Lead Cook - Mascoma Valley Red. HS

Lead Cook – Bring Leadership and Heart to the School Kitchen!
Monday–Friday | No Nights or Weekends!

Are you an experienced cook ready to take the lead in a meaningful role? Join our school nutrition team as a Lead Cook and help prepare and serve fresh, nutritious meals that fuel student success. Take pride in knowing your work directly impacts the health, focus, and well‑being of growing minds—every single day!

What You’ll Do:

• Lead the preparation and service of meals according to daily school menus and portion guidelines.
• Organize kitchen operations, ensuring food is safely cooked, beautifully presented, and ready on time.
• Support and guide team members in maintaining a clean, efficient, and friendly kitchen environment.
• Oversee food orders, inventory, and deliveries to keep everything running smoothly.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards, sanitation protocols, and allergy accommodations.
• Keep accurate records including production sheets and temperature logs.

Why You’ll Love This Job:

• Family-Friendly Hours – Be home before dinner!
• Leadership Opportunity – Step up in a supportive, mission-driven role
• Paid Training – Learn our systems and grow your skills
• Work with Purpose – Make a difference in children’s daily lives

What We’re Looking For:

• At least 1 year of professional culinary experience
• Familiarity with basic cooking techniques, recipe procedures, and food safety
• Serv Safe certification or willingness to obtain
• Strong organization and time‑management skills
• Ability to lead a kitchen team in a positive, collaborative way
• Passion for preparing healthy meals and helping kids thrive

About Us:

At Whitsons Culinary Group
, we believe every meal has the power to enhance a student’s day. As a Lead Cook, you'll play a vital role in ensuring nutritious, well‑prepared meals are delivered with care and consistency. This is more than a job—it’s a way to lead with heart and purpose in your community.

• Competitive pay with opportunities for advancement
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401K with company match
• Paid time off and holidays
• A welcoming, supportive team environment
• The chance to make a daily impact through food

At Whitsons, our mission is Enhancing Life One Meal at a Time™.

$16-$18/hour

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required; must complete all Whitsons and government‑required training as necessary.

Experience

• Minimum 1 year of professional culinary or food service experience required ; school nutrition or institutional food service experience preferred.

Certifications

• Serv Safe certification required or must obtain within a defined timeframe upon hire; local food safety certification required in any jurisdiction of employment.

Other Qualifications

• Must be proficient in recipe procedures and cooking techniques; ability to speak and read English sufficient to understand and perform job assignments, follow recipes, and comply with safety requirements.
• Always presents a positive and professional image; ability to work effectively as part of a food service team in a fast‑paced kitchen environment; genuine interest in school nutrition and student health.

Core Competencies

• Culinary Skill & Recipe Adherence: Demonstrates proficiency in cooking techniques, batch cooking, and recipe execution; consistently meets portioning, presentation, and nutritional compliance standards for every meal served.
• Food Safety & Compliance: Maintains rigorous adherence to HACCP, Serv Safe , and all applicable food safety and sanitation standards; completes temperature logs and production records accurately and on time every shift.
• Execution & Reliability: Manages the timing and sequencing of cooking operations to meet meal service deadlines consistently; follows all Whitsons…