Cook for Child Care Centre

About Woodstock Early Learning Centre

Woodstock Early Learning Centre at Brushbox Street, Sydney Olympic Park is an established early childhood education and care service providing care for children from infancy to school age.

Our Sydney Olympic Park service is seeking an experienced and capable Cook to join our team on a full-time, permanent basis.

The successful applicant will be responsible for preparing and cooking fresh, nutritious and age-appropriate meals and snacks for children attending the service while ensuring appropriate food safety, hygiene, dietary and kitchen-management standards.

About the Role

This is a hands-on Cook position involving the daily preparation and cooking of meals and snacks for children attending the early learning service. The Cook will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the centre kitchen, including food preparation and cooking, menu implementation, dietary requirements, food safety, stock control and maintaining an organised and hygienic kitchen environment.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The successful Cook will be responsible for:

• preparing, seasoning and cooking fresh meals and snacks in accordance with the service's menus;
• preparing ingredients for cooking, including measuring, weighing, portioning, cutting and organising food;
• using appropriate cooking methods and kitchen equipment to prepare meals to the required standard;
• monitoring food during preparation and cooking to maintain appropriate quality and consistency;
• assisting with the planning and implementation of nutritionally balanced and age-appropriate menus;
• estimating food and ingredient requirements based on menus and service needs;
• preparing and adapting meals to accommodate documented allergies, intolerances, cultural requirements and other special dietary needs;
• checking the quality and suitability of ingredients before preparation and cooking;
• ensuring meals are prepared, cooked, stored and served in accordance with applicable food-safety and hygiene requirements;
• monitoring food temperatures and maintaining appropriate food-safety records where required;
• maintaining food stock and kitchen supplies;
• ordering food, ingredients and kitchen supplies as required;
• receiving and appropriately storing food deliveries;
• monitoring stock rotation and minimising unnecessary food wastage;
• maintaining a clean, safe, hygienic and organised kitchen, food-preparation and food-storage environment;
• cleaning and sanitising kitchen equipment, utensils and preparation areas;
• maintaining relevant menu, dietary, allergy and kitchen records; and
• liaising with centre management and educators regarding menus, children's dietary requirements and meal service.

Skills and Experience Required

To be considered for this position, applicants should have:

• relevant commercial cooking qualifications and/or relevant experience appropriate to the position;
• demonstrated experience working as a Cook in a commercial, childcare, institutional or comparable food-preparation environment;
• practical experience preparing and cooking meals from fresh ingredients;
• experience following and implementing menus and recipes;
• sound knowledge of food preparation and cooking techniques;
• sound knowledge of food safety, hygiene and safe food-handling practices;
• experience managing allergies, food intolerances and special dietary requirements;
• the ability to manage food stock, supplies, storage and ordering;
• strong organisational and time-management skills;
• the ability to independently organise and manage daily kitchen requirements; and
• the ability to work effectively and professionally within a team environment.

A Food Safety Supervisor Certificate is highly regarded. Previous experience preparing and cooking meals within an early childhood education and care environment would be advantageous.

What We Offer

• Full-time permanent employment
• Monday to Friday childcare-centre environment
• Supportive early learning team
• Established kitchen and early learning service
• Competitive salary of $82,000 – $85,000 plus superannuation
• Opportunity to contribute directly to the nutrition and wellbeing of children attending the service

How to Apply

Please submit your current résumé together with details of your relevant cooking experience and qualifications.

Email: [email protected]

Applications are welcomed from suitably qualified and experienced candidates with appropriate Australian work rights.

We are a child safe organisation, and hold child's health, safety and wellbeing as paramount.

Employment Details

Position: Cook

Employment Type: Full-time, permanent

Hours: 38 hours per week

Location: Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127

Salary: $82,000 – $85,000 per annum + superannuation

Employer: The Trustee for THE J & D ABRAHAM DISCRETIONARY TRUST trading as Woodstock Early Learning Centre at Brushbox St.