Chef

Summary

The Willow School offers a full food program of quality meals and snacks for children 12 months and older. All meals are prepared fresh daily from scratch and include fresh, whole and organic ingredients as much as possible. Highly processed, canned and/or frozen foods are minimally used. The menu is vegetarian and utilizes protein sources other than meat and poultry. The Willow Kitchen serves approximately 170 children and 40 staff each day. Willow Kitchen staffing includes the Chef, Assistant Chef and a Kitchen Assistant.

Duties

The Chef is responsible for the following duties:

· Creating healthy and well balanced menus that include breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack based on USDA guidelines.
· Menus should be created monthly and submitted to director for approval at least one week in advance of the end of the month.
· Once menus are approved they should be uploaded to the website and posted in appropriate areas in the school.
· Keeping track of children with allergies to ensure they have “safe” food.
· Making grocery and supply lists based on kitchen inventory to ensure waste is kept to a minimum.
· Place orders with suppliers for Friday delivery.
· Direct kitchen staff to ensure all tasks are met daily.
· Prepare meals and snacks daily at specified times.
· Clean up after meals as necessary.
· Keep kitchen in good order with safety and hygiene as the top priority.
· Complete training as required by state licensing regulations.

Requirements

The ideal candidate must have the following:

• Experience and skill as chef and cook.
• Experience cooking for more than 100 people.
• Knowledge of nutritional needs of children.
• Experience with vegetarian and whole food cooking.

Nice To Haves

The ideal candidate would have the following:

• Educational credential in culinary arts and/or nutrition.
• ServSafe certification or similar training.

Benefits

Employee Benefits
We are pleased to offer the following benefits to all full-time employees for the 2025-26 school year. All benefits go into effect after 90-days of employment.

Paid Time Off – The Willow School calendar follows the City Schools of Decatur calendar with regards to school closings and holidays. All breaks and holidays are paid (26 days for the 2025-26 school year).
In addition, employees receive 5 paid days off for personal time and 5 days for paid sick time (a total of 10 days per year). If all paid days have been used and you need to be out of work, the deduction for unpaid time will be $156 per day. Paid time off must be used during the school calendar year (August-July) and does not carry over from year to year.

Health & Wellness Benefits – The school offers the following voluntary health and wellness benefits for all full-time salaried employees:

· Dental
· Vision
· Life Insurance
· Supplemental Cancer Insurance
· Short Term Disability

Employees can choose coverage that meets their individual/family needs. The Willow School will reimburse employees for up to $150 per month for any combination of the above choices. Employees that choose not to utilize any of the offered insurance benefits will forfeit the $150 reimbursement benefit.

Employee Assistance Program – Employees have access to mental health benefits and counseling at no cost.

401K Retirement Plan – The school offers this savings/investment option to employees at no cost. The 401K Plan is offered through the payroll platform of ADP and can be accessed through payroll app.

Employee Children Scholarship – Employees whose child(ren) attend the school will receive a 50% tuition scholarship based on the school day rates of the enrolled class. Charges for registration fee, tuition deposit and aftercare will be waived.