Join Our Team and Nourish Young Lives at Vogel!
Are you a kitchen leader who takes pride in delivering safe, nutritious, high-quality meals, and who wants their work to make a real difference? Vogel, a leader in providing high-quality early childhood care and education to families experiencing homelessness, is seeking a dedicated Lead Cook to join our team.
As the Lead Cook, you'll lead Vogel's kitchen team in preparing and serving nutritious meals for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years, while maintaining the highest standards of food safety, sanitation, and CACFP compliance. You'll be the heartbeat of our kitchen — supervising staff, overseeing daily operations, and ensuring every child receives a meal prepared with care. If you're a hands-on leader with a passion for food service and a heart for mission-driven work, we'd love to hear from you!
This is a full-time, non exempt, hourly position with a range of $22.60 - $25.48 per hour.
What You'll Do
Kitchen Operations & Meal Service
- Supervise and assist kitchen staff in the preparation and service of meals that meet CACFP nutrition guidelines.
- Oversee daily kitchen operations, including cooking, food preparation, inventory control, and food production.
- Monitor portion sizes and ensure age-appropriate servings are prepared and distributed.
- Participate in menu planning and suggest improvements based on meal observation and feedback.
- Help plan and assist with breakroom snacks and special events.
- Assist in ordering and receiving supplies and ingredients, ensuring proper storage and rotation (FIFO).
CACFP Compliance & Documentation
- Complete and maintain all CACFP-required documentation, including production records, portion logs, and temperature logs.
- Ensure compliance with USDA CACFP guidelines and Dallas County Health Department standards at all times.
- Communicate regularly with the Food Service Director regarding performance, needs, or compliance issues.
Food Safety & Sanitation
- Ensure kitchen cleanliness, proper sanitation, and strict adherence to food safety practices at all times.
- Follow and enforce established kitchen sanitation and cleanliness standards; develop and restructure procedures as necessary to maintain quality.
- Maintain the highest standards of personal hygiene and ensure multi-use areas are kept clean and equipment properly stored.
- Demonstrate an active concern for children's physical health and safety and take corrective action when needed.
Staff Leadership & Training
- Train and support new kitchen staff in kitchen procedures and CACFP expectations.
- Foster a collaborative, accountable kitchen team culture aligned with Vogel's mission and values.
Who You Are
- Experienced: You have a minimum of 2 years of experience in a commercial or institutional kitchen, with at least 1 year in a leadership or supervisory role.
- Compliance-Knowledgeable: You have a working knowledge of CACFP guidelines, or you're willing and eager to complete CACFP training.
- Certified: You hold a Food Handler's Certification (required); a Food Manager's Certification is preferred.
- Food Safety-Focused: You have a strong understanding of food safety, sanitation, and kitchen organization and take those standards seriously every single day.
- Detail-Oriented: You are able to complete accurate records and follow state and federal documentation requirements with consistency.
- A Communicator: You have strong interpersonal and communication skills and can work effectively with a collaborative kitchen team and organizational leadership.
- Mission-Minded: You demonstrate compassion, patience, and respect for the children and families Vogel serves.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to stand and walk continuously for extended periods, up to 8-10 hours per shift.
- Frequently bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist while preparing food, stocking supplies, and cleaning work areas.
- Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 pounds on a regular basis, including food products, kitchen equipment, and supply deliveries.
- Ability to occasionally lift items weighing up to 75 pounds with assistance or appropriate equipment.
- Ability to reach overhead and below waist level to retrieve supplies and stock shelves.
- Manual dexterity sufficient to operate kitchen equipment safely, including knives, slicers, mixers, ovens, grills, steamers, and other commercial food service equipment.
- Ability to use hands and fingers for repetitive tasks such as chopping, mixing, portioning, and handling utensils.
- Ability to climb step stools or ladders to access stored supplies.
- Ability to maintain balance while carrying trays, pans, and containers of food.
- Ability to work in confined kitchen spaces with frequent movement around hot equipment and other employees.
- Ability to tolerate exposure to varying temperatures, including hot kitchens, ovens, steam, freezers, and walk-in refrigerators.
- Ability to work around cleaning chemicals, sanitizers, food allergens, grease, and other substances commonly found in commercial kitchens while following appropriate safety procedures.
- Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE), including slip-resistant footwear, gloves, aprons, hair restraints, and other protective gear as required.
- Ability to maintain visual acuity to monitor food quality, read recipes, labels, thermometers, and safety information.
- Ability to hear and effectively communicate with staff in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
- Ability to respond quickly to emergencies or changing operational needs.
- Ability to work flexible schedules, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime as needed.
Why Us?
Vogel is dedicated to providing top-notch early childhood programming for children aged 6 weeks to 12 years, as well as their families, who have been affected by the traumatic effects of homelessness. By joining our team, you can play a pivotal role in positively impacting these children's lives during their crucial formative years. Together, we have the power to change their lives forever.
If you're ready to make a difference and bring your skills to a team that values hard work, reliability, and dedication, we'd love to hear from you!
Did this post spark something in you? Apply now and make a lasting impact with us!
