Position Summary

The Cafeteria Worker prepares and serves nutritious meals to students and staff in a clean, safe, and welcoming environment. This role supports daily kitchen operations, including meal preparation, serving line assembly, dishwashing, inventory management, and maintaining high sanitation standards in compliance with federal, state, and local health guidelines.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Duties

1. Food Preparation & Assembly

• Prepare breakfasts, lunches, and snacks following standardized recipes, portion sizes, and dietary guidelines set by the USDA National School Lunch Program.
• Chop, slice, batch-cook, and assemble ingredients for daily menu items.
• Set up serving lines, salad bars, and beverage stations before each meal period.

2. Serving & Customer Service

• Serve student and staff meals with a positive, friendly attitude.
• Ensure accurate portion sizes according to federal school meal standards.
• Accommodate special dietary needs and allergies as noted in student health records.

3. Sanitation, Safety & Cleaning

• Maintain clean work stations, prep tables, cookware, and kitchen machinery.
• Operate commercial dishwashers and perform manual dishwashing using proper chemical sanitization steps.
• Follow food safety guidelines including proper food handling, temperature logging, and storage.
• Sweep, mop, and sanitize kitchen and serving areas daily; clean dining tables between meal periods as needed.

4. Point of Sale & Administrative Support

• Operate the meal point-of-sale (POS) terminal, entering student IDs or scanning lunch cards quickly and accurately.
• Assist with receiving, inspecting, and unloading food delivery trucks.
• Store food, paper goods, and chemicals in proper designated areas.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: High school diploma or GED equivalent preferred.
• Experience: Prior experience in food service, commercial kitchens, customer service, or public schools is a plus, but entry-level applicants are encouraged to apply.
• Clearances: Must pass a mandatory background check, fingerprinting, and child abuse registry screening as required by state law and the school district.

Key Skills & Physical Demands