About the Role
We are seeking a reliable, dedicated, organized, and caring Cook to join our licensed childcare team. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys preparing nutritious meals from scratch and understands the importance of providing high-quality food in an early learning environment.
The successful candidate will prepare fresh, nutritious meals and snacks using our established seasonal menu cycles. Our centre follows rotating 4-week Summer/Spring and Winter/Fall menus, with groceries delivered directly to the centre twice weekly, allowing you to focus on food preparation, public health requirements, quality, and children's nutritional needs.
In addition to kitchen responsibilities, this role includes daily coverage of infant educator lunch breaks, requiring comfort and experience working with infants and young children.
ResponsibilitiesKitchen & Food Preparation
- Prepare and serve nutritious meals and snacks from scratch according to established menus and recipes for 30 children daily.
- Appealing food presentation for the children
- Bake fresh items as required within the menu cycle.
- Adapt meals to meet allergy, dietary, medical, cultural, and sensitivity requirements.
- Modify food preparation and textures for infants aged 3 months to 18 months.
- Follow all Public Health regulations, food safety standards, and sanitation requirements.
- Operate and maintain kitchen equipment, including testing the concentration of dishwasher chemicals each morning and recording on the log sheet
- Completing all daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning and disinfecting duties in the kitchen
- Clean, sanitize, and disinfect kitchen equipment and food preparation areas throughout use
- Wash, rinse and sanitize all dishes using a commercial-grade dishwasher
- Change out dishwasher detergent, rinse aid and sanitizer when needed
- Refill your kitchen spray bottle sanitizer with Quatt when needed
- Maintain accurate food allergy and dietary information
- Receive and properly store grocery deliveries
- Prepare and serve meals to all classrooms on a set schedule
- Change the front door menus at the start of each week for parent and staff viewing
- Record any substitutions on the log at the front door and in the kitchen
- Record temperature checks for all proteins, grains, etc daily on the log sheet in the kitchen
- Adhere to all occupational health and safety and safe food handling practices
- Report any problems or concerns to the Assistant Supervisor, Health and Safety Rep. or Owners
- Meet with the Public Health inspector during their quarterly kitchen inspections and sign off on the inspection report as needed.
- Be a friendly face for the children, supportive of picky eaters, being creative and encouraging for the children to try the food offered
- Serving home food as required for some children at their parents' request
- Ensuring all items from children`s homes are labelled with the child`s name clearly
- Checking all items every Friday for expiry and disposing of expiring food
Infant Program Support
- Cover infant educator lunch breaks daily.
- Provide safe, responsive, and nurturing care to infants.
- Support feeding, diapering, supervision, and age-appropriate engagement.
- Work collaboratively with the infant teaching team to ensure continuity of care.
Qualifications & RequirementsRequired
- Previous cooking and baking experience
- Experience working with infants and/or young children
- Commit to working full-time, Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 3:30pm (possibly 4pm when needed)
- Taking their 30 minute unpaid lunch from 12:00pm to 12:30pm, before covering Infant team lunches
- Reliable transportation to get to and from work on-time daily, even in the winter weather
- Strong understanding of food allergies, dietary restrictions, and nutritional requirements for young children
- Knowledge of Public Health regulations and safe food handling practices
- Strong organizational and time-management skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Must have or be willing to obtain before starting work;
- Food Handler Certification
- Standard First Aid & CPR Level C certification
- Clear Police Vulnerable Sector Check
- WHMIS
- AODA
- Health and Safety Training
- Workplace Violence and Harassment
- CCEYA Self-Test
Assets
- Experience working in a licensed childcare environment
- Experience preparing meals for infants, toddlers and preschoolers
- Familiarity with commercial kitchen operations
- A genuine love of working with children and being warm and welcoming to children, parents and staff
Why Join Our Team?
- Meaningful work supporting children's health, growth, and development
- Supportive and collaborative workplace culture
- Established menus and a grocery delivery system
- Opportunity to build relationships with children, families, and educators
- Potential opportunity for long-term employment beyond the parental leave contract
Pay: From $19.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Vision care
- Wellness program
Work Location: In person
