Prep Cook , (No Nights/Early Hours) LIC, NY

Red Rabbit; New York (NY); On-site; USD 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous PTO

Health, Dental, Vision Insurance

401k Option

Education Reimbursement Opportunities

Paid Family Leave

Paid Parental Leave

Lunch provided

Job summary

Red Rabbit in LIC, NY is seeking a Prep Cook to join a team that prepares healthy, scratch-made meals for hundreds of children daily. You will read production menus, assist the Head Chef, and ensure timely service while upholding food safety standards.

This role offers stable daytime hours with weekends and holidays off, and opportunities to contribute to a mission-driven kitchen focused on nutrition and community impact.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in a fast-paced culinary role (kitchen, cafeteria, or school/hospital).
• Knowledge of proper food safety and sanitation practices.
• Experience with industrial kitchen equipment.

Responsibilities

• Read daily production menus and understand required quantities.
• Assist Head Chef to prioritize daily production and ensure timely plating.
• Portion, weigh, and plate food per recipes and guidelines.
• Cook, cool, and plate dishes following safety standards and recipes.
• Pack and distribute meals to students while adhering to timing and portion controls.
• Maintain clean workstations and equipment to meet health standards.

Skills

High-volume kitchen

Food safety

ServeSafe certified

Teamwork

English literacy

Tools

Industrial kitchen equipment

Job description

About the Role

The Prep Cook is an integral part of a 5 - 10 person team, helping to prepare healthy, made-from-scratch meals for hundreds of children every day. This role offers stable daytime hours, with weekends and holidays off.

The ideal candidate has experience in a high-volume kitchen, is reliable, and has a "can-do" attitude. Key responsibilities include understanding daily production menus, cooking scratch-made dishes, serving food on a tight schedule, and ensuring the kitchen consistently exceeds DOH standards.

Critical Functions

• Read menu production sheets to understand the type and quantity of food to be prepared each day.
• Work with the Head Chef to prioritize daily menu item production.
• Portion and weigh food according to Red Rabbit’s recipes and guidelines.
• Cook, cool, and plate food in line with Red Rabbit’s recipes and food safety standards.
• Pack and distribute meals to students, adhering to portion guidelines and school timing.
• Quickly and accurately count and track the amount of food produced to ensure compliance and minimize waste.
• Ensure the kitchen exceeds Department of Health standards at all times by cleaning workstations and equipment.
• Represent Red Rabbit’s values and culture when interacting with school staff and students by being professional, helpful, and courteous.

Skills & Requirements

• 2+ years of professional culinary experience in a fast-paced role in the service industry (e.g., restaurants), high-volume kitchen production (e.g., commissary kitchen), or a similar cafeteria role (e.g., schools/hospitals).
• Demonstrated knowledge of proper food safety and sanitation practices.
• Familiarity with using and maintaining industrial kitchen equipment.
• Must have a ServeSafe Certificate.
• Self-motivated and highly organized.
• Ability to work well within a team and handle fast-paced environments calmly and efficiently.
• Positive attitude and contribution to a positive working environment.
• Passionate about improving nutrition and health in schools.
• Must be able to read and write in English. Bilingual (English and Spanish) is a plus.
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs regularly.
• ServeSafe Certificate required within 90 days of hire (reimbursement available).

Job Details

• Job Type: Full-Time
• Typical Hours: Sunday - Thursday, 5:00 AM to 1:30 PM (hours may vary)
• Location: LIC, NY
• Reports to: Head Chef
• Compensation: $17.50 -$19.50/hour

Benefits

• Generous PTO (most major holidays off)
• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
• 401k Option
• Paid Professional Development
• Education Reimbursement Opportunities
• Paid Family Leave (only NY, NJ & DC)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Short-Term Disability Insurance Coverage (Only NY)
• Worker’s Compensation Insurance Coverage
• Free Lunch: Access to great-tasting, made-from-scratch food.

About the Company

Founded in 2005, Red Rabbit is an MWBE-certified K–12 school food management company on a mission to transform school dining. We believe that serving diverse, high-quality meals to children in urban communities is about more than food, it’s about dignity, representation, and opportunity.

Our professionally trained chefs work in commissaries and onsite in school cafeterias, preparing scratch‑made, culturally relevant meals that reflect the heritage and lived experiences of the students we serve. We don’t just deliver food...we become part of the school community.

Today, Red Rabbit prepares and serves millions of meals each year across the Greater New York region, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.

If you’re passionate about food, community, and making an impact every day, we’d love to meet you.

Red Rabbit is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, or sexual orientation.