Lead Cook

POSITION SUMMARY: Responsible for guaranteeing children are served nutritious, tasteful, appealing meals and snacks according to CACFP guidelines. Prepare breakfast, lunch, and/or snack for enrolled children, staff, and visitors. Supervises the kitchen staff to ensure daily function of all food service activities meets established expectations. Uphold and ensure all meals/snacks prepared meet the Department of Health rules and regulation and Head Start Performance Standards. Plan and conduct nutritional learning experiences, purchases all food and supplies necessary and keeps records required by CACFP. Gain knowledge of proper food preparation, temperature control, sanitation, and portion sizes. Provides cross training to assure the delivery of high quality, timely meals and snacks during days of operation.

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTION:

• Prepares well-balanced, nutritious, appetizing meals daily by accurately following menus and recipes provided by the Nutrition Coordinator, ensuring that meals are prepared on time and correct portions are served at the appropriate temperature.

• Prepares an appropriate amount of food utilizing standards set by CACFP.

• Purchases supplies and equipment needed for daily cooking activities.

• Plans meals in advance to minimize the need for food substitutions; when substitutions are necessary, with prior approval by Nutrition Coordinator, purchases and serves food of equivalent nutritional value.

• With the guidance of the Nutrition Coordinator, modifies menus and recipes and prepares foods to meet the developmental needs of infants and toddlers and the medical and feeding needs of children with disabilities or food allergies.

• Shares duties with the Prep Cook for efficient functioning of food service program.

• Observes good sanitation practices in all aspects of food preparation, food service and clean-up.

• Review menus to determine food requirements including variety and quantity of food for preparation.

• Prepare a wide variety of foods in accordance with provided recipes following the established monthly menus provided by Nutrition Coordinator.

• Contact Nutrition Coordinator for guidance if the menu must be modified.

• Food temperatures must be taken at appropriate times and recorded as required.

• Requisition for supplies as needed.

• Prepare foods for special events as needed.

• Educate customers on nutritional values and food groups when requested.

• Report any malfunctioning kitchen appliance to Site Manager/Site Director.

• Works with teachers to plan learning experiences weekly which focus upon good nutrition for children. These food experiences are to be developmentally appropriate, varied in content, and designed to promote self-help, fine motor, social, and cognitive skills.

• Responsible for receiving and storing food and supplies in accordance with all food safety and sanitation guidelines and regulations.

• Submits Cook’s Report to Nutrition Coordinator monthly.

• Follow current CACFP guidelines and expectations.

• Comply with Head Start Performance Standards, and Program Policies.

• Supervises kitchen staff on daily functioning of food service program.

• Complete and submit performance appraisals for staff directly supervising

• Utilize Positive Behavior Support (PBS) strategies to prevent and defuse disruptive behavior.

• Respect and support cultural differences and diverse family structures.

• Demonstrate good work habits such as arriving on time and adhering to appropriate break times.

• Attend mandatory In-Service trainings and staff meetings.

• Responsibility to report any suspected abuse or neglect to appropriate authority.

• Advocate for SEK-CAP, Inc. in the community.

• Maintain and assure confidentiality and privacy of SEK-CAP customers.

• Uphold and promote the core values and mission statement of SEK-CAP.

• Support management decisions both in actions and words.

• Other duties as assigned.

 

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Essential:

• Ability to get along with diverse personalities; tactful, mature, and flexible.

• Ability to meet and deal tactfully with the general public and to communicate effectively and clearly both orally and in writing.

• Resourceful and well organized.

• Ability to establish and maintain positive, effective working relationships with co-workers, community partners, and customers.

• Ability to learn and adapt to change.

Desired:

• Previous cooking experience for groups of 20 or more.

• Ability to calculate to determine number of meals to be served, to adjust recipes and serving portions.

• Efficient knife skills.

 

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School diploma or GED is required.

• Obtain First Aid and CPR certification within 30 days.

• Successfully complete a physical exam and TB skin test before beginning employment and every three years thereafter, with the exception of a diagnosed medical condition requiring annual exams.

• Submit to and pass standard criminal history check.

• Submit to and pass standard drug screen test.

• Possess current, valid driver’s license and be insurable by the organization’s motor vehicle insurance carrier.

• Must possess basic math skills in order to compute accurate CACFP records.

• Must possess time management skills to prepare and serve food in accordance with schedule.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT: The physical demands and work environment described here 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:

• Use hands to finger, handle, or feel.

• Reach with hands and arms.

• Stand for extended periods of time, walk and stoop, kneel, or crouch.

• Regularly lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.

• Required vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

• Occasional exposure to wet and/or humid conditions.

• Outside weather conditions.

• Extreme cold and extreme heat.

• Noise level is usually quiet to moderate.

• Must be fully vaccinated prior to beginning employment.