What are the responsibilities and job description for the Child Care Cook - Northside position at VCU Health?
The Child Care Cook provides safe, nutritious, age-appropriate meals and snacks for children enrolled in the childcare center. This position manages kitchen operations to meet ServSafe, health department, and program standards, and supports healthy eating habits and food-related education for children and staff. This position also works collaboratively with children, families, and center staff to solicit, evaluate, and incorporate feedback on menus, meal service, and food-related activities.
Essential Job Statements
Plan Menus: Create seasonal menus that are nutritious, balanced, and appropriate for the center’s age groups.
Prepare and serve food: Prepare breakfast, lunch, and snacks on schedule; portion and serve meals following portion guidelines and food-safety procedures.
Follow program rules: Prepare meals that comply with federal, state, and local regulations; promote and adhere to Family Style Dining Service.
Food safety and sanitation: Maintain kitchen cleanliness, store foods safely, monitor temperatures, rotate stock, and follow health department and ServSafe standards and sanitation protocols.
Special diets and allergies: Ensure accommodations for children with allergies, medical diets, or cultural/religious needs; document substitutions and communicate with supervisors and families as required.
Inventory and purchasing: Create shopping lists, order or purchase supplies within budget, receive deliveries, and monitor inventory to reduce waste.
Recordkeeping: Maintain records for menus, temperature logs, and any program-related documentation.
Teamwork and communication: Coordinate with classroom staff and center leadership to schedule mealtime visits, assist with safe mealtime practices and Family Style Dining, and support nutrition education activities.
Gather and act on feedback: Regularly solicit input from children through age-appropriate activities (taste tests, preference charts) and from families and staff via surveys and conversations; review collected feedback monthly and adjust menus as appropriate.
Miscellaneous Responsibilities: Perform other duties as assigned and/or participate in special projects to support the mission of VCUHS and the Department. Provide assistance to team members. Accept alternate assignments, as required.
Patient Population: N/A
Employment Qualifications
Education Required: High School
Diploma or equivalent
Education Preferred: Professional culinary training
Licensing/ Certification
Licensure Required: N/A
Licensure Preferred: N/A
Certification Required: ServSafe Food Manager Certification required
Certification Preferred: N/A
Minimum Qualifications
Years and Type of Required Experience: Two years of professional cooking experience
Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required: N/A
Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred: N/A
Working Conditions: Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur. Prolonged periods of working alone.
Physical Requirements
Physical Demands: Lifting/ Carrying (0-50 lbs.), Push/ Pull (0-50 lbs.), Stoop, Kneel, Squat, Climbing, Balance, Bending
Work Position: Sitting, Walking, Standing
Additional Physical Requirements/ Hazards
Physical Requirements: Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination), Reach above shoulder, Repetitive arm/hand movements, Finger Dexterity
Hazards: N/A
Mental/Sensory – Emotional
Mental/Sensory: Reasoning, Problem Solving, Hearing, Speak Clearly, Reading, Logical Thinking
Emotional: Steady Pace, Able to Handle Multiple Priorities, Noisy Environment, Able to Adapt to Frequent Change
EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran/41 CFR 60-1.4.
Essential Job Statements
Plan Menus: Create seasonal menus that are nutritious, balanced, and appropriate for the center’s age groups.
Prepare and serve food: Prepare breakfast, lunch, and snacks on schedule; portion and serve meals following portion guidelines and food-safety procedures.
Follow program rules: Prepare meals that comply with federal, state, and local regulations; promote and adhere to Family Style Dining Service.
Food safety and sanitation: Maintain kitchen cleanliness, store foods safely, monitor temperatures, rotate stock, and follow health department and ServSafe standards and sanitation protocols.
Special diets and allergies: Ensure accommodations for children with allergies, medical diets, or cultural/religious needs; document substitutions and communicate with supervisors and families as required.
Inventory and purchasing: Create shopping lists, order or purchase supplies within budget, receive deliveries, and monitor inventory to reduce waste.
Recordkeeping: Maintain records for menus, temperature logs, and any program-related documentation.
Teamwork and communication: Coordinate with classroom staff and center leadership to schedule mealtime visits, assist with safe mealtime practices and Family Style Dining, and support nutrition education activities.
Gather and act on feedback: Regularly solicit input from children through age-appropriate activities (taste tests, preference charts) and from families and staff via surveys and conversations; review collected feedback monthly and adjust menus as appropriate.
Miscellaneous Responsibilities: Perform other duties as assigned and/or participate in special projects to support the mission of VCUHS and the Department. Provide assistance to team members. Accept alternate assignments, as required.
Patient Population: N/A
Employment Qualifications
Education Required: High School
Diploma or equivalent
Education Preferred: Professional culinary training
Licensing/ Certification
Licensure Required: N/A
Licensure Preferred: N/A
Certification Required: ServSafe Food Manager Certification required
Certification Preferred: N/A
Minimum Qualifications
Years and Type of Required Experience: Two years of professional cooking experience
Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required: N/A
Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred: N/A
Working Conditions: Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur. Prolonged periods of working alone.
Physical Requirements
Physical Demands: Lifting/ Carrying (0-50 lbs.), Push/ Pull (0-50 lbs.), Stoop, Kneel, Squat, Climbing, Balance, Bending
Work Position: Sitting, Walking, Standing
Additional Physical Requirements/ Hazards
Physical Requirements: Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination), Reach above shoulder, Repetitive arm/hand movements, Finger Dexterity
Hazards: N/A
Mental/Sensory – Emotional
Mental/Sensory: Reasoning, Problem Solving, Hearing, Speak Clearly, Reading, Logical Thinking
Emotional: Steady Pace, Able to Handle Multiple Priorities, Noisy Environment, Able to Adapt to Frequent Change
EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran/41 CFR 60-1.4.