Production Kitchen Cook-Chill Technician (2026-27)

Job Summary

Required Qualifications

• •High school diploma or GED
• •Three (3) years of experience in large scale food preparation/cooking
• •Valid ServSafe or Food Manager Certificate
• •Possession of a valid California driver's license, if applicable
• •Knowledge of Federal, state, and local codes and regulations governing food handling and public nutrition services
• •Knowledge of Complex institutional food preparation equipment, techniques, and practices
• •Knowledge of Safety and sanitation practices for food preparation, distribution, and storage
• •Knowledge of Methods, materials, and practices of high-volume food preparation
• •Knowledge of Institutional cooking methods and procedures
• •Knowledge of Principles and practices of effective customer service
• •Knowledge of Environmentally responsible and resource-efficient preparation
• •Ability to Operate complex high-production food preparation equipment and all standard commercial kitchen equipment and tools safely and efficiently
• •Ability to Read and scale recipes and follow established SOPs
• •A clear understanding of Standardized Recipes
• •Ability to Perform general math calculations, inventory, and records management tasks
• •Ability to Review operations, identify potential food safety hazards, and verify OUSD compliance with state and Federal regulations
• •Ability to Assess and prioritize multiple tasks and demands, work with frequent interruptions, establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and clients, and promote and enforce safe work practices
• •Ability to Communicate effectively verbally and in writing
• •Ability to Communicate, interact, and work effectively and cooperatively with people of diverse ethnic, race, learning or other disabilities, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, socio-economic group, sexuality, or different orientations or cultural markers and educational backgrounds
• •Ability to lead and organize the cook-chill production
• •Ability to work to utilize computers, spreadsheets, and other Nutrition Services platforms to maintain all the workflows in software that supports high production kitchens
• •Ability to Operate computerized cook/chill equipment standard and specialized software, including but not limited to Nutrition Production software
• •Ability to lift, carry, push or pull objects that are greater than 50 pounds, with assistance
• •Ability to bend and twist at the waist, reaching overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally
• •Ability to have dexterity of both hands and fingers while performing duties
• •Ability to see to read, write, use a computer; use educational materials, books and other printed materials, with or without vision aids
• •Ability to see to monitor students
• •Ability to hear and speak in audible tones to exchange information in normal classrooms, outdoors, in person or on the telephone
• •Ability to adapt to a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment and work collaboratively in a team-based production setting
• •Must be able to lift, carry, pushing, and pulling objects weighing up to 50 pounds
• •Must be able to lift, carry, push or pull objects that are greater than 50 pounds, with assistance
• •Must be able to bend and twist at the waist, reaching overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally
• •Must have dexterity of both hands and fingers while performing duties
• •Must be able to see to read, write, use a computer; use educational materials, books and other printed materials, with or without vision aids
• •Must be able to see to monitor students
• •Must be able to hear and speak in audible tones to exchange information in normal classrooms, outdoors, in person or on the telephone
• •Must be able to adapt to a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment and work collaboratively in a team-based production setting
• •Must be able to work in a large-scale, high-volume central kitchen environment with exposure to varying temperatures, including walk-in refrigerators, freezers, and hot food production areas
• •Must be able to work with exposure to humidity, steam, noise, and strong cleaning agents or food-related chemicals
• •Must be able to work with prolonged periods of standing and walking on hard surfaces
• •Must be able to perform Moderate to heavy physical exertion, including frequent bending, stooping, twisting, pushing, pulling, and reaching overhead and horizontally
• •Must have Visual acuity to read production sheets, labels, and instructions, as well as to monitor food appearance and equipment settings
• •Must have Hearing and speaking to communicate effectively with coworkers, supervisors, and delivery personnel, in person and over the phone or intercom systems
• •Must be able to use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, aprons, hairnets, and non-slip footwear
• •Must be able to work collaboratively in a team-based production setting

Desired Qualifications

• •Completion of culinary arts training or in the process of completing culinary arts training courses recognized by the Nutrition Services Department
• •Experience with batch cooking, recipe scaling, and operation of industrial kitchen equipment (e.g.,cook chill production line, tilt kettles, combi ovens, blast chillers, vacuum packaging machines)
• •Familiarity with cook-chill software or production tracking systems