Head Start Chef: From-Scratch Kitchen Champion for Kids

Jefferson County, Colorado; Arvada (CO); On-site; USD 32,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental Insurance

Medical Insurance

Vision Insurance

PTO 40 hours

Retirement matching

Wellness programs

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Jefferson County in Arvada seeks a Head Start Chef to lead from-scratch meal prep for child nutrition across multiple locations. You will supervise Kitchen Aides, ensure CACFP compliance, manage inventory, and coordinate timely service from breakfast through classroom deliveries.

This full-time on-site role follows a 7:00 am–3:30 pm schedule, with summers full-time and limited evenings. Benefits include health and retirement programs; a starting PTO bank of 40 hours for new hires.

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or GED.
• Experience: 1 year of work-related experience.
• Must have a valid driver's license by hire date.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience acceptable.

Responsibilities

• Operate daily scratch-kitchen in compliance with CACFP and health guidelines.
• Oversee food preparation, recipe execution, inventory rotation, and production planning to meet nutrition standards.
• Coordinate timely meal service for breakfast, lunch, snacks, classroom deliveries, and offsite deliveries.
• Maintain CACFP measurements, food temperatures, and sanitation logs.
• Develop daily production schedules to optimize time, space and equipment.
• Train and direct Kitchen Aides and support cross-training for efficiency.
• Collaborate with Kitchen Manager to implement operational improvements and nutrition initiatives.

Skills

Bilingual (English and Spanish) pref

Valid driver’s license

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Jefferson County in Arvada seeks a Head Start Chef to lead from-scratch meal prep for child nutrition across multiple locations. You will supervise Kitchen Aides, ensure CACFP compliance, manage inventory, and coordinate timely service from breakfast through classroom deliveries.

This full-time on-site role follows a 7:00 am–3:30 pm schedule, with summers full-time and limited evenings. Benefits include health and retirement programs; a starting PTO bank of 40 hours for new hires.