Job Posting: Food Production Cook

ABOUT YOUTHPRISE
Youthprise is a philanthropic organization that works to increase equity with and for Minnesota’s Indigenous, low-income, and racially diverse youth. Youthprise does this by directly supporting youth and youth-serving organizations through mobilizing and investing resources, advancing knowledge, and advocating for change. Our three priority areas are: Learning and Leadership, Economic Opportunity, and Health and Safety.
The Youthprise Nutrition Program has been a sponsor of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) At-Risk Afterschool Meals and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) since 2015 and continues to grow partner sites and collaborators in providing culturally specific, appetizing, and age-appropriate meals to youth in Minnesota, serving over 40 locations and averaging 280,000 meals per year.

POSITION OVERVIEW
The Food Production Cook demonstrates professional behavior and promotes positive relationships with youth, parents, staff, and others to build customer support for CACFP and SFSP. Production kitchens are responsible for receiving, storing, organizing, and distributing food and supply items to satellite kitchens. The Food Production Cook is responsible for coordinating the timely preparation and packaging of food, as well as distribution to partner sites. This includes organizing workload to ensure advanced thawing and pre-preparation of foods for future meals in accordance with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) and state and local food codes. They must cooperate with other staff to ensure efficient use of time and resources and they must follow the daily food production schedule to assure correct quantities of food are prepared and sent to each partner. The Food Production Cook uses food production techniques that conserve nutrients, preserve flavor, and enhance appearance. They develop and follow HACCP principles to assure safe preparation and storage of food and supplies. The Food Production Cook works collaboratively with the Executive Chef and Program Director to develop new recipes, test food products, and implement procedures that ensure high quality food is being produced and served.

POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Food Production Cook will assist kitchen staff and program staff in cultivating, preparing, and providing quality meals to youth ranging from 6 to 18 years old. They are expected to collaborate, communicate, and maintain a respectful working environment with all staff and partner sites. The Food Production Cook will prepare meals and menus for each day and week within the time limits expressed on production schedules and assist with inventory deliveries, meal preparation, and new menu taste tests.

A. Special Requirements of the Position
The Food Production Cook must be able to:

1. Plan and organize workload.
2. Work independently with minimal supervision.
3. Apply principles of quantity cooking, including safe food handling, batch cooking and HACCP.
4. Accurately weigh and measure ingredients.
5. Accurately count and record food items on inventory forms, food production worksheets, and satellite distribution slips; record time/temperature information; and perform data entry as required.

B. Environmental/Physical Requirements:
The successful candidate will be able to:

1. Lift and carry 50 pounds; push and pull 95 pounds of force.
2. Stand/walk on hard floors.
3. Adapt to changes in room temperature.
4. Work in the presence of loud background noise.

C. Position Responsibilities:

1. Follow standardized recipes and portion control techniques necessary to assure the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) required portions are produced for the number of meals to be served. Apply principles of batch cooking to assure optimum food quality and preparation of correct amounts of food needed. Record amounts prepared and leftover waste items on production sheet and/or enters into computer food production software. Use records to forecast future needs and minimize waste.
2. Demonstrate ability to convert recipes and ingredient quantities.
3. Utilize work simplification techniques for effective use of time. Completes work assignments in a timely manner.
4. Maintain high standards of food quality and appearance. Follows food preparation directions and HACCP protocols regarding time and temperature. Uses cooking methods to preserve nutrient content. Arranges food aesthetically in serving containers.
5. Follow Minnesota Food Code and develops and follows HACCP procedures and corrective action plans to assure food safety in the receiving, preparing, transporting, serving, and storing of food. Foods must be held either below 41F degrees or above 135F. Follow bio-security measures as developed for the production kitchen.
6. Maintain a clean and sanitary workstation. Establish a schedule and follow standard procedures for cleaning equipment, utensils, and work area. Follow procedures to maintain effective insect and rodent control.
7. Maintain high standards of personal hygiene. Follow hand washing protocol. Practice appropriate standards of dress, including shirts with sleeves, closed toe shoes, hair restraint, apron, and wearing single use gloves when handling food. Comply with Minnesota Food Code and HACCP protocol.
8. Operate all equipment according to manufacturer’s directions with emphasis given to safety guidelines. Notifies Executive Chef and Culinary Operations Manager of any malfunction, damage, or loss of equipment. Check hot holding equipment, ovens, steamers, and microwaves to make sure equipment is empty before turning on. Ensures hot holding equipment, steamers, ovens, and microwaves are empty and turned off before leaving for the day.
9. Self-administer basic kitchen first aid. Immediately report all accidents to the Executive Chef and Nutrition Program Director and complete the Youthprise Employee Incident Report Form.
10. Demonstrate knowledge of requisite actions in case of a fire or disaster. Know location and use of fire extinguisher.
11. Control food and supply inventory, including completing physical inventory as required. Follow first in, first out procedures to assure rotation of stock. Date and label all food.
12. Attend job-related training classes and workshops. Apply knowledge and skills obtained to performing job.
13. Promote healthful eating, a positive food service image, and good customer relations.
14. Ensure all operations adhere to CACFP/SFSP federal and state regulations, training, and meal pattern requirements.
15. Perform all other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:
1. High school diploma or equivalent.
2. Basic mathematics, communication, and computer skills.
3. ServSafe Certification and/or current Minnesota Food Manager Certification.
4. Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of quantity food production.
5. Minimum of one-year of experience in quantity food production.
6. Ability to operate all types of quantity food service equipment with demonstrated competency on a minimum of five (5) pieces of production equipment.
7. Ability to accurately count, record, and maintain inventory, HACCP and food production records.

Schedule: 30 hours/week, regular employee, benefits-eligible.
Compensation: This is a non-exempt position at an hourly rate of $20-$22, depending on qualifications and experience. Benefits include paid time off, medical, dental, 403(b), and more.

Must be Minnesota resident.

Interested applications should send a resume with contact information to:
Christa DeBoer, Nutrition Program Director, at Christa@youthprise.org
Closing Date: April 30, 2023 or until filled

Youthprise is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer.