Job Summary
The Student Parent Support Center performs a vital role at the University of Utah by providing support and child care services to students, faculty, and staff within the Division of Student Affairs. UKids Guardsman Way a child care program of the Student Parent Support Center is looking for an energetic, dedicated, and consistent person to fulfill the role of our child care cook.
This committed person will prepare a variety of food service items by following established child care specific recipes and procedures and ideally have two years of institutional cooking experience or equivalency. Demonstrated human relations, written documentation skills, and effective communication skills are a must. Previous food production experience in a child care setting is preferred.
Responsibilities
• Sufficient vision to read small printed material as well as long distances across playgrounds and classrooms to supervise staff and children.
• Sufficient hearing to hear normal and telephone conversation.
• Ability to speak in an understandable tone with sufficient volume to be heard in normal conversation.
• Must meet physical characteristics (with or without the use of aids):
o Lift up to 50 lbs.
• Must pass a Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) background check
• Must have or immediately obtain a Salt Lake County Food Handler's Permit
Essential Duties
Depending on the area of assignment, incumbents may be required to perform and/or supervise some or all of the following duties.
1. Prepare healthy food/snacks for children in our child care centers by following instructions/recipes.
2. Utilizes knowledge of cooking methods and preparation time requirements to ensure that adequate amounts of properly prepared foods are provided in a timely fashion.
3. Adheres to manufacturer instructions and standard kitchen procedures when operating machinery and equipment used in cooking including slicers, choppers, steamers, broilers, griddles, fryers, braziers, blenders, microwaves, etc.
4. Weighs cooking products as required to ensure proper portion delivery.
5. Cleans the work area, refrigerators, stoves, ovens, storeroom, and utensils in order to comply with county, and state sanitation requirements.
6. Performs quality checks for taste and appearance of finished food products.
7. May use department-specific computer software to complete purchase and issue requisitions, forecasts cooking production for the child care program based on daily menus.
8. Sets up and stocks area for food service delivery to classrooms; and assists in serving cooked items.
9. Orders, rotates, and maintains adequate stock levels required for cooking production by estimating needs according to the production schedule.
10. Assists in completing all aspects of cooking production to ensure that needed items are delivered on time.
11. May develop, modify, or experiment with recipes and/or cooking procedures to improve kitchen output or services.
12. Uses cooking knowledge and experience to adjust recipes for factors such as altitude, special diet orders, etc.
13. Responsible for monitoring packaged food ingredients for known allergens of the children in the center and making daily food substitutions for children with allergies, as needed. This includes awareness of all known food allergies and food sensitivities of children in the child care center.
14. Other duties as assigned
Problem solving
The incumbents in the is position are expected to be familiar with the department's policies and procedures and are required to have a working knowledge of University and department organizations and procedures in order to answer and assist staff and visitors.
Major challenges encountered by incumbents might include organizing and facilitating functions with minimal notice; limiting departmental waste by proper utilization of time and resources; implementing cost-control measures whenever possible; and prioritizing duties to ensure timely preparation, cooking, and delivery of ordered items. Also working with current food allergies and substitution decisions.
Comments
Incumbents face exposure to potentially dangerous cleaning chemicals utilized in sanitation procedures as well as equipment and supply hazards such as wet or hot work surfaces and sharp edges on food containers, and cutting devices. This position involves lifting and/or pushing heavy supply containers, equipment, and food carts. Incumbents must operate heavy or mechanized equipment including slicers, mixers, blenders, steam kettles, fryers, and choppers.
Incumbents must comply with departmental policies regarding attendance and periodic evaluations in order to perform the job duties acceptably in an early childhood classroom environment or early childhood kitchen.
Minimum Qualifications
- Two years of institutional cooking experience or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience).
