Childcare Center Cook - Bilingual Spanish/English

About Tierra Encantada

Tierra Encantada, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN is the leader in Spanish immersion early education®, and provides high-quality language immersion education and care to children 6 weeks through 6 years of age. At Tierra Encantada, our values fuel everything we do. We are passionate about nurturing children's growth and creating intentional learning environments that inspire curiosity and development. We celebrate the richness of diversity, embracing the unique perspectives it brings to our community. Guided by optimism, we are driven by a shared vision for a brighter future for every child, family, and team member we serve. Join us and be part of a mission-driven team that is committed to making a lasting impact-one child, one family, and one community at a time.

Position Overview

As a cook at Tierra Encantada you are passionate about preparing meals, nurturing children's growth and creating intentional learning environments that inspire curiosity and development.

We are hiring for a Cook at our Tierra Encantada - Brookside Missouri location.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare daily meals for children ages 6 weeks through 6 years using approved recipes and menus, adhering to food handling and safety standards.
• Oversee and manage kitchen staff, providing guidance, support, and ensuring all team members adhere to food safety and operational standards.
• Stay well-trained in allergens and adjust meals as needed for children with special dietary needs, ensuring compliance with dietary accommodations.
• Be accountable for inventory management, including handling orders, tracking supplies, minimizing waste, and maintaining accurate record-keeping.
• Ensure adherence to the established meal program, including portion sizes, nutritional guidelines, and compliance with any applicable regulations.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen environment, adhering to local health codes and industry standards.
• Oversee general food operations, including meal preparation, cleanup, and dishwashing, ensuring efficiency and quality.
• Support center staff by covering classroom breaks, ensuring smooth daily operations, maintaining the cleanliness of the center.
• Collaborate effectively with HQ teams ensuring strong two-way communication.
• Maintain certifications and take annual trainings on Allergens and food safety
• Maintain a positive, friendly attitude with families, and be a "team-mate" to parents in supporting their child's growth
• Other duties as assigned

Position Requirements

• Three or more years of cooking experience in a restaurant, hotel, hospital, childcare, or other high volume or institutional setting.
• Basic knowledge of USDA guidelines and food preparation.
• Certified Food Protection Manager strongly desired.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish strongly preferred, must be able to speak Spanish.
• Strong communication skills and be able to communicate effectively with families and co-workers.
• Provide a certificate of completion of an approved pediatric first aid and CPR training within 90 days of hire. Employees are responsible for renewing and maintaining a valid, current CPR and pediatric first aid certification at all times.
• Must have a respect for diversity and recognize that diversity makes our program better.
• Must have the ability to fulfill annual training requirements.

Physical Requirements

• Requires the ability to frequently walk, stand, climb stairs, crawl, sit, squat, stoop, bend, reach, kneel, rise from the floor, and twist.
• Requires the ability to carry and lift 25 pounds or less, use repetitive or fine hand movements, and occasionally push, pull, run short distances, and carry and lift 25-50 pounds.
• Requires excellent long distance and near vision to monitor children's activities both indoors and outdoors in various light conditions, as well as hearing capabilities to respond to children's needs and maintain safety in a moderately noisy environment.

Pay and Schedule

This is a full-time or part-time nonexempt position that typically works Monday-Friday.The starting pay for this role ranges between $18.00 and $22.00

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 12 paid holidays
• Generous PTO package
• 401(k) with employer match
• Performance bonus
• Discounted childcare and waitlist priority for enrollment
• Company paid professional development

Additional Information About the Position

• Once a job offer has been accepted, the candidate must pass a background check and fingerprinting. E-verify is used to verify work authorization status.