Residential Cook

🍎 Cook – KVC Missouri Residential (Bearfield Campus)

Location: Columbia, MO
Schedule: 10:00AM to 6:00PM with some weekend hours required*

Cook with Heart – Make a Difference in Children’s Lives

If you’ve ever worked in a school kitchen, daycare, or caregiving role, you know how much comfort a warm meal can bring. At KVC Missouri’s Columbia Residential Campus, our cooks are more than food preparers — they are part of the healing process for children and teens in our care.

*This is a vital position — truly the heart of the house. You’ll create nourishing meals in a calm, family-style environment where every dish helps children feel safe, valued, and cared for.

*We’re looking for someone who brings creativity, compassion, and reliability — someone who can follow nutritional guidelines but also add their personal touch with baking, menu ideas, and thoughtful presentation.

Why You’ll Love This Role

•  Purpose with heart: Every meal you prepare contributes to the emotional healing and stability of our kids.
• A creative kitchen: Enjoy the freedom to be inventive with menus, bake special treats, and bring warmth to mealtimes while following our standards.
• Opportunities to grow: We’ll support your professional development, whether you want to build culinary skills, take on leadership, or explore new roles within KVC.
• Caring community: Join a team that values compassion, teamwork, and making a difference every day.

What You’ll Do

• Prepare nutritious meals following recipes, DESE nutrition standards, and ServSafe guidelines
• Plan menus, prep meals, and bake with creativity
• Maintain a clean, organized kitchen and follow food safety protocols
• Manage inventory and assist with special events
• Interact with children and staff, helping make mealtimes a comforting and positive part of each day

What We’re Looking For

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• ServSafe certification (or willingness to obtain)
• 1 year of kitchen or food service experience (school or residential preferred)
• Experience working with children or youth (strongly preferred)
• Dependable, caring, and creative personality who takes pride in their work

About KVC

KVC Missouri is part of KVC Health Systems, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and families. Our culture of compassion and teamwork has earned KVC an 82 Work Wellbeing score on Indeed — placing us among the top 1% of employers nationwide. If you love to cook, enjoy caring for others, and want your work to truly matter, this role may be the perfect fit.

Join us at KVC and become part of the heart of the house — where meals heal, comfort, and inspire. 💛