TJJD Cook II (GNS)

Texas Department of Public Safety; Gainesville (TX); On-site; USD 36,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Texas Juvenile Justice Department is seeking a kitchen professional to perform journey-level food preparation across breakfast, noon, and evening meals, ensuring cleanliness and compliance with safety standards. The role involves supervising staff, maintaining inventories, and coordinating with teams to meet dietary requirements.

The position requires a food handler license or completion within 60 days, and may require travel up to 10%.

Qualifications

• Experience in food preparation work.
• Must possess an accredited food handler license, or complete accredited training within 60 days of hire.
• Six months of commercial food service experience.

Responsibilities

• Performs complex (journey-level) food preparation work following standardized menus.
• Ensures cleanliness and organization of the kitchen.
• Provides guidance to staff/students in food preparation and storage.
• May prepare requisitions.
• Inspects food preparation equipment and work areas for sanitary conditions.
• Assists in reviewing and planning menus to determine types and quantities of food to be prepared.

Skills

Food preparation

Food safety

Teamwork

Job description

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We are committed to transforming lives and building safter communities by working collaboratively, communicating openly, and upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. Our team models accountability, transparency, and respect, taking proactive steps to ensure the physical and emotional safety of youth, staff, and the community. We strive for excellence through continuous growth, thoughtful decision making, and mission driven collaboration, supporting one another while embracing challenges that lead to meaningful, long-term impact.

Job Description

Performs complex (journey-level) food preparation work. Work involves following standardized menus in the preparation of breakfast, noon, and evening meals. Ensures cleanliness and organization of the kitchen. Provides guidance to staff/students in food preparation and storage. May prepare requisitions.

Works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Required to work different shifts, weekends, and overtime as needed, and is subject to being on call.

Prepares, seasons, and cooks food according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or established standards; tests formulas and standardized recipes; and checks and tastes food during preparation for conformance to standards.

Maintains an inventory of supplies and prepares requisitions for needed items.

Inspects food preparation equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure sanitary conditions.

Studies cooking and kitchen operations and assists in making recommendations for improving operating efficiency.

Must complete any required agency training.

Reports kitchen equipment in need of repair or replacement.

Ensures that food is maintained at proper serving temperatures.

Instructs staff in setting up serving lines and serves food as appropriate.

Assists in reviewing and planning menus to determine types and quantities of food to be prepared.

· Understand and Apply Texas Model 2.0 Principles:
Demonstrates an understanding of the Texas Model 2.0 by contributing to a structured, emotionally supportive, and predictable kitchen environment. Fosters positive relationships, emotional regulation, and skill development among staff and students, in alignment with the core principles of the Texas Model 2.0.

· Understand DBT Skills and Apply in Daily Operations:
Possesses a foundational understanding of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills such as mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Applies these skills to create a calm, collaborative, and emotionally regulated kitchen environment. Uses DBT skills to manage stressful moments and encourage effective communication and teamwork within the kitchen setting.

• Mindfulness: Uses mindfulness techniques to remain focused on tasks and ensure efficiency in food preparation.
• Emotional Regulation: Understands how to manage emotional responses to challenges and applies this understanding when guiding staff or students.
• Distress Tolerance: Recognizes the importance of handling stressful situations calmly and encourages staff to use appropriate coping skills.
• Interpersonal Effectiveness: Utilizes interpersonal effectiveness to foster clear, respectful communication and maintain positive working relationships with staff and students.

Performs a variety of related duties not listed, to be determined and assigned as needed.

Performs all duties in compliance with TJJD safety policies and procedures.

Reports safety hazards and corrects hazards when possible.

Completes required documentation in the event of an accident/injury within requested time frames.

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule and on an as-needed basis, in accordance with agency attendance and leave policies.

Travel Requirements: Travel 10% of the time to assist other facilities, participate in training programs, and help ensure best practices are shared and implemented in various locations.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience in food preparation work.

Required:

Must possess an accredited food handler license, or successfully complete an accredited food handler training course within 60 days of hire.

Preferred:

Six months of commercial food service experience.

Failure to maintain required licensure/certification will result in termination of employment.

This position is subject to mandatory pre-employment drug testing and any offer of employment is contingent upon acceptable results from a drug screen conducted for the agency.

• Quantity food preparation techniques and procedures.
• Modified and calculated diet preparation methods.
• Cooking and baking and in the use and care of food preparation appliances and equipment.
• Compute basic mathematical calculations.
• Analyze problems and recommend solutions.
• Meet local health department and Department of State Health Services (DSHS) standards, including possessing or obtaining within 60 days of hire, an accredited food handler license.
• Train others.
• Complete any required agency training, which may require travel.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

Perform physical duties

Physical Requirements

The following physical demands and working conditions are representative of those encountered and/or necessary for the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Analyzing

Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing