Cook

About the role

A nourishing meal is an important part of a child’s day—and an important part of helping children feel cared for, comfortable, and ready to learn.

Clinton Hill is seeking a dependable and organized Cook to prepare nutritious, appealing meals and snacks for young children. This is an opportunity to bring your food-service skills into a warm, mission-driven environment where your work directly supports children’s health, development, and daily success.

What you'll do

• Prepare and serve nutritious meals and snacks according to approved menus, recipes, portions, and meal schedules.
• Follow food-safety, sanitation, allergen, and safe food-handling requirements.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and inspection-ready kitchen.
• Receive, label, store, rotate, and monitor food and kitchen supplies.
• Complete required meal-production, temperature, inventory, delivery, and sanitation records accurately and on time.
• Accommodate documented food allergies, dietary restrictions, and meal modifications.
• Help monitor inventory and communicate supply or equipment needs before they affect meal service.
• Coordinate with classroom and site staff to ensure meals are prepared and delivered safely and on schedule.
• Support compliance with CACFP and other applicable nutrition-program requirements.

Qualifications

• Experience preparing meals in a school, child care center, institutional kitchen, restaurant, catering operation, or similar setting.
• Knowledge of safe food preparation, storage, sanitation, and cross-contamination prevention.
• Ability to follow standardized menus, recipes, portions, and meal schedules.
• Strong organization, dependability, and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with site and program staff.
• Ability to safely perform the physical responsibilities associated with commercial food preparation.
• Food-handler or food-protection certification, or willingness to obtain required certification within the established timeframe.
• Successful completion of all required background checks, health clearances, and program training.

Experience with CACFP, child nutrition, or high-volume meal preparation is valued.

Why Join Clinton Hill

At Clinton Hill, kitchen staff are essential members of the team. Your work helps children develop healthy habits, enjoy nutritious food, and arrive in the classroom ready to participate and learn.

You will join a community-centered organization that values dependable service, teamwork, quality, and the people whose work keeps our programs running each day. Eligible employees may receive health insurance, retirement benefits, paid time off, training, and opportunities for growth.

Clinton Hill Community & Early Childhood Center, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds who share our commitment to children, families, and the Newark community.