Cook

Benefits:

401(k)

401(k) matching

Dental insurance

Employee discounts

Paid time off

Training & development

Vision insurance

We are seeking a reliable, organized, and nurturing cook to join our team. In this role, you will do much more than just prepare meals — you will fuel the growth, learning, and development of our students by providing wholesome, delicious, and safe nutrition every day.

The ideal candidate has a passion for cooking, an understanding of childhood nutrition, a warm demeanor, and an unwavering commitment to kitchen cleanliness and safety standards.

Key Responsibilities

Meal Preparation & Planning: Prepare and cook nutritious, appealing, and age-appropriate breakfasts, lunches, and afternoon snacks for children ranging from infancy through Pre-K.

Menu Adherence: Follow designated menus, recipes, and portion sizes while ensuring all meals comply with local licensing and federal nutritional guidelines.

Allergy & Dietary Management: Strictly manage and track documented child food allergies, sensitivities, and dietary restrictions. Ensure safe substitutions are prepared and clearly labeled.

Kitchen Sanitation & Safety: Maintain a spotless kitchen, pantry, and storage area. Wash and sanitize all dishes, utensils, pots, and food preparation surfaces in accordance with health department regulations.

Inventory & Ordering: Monitor food and kitchen supply inventories. Assist leadership with weekly ordering, ensuring all items are rotated properly using the FIFO (First In, First Out) method.

Compliance & Record Keeping: Maintain daily logs for food temperatures, refrigerator/freezer temperatures, and production records to meet state licensing and quality assurance standards.

Qualifications & Requirements

Experience: Minimum of 1–2 years of experience cooking in a commercial kitchen, school, childcare center, or healthcare facility preferred.

Education: High School Diploma or equivalent required.

Certifications: ANAB-accredited Food Handlers certification is highly preferred upon hire. Note: Possession of, or the willingness to obtain, an Indiana-accepted Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) credential within 3 months of hire is a major plus.

Background Check: Must successfully pass all state-mandated background checks, including a national FBI fingerprint criminal history check, Indiana State Police check, and sexual offender registry checks prior to employment.

Health Clearances: Ability to provide a documentation of a negative intradermal TB skin test or chest x-ray, and a physical health examination signed by a licensed physician showing fitness for duty.

Physical Demands: Ability to stand for long periods, lift up to 40 pounds, and safely operate standard commercial kitchen equipment.

Skills & Attributes

Organization: Excellent time management skills to ensure multiple classrooms are fed smoothly and on schedule.

Flexibility: A positive "team player" attitude, ready to adapt to changing enrollment numbers or special dietary requests.

Joy for Children: A warm, friendly personality. You will occasionally interact with our young students and teachers, and a smile goes a long way in our hallways!

What We Offer

Competitive hourly wages

Mon–Fri schedule (No late nights or weekends!)

Paid time off and holiday pay

Professional development and assistance with food safety certifications

A supportive, energetic, and rewarding work environment

Each Goddard School location is privately owned and operated by Goddard Franchisor LLC franchisees. The Goddard School franchise owner(s) are the employers at each school, and the franchise owner(s) set their own wage and benefit programs, which vary by location.