Assistant Cook- Harrison County

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The Assistant Cook is responsible for assisting in the implementation of food services in a Head Start/Early Head Start program serving children 6 weeks to 5 years of age. Responsibilities include assisting in preparing attractive, USDA-approved meals; keeping the kitchen clean and sanitary according to Health Department ordinances; and maintaining adequate food stocks, kitchen supplies, and food service records.

Nutritious Cooking: Prepares nutritious meals that take into consideration children’s various cultures and individual nutritional needs.
• Understands and uses child nutritional needs and age-specific portion sizes to prepare
meals in accordance with USDA guidelines.
• Understands and strictly adheres to health, safety, food handling, and sanitation
requirements before, during and after meal preparation.
• Follows menu guidelines and adjusts when necessary due to availability of menu items or an individual child’s needs.

The Assistant Cook’s responsibilities chiefly fall within the following core functions, although s/he may perform other tasks as needed.

Food Services
• Prepare assigned menu and participate in family-style meals with children, volunteers, and staff.
• Work in conjunction with the Cook to monitor family-style dining in classrooms and
document as appropriate.
• Maintain food service record-keeping and reporting as directed by supervisor.
• Conduct weekly inventory of food and supplies.
• Complete weekly food and supplies order sheets and fax to Headquarters.
• Check food deliveries for accuracy and for good quality. Notify Headquarters when an item is missing or of poor quality.
• Store food and supplies properly. Date all canned, boxed and bagged foods. Use the
FIFO method of inventory.
• Monitor and maintain proper food temperatures.
• Monitor and maintain proper temperatures of all refrigerator and freezers.
• Maintain appropriate cleanliness of all kitchen materials and supplies as required.
• Maintain list and be aware of center food allergies and concerns. Prepare alternate menu items as needed for the affected children.
• Assist in delivery of food to classrooms and of dirty dishes from the classroom.

Non-Essential Duties:
• Performs any and all other duties (or functions) as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: High School diploma or GED.
Experience: Two (2) years' experience in purchasing and preparing culturally diverse foods for groups.
Substitution: An equivalent combination of related education and related experience may be considered for this position.
Licensures: Valid Driver’s License and the ability to travel as required during performance of assigned tasks. Background check is required for this position. ServSafe Certfication or obtain such certification within 3 months.

Preferred Qualifications:

ServSafe Certfication

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of early childhood nutrition.
• Ability to interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated computer literacy skills, especially Excel and basic data systems in MS
Office and internet navigation.
• Must be honest, dependable and able to meet deadlines.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

Physical Requirements:
• A physical exam is required for this position.
• Ability to stand, walk, and bend periodically.
• Ability to engage in repetitive movement of wrists, hands, and fingers – typing and/or
writing.
• Ability to work frequently at close visual range (i.e. preparing and analyzing data and
figures, accounting, transcription, computer terminal, extensive reading).
• Ability to receive and respond to oral communication.
• Ability to exert up to 50 pounds of force to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.

Work Environment:
• Noise level in the work environment is moderate to occasionally loud (examples: business
office with computers and printers, light to moderate traffic, human voices).
• Standard office equipment generally used includes:
• Telephone
• Personal Computer (monitor, keyboard, and mouse) or Tablet
• Printer/Photocopy Machine
• Calculator
• Fax Machine
• May be required to operate a motor vehicle during the course of duties.

Instructions for Applying:

Link to apply:  http://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/

All applicants MUST apply online at www.jobs.msstate.edu to be considered for this position.

The following documents and information are required for application:
• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Contact information for at least three professional references