general cleaning and sanitizing of the kitchen food service equipment, supplies, and utensils. This also includes, but is not limited to checking work areas for safety hazards, removing safety hazards from work area, reporting safety hazards to head cook or Food Service Director.
• Attends training and development classes and work site meetings as required by Food Service Director or school administration.
• Maintains harmonious relations with students, staff, vendors, parents, administration and outside entities that associate with the corporation’s school nutrition program.
• Wears the prescribed uniform. Maintains regular attendance and a professional appearance at all times.
• Additional duties may be assigned.

South Newton School Corporation

Position Description

Position Title: Cook

Department: Food Service

Reports To: Food Service Director

Summary

The cook is responsible for the preparation and serving of school meals, cleanliness and sanitation of the school kitchen, and may be assigned inventory, record keeping and computer input responsibilities. Nature of the work requires moderate physical effort, continuous standing and use of commercial food service equipment with minimum supervision.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Reviews weekly menus for planning food preparation schedule.
• Follows written and verbal directions.
• Reads, interprets, and follows recipes to ensure safe and quality production of menu items.
• Sets up and arranges food to be served daily.
• Makes menu item substitutions with the approval of Food Service Director.
• Learns to appropriately operate industrial dishwashers, mixers, ovens, other related school kitchen equipment, appliances, and utensilscommon to large quantity preparation, cooking, storage and distribution of food.
• Promote student and staff satisfaction through preparing and merchandising meals in an attractive manner.
• Assists in proper labeling, dating, and rotation of products in dry storage, coolers, and freezers.
• Assists in maintaining organized storage of dry goods, refrigerated and frozen products utilizing the FIFO (first in, first out) procedure.
• Assists in the cooking, preparation, and service of food for special events when required.
• Assists substitute cooks assigned to the work location in preparation of school meals.
• Assists with preparation of special dietary items for identified students.
• Collects, records, and reports quantities used, amounts produced, amounts left over and meal counts accurately in compliance with government regulations.
• Offers and serves correct portions to comply with National School Breakfast and Lunch Program standards.
• May operate cash register/point of sale device during serving period as needed.
• Adheres to sanitation and safety practices, which comply with State, County, and Corporation requirements and codes, which includes receiving, storing, handling, preparing and serving of food products, and the general cleaning and sanitizing of the kitchen food service equipment, supplies, and utensils. This also includes, but is not limited to checking work areas for safety hazards, removing safety hazards from work area, reporting safety hazards to head cook or Food Service Director.
• Attends training and development classes and work site meetings as required by Food Service Director or school administration.
• Maintains harmonious relations with students, staff, vendors, parents, administration and outside entities that associate with the corporation’s school nutrition program.
• Wears the prescribed uniform. Maintains regular attendance and a professional appearance at all times.
• Additional duties may be assigned.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education And/or Experience

High school diploma or equivalent preferred.

Language Skills

Ability to read, understand and speak Basic English to perform essential functions of the job. Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-to-one and small groups situations to co-worker, student, and other employees of the organization.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute recipe conversions, purchases vs. served, and pan yields.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written or oral form. Ability to deal with problems involving a few known variables in routine situations.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand continuously for long periods of time, use hands to feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee may frequently lift and/or move at least 40-60 pound items. The employee is frequently required to talk, hear, taste, and smell; and occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as to read handwritten or typed material, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works near moving mechanical parts. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and extreme heat. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Certification, License, Registrations

High School Diploma or equivalent preferred.

ServSafe Certification preferred.