Preschool Cook

Heritage Oak Private Education; Raleigh, Northern (NC, KY); Hybrid; USD 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Employee referral bonus

Dayforce Wallet earnings access

Job summary

Chesterbrook Academy is seeking a Cook to prepare, portion, and serve meals for students in a school setting, following approved menus and nutrition guidelines.

You will maintain a clean kitchen, manage inventory and records, and ensure allergies and dietary needs are addressed with care. The role requires collaboration with school staff to provide courteous, responsive service to students and families.

Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years old and possess a high school diploma or GED.
• Two years of relevant kitchen experience in childcare, school cafeteria, or equivalent.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, allergies, and proper storage.
• Must be able to read menus and ingredient labels and maintain records.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, portion, and serve meals and snacks per approved menus and guidelines.
• Maintain a clean, sanitary kitchen and manage inventory and records.
• Address allergies and dietary needs; follow FIFO and waste-minimizing practices.
• Collaborate with school leaders and staff to provide courteous service.

Skills

Food safety

Customer service

Teamwork

Record keeping

Reading labels

Physical stamina

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

ServSafe certification

Food handler permit

Job description

Chesterbrook Academy is a multi-location school group with campuses in Florida, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia offering outstanding private education to preschool and elementary students. Our preschools offer the perfect balance of learning and play, while our elementary program provides a challenging and robust curriculum, innovative instruction, and a vibrant school community. A career with Chesterbrook offers opportunities in education, summer camps, before and after school programs, and regional management with the support of our parent company, Spring Education Group.

Cook - Chesterbrook Academy

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation
• Employee referral bonus
• Same-day access to earned wages through Dayforce Wallet

About the Role

As the Cook, you will prepare, portion, and serve food in accordance with approved menus, child nutrition guidelines, food safety standards, and established food production procedures. You will maintain a clean and organized kitchen, manage food inventory and required records, and help ensure that allergies and special dietary needs are addressed carefully. This role also uses food, supplies, and equipment thoughtfully to minimize waste and support the school’s food service budget.

You Will Also…

• Plan, post, and follow approved menus, making appropriate substitutions when necessary
• Prepare, cook, portion, and serve age-appropriate meals and snacks at safe temperatures and in appropriate serving containers
• Monitor daily food quantities based on student attendance and maintain accurate meal, snack, inventory, and ordering records
• Follow all food allergy and special dietary requirements, maintain current allergy information, and review ingredient labels carefully
• Receive, store, and rotate food and supplies safely using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method
• Maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen, including counters, shelving, appliances, dishes, cookware, utensils, floors, and waste containers
• Keep kitchen equipment in safe working order and promptly report maintenance needs, safety concerns, or incidents
• Follow all company and local health, sanitation, hygiene, emergency, and food service requirements
• Collaborate with school leaders and staff while providing courteous, responsive service to students and families
• Support other school needs as assigned, including occasional classroom coverage when needed and appropriately qualified

What We’re Looking For

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• High school diploma or GED required
• At least two years of relevant experience in a licensed childcare kitchen, commercial kitchen, school cafeteria, or comparable food service setting
• Food handler permit or license as required by state or local regulations
• ServSafe certification or a manager-level food handler certification preferred
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, safe storage, child nutrition, age-appropriate portions, and allergy protocols
• Strong organization, communication, teamwork, and customer service skills
• Ability to read menus, sanitation requirements, ingredient labels, and allergen information and maintain accurate written or electronic records
• Ability to stand and walk frequently and safely lift and carry up to 50 pounds while performing kitchen duties
• Ability to successfully complete all required criminal background checks without exemption
• Ability to meet applicable state education and licensing standards and maintain required credentials and professional development

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. In general, this position requires an individual to frequently walk, stand, sit, squat, stoop, reach, kneel, rise from the floor, twist, listen, read, write, and speak the English language. In addition, this position often requires an individual to carry, lift, use repetitive or fine hand movements, and occasionally push, pull, or bend. This position is regularly required to hear and use clear vision with or without correction. Spring Education Group, including, but not limited to SEG Inc., and their affiliates (collectively “Company”) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants for employment and employees are provided equal employment opportunities, including in recruitment, hiring, and assignment, without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion and religious creed, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital or familial status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, military/veteran status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. The Company expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee or student harassment or discrimination.