2026-27 Traveling Cafeteria Cook

Child Nutrition Cook

Salary Schedule: Schedule RR

Department: Child Nutrition

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Safety-Sensitive: Yes

Position Summary:

This position will work with the school cafeteria team in the processes necessary to provide breakfast and lunch to MDPS students; focusing primarily in the quality food production of menu items and production documentation.

Qualification Requirements:

• Ability to perform each essential duty satisfactorily
• High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or one to three months related experience and/or training.
• Must possess basic computer data-entry skills

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Traveling Cook

1. Follows time, task, and rotation schedules assigned by the supervisor.
2. Performs cleaning, serving, cashiering, and dish room duties as assigned.
3. Follows production menus and recipes to prepare quality food both in flavor and appearance and control food costs. Uses the correct weights and measures to prepare correct portions of all food items. Collaborates with the supervisor when adjusting recipes if needed.
4. Works cooperatively with all staff members of the Child Nutrition Department, Administration Office, District staff, students, parents and general public.
5. Follows all Child Nutrition/District cash control
6. Assists co-workers and supervisor(s) if and when necessary.
7. Assumes a leadership role in the kitchen as directed by the supervisor. Responsible for the opening and closing of the kitchen in the absence of the supervisor.
8. Assists the supervisor with documenting daily food preparation appropriately on production records and recipes.
9. Travels to sites district-wide.
10. Additional duties that may be assigned by immediate supervisor or above.

Language and Grammar Skills:

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence and memos. Ability to compose and write grammatically correct correspondence and memos.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, schedule form, or blueprint form.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to sit.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up or more than 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to or more than 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to fume or airborne particles. The employee frequently works in high, precarious places and in outside weather conditions. The employee frequently works near moving mechanical parts, extreme cold (including outdoors), extreme heat (including direct sunlight), risk of electrical shock and vibration.

The noise level in the work environment will vary from somewhat loud to extremely loud.

To ensure continuity of services, a different work location may be necessary in the event of a health crisis or disruptive situation that requires the closing of school and/or office buildings. An employee's eligibility for a varied work location will be determined by the superintendent of schools. Expectations and guidelines for this change will be distributed by the employee's supervisor, based on his/her role and responsibilities.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Employee may occasionally be required to supervise a varying number of employees in the overall direction, coordination, and completion of tasks as assigned.

Disclaimer:

Please note that job descriptions are not intended, and should not be construed, to be exhaustive lists of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with a job. They are intended to be accurate reflections of those principal job elements essential for making fair hiring and pay decisions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.