Kitchen Associate II (For INTERNAL candidates only)

Reports To: Kitchen Manager

Schedule: Assigned production shifts, including early mornings and occasional weekends as needed.
Requirements: Must obtain the required ServSafe Certification in the established timeframe.

General Summary: This role is an experienced, cross-trained food production employee responsible for independently executing a broad range of kitchen production tasks while maintaining high standards for food safety, meal quality, accuracy, and efficiency. Reporting to the Kitchen Managers and receiving day-to-day direction from Kitchen Leads, this position supports complex production activities, helps troubleshoot station-level issues, and coaches Kitchen Associate I staff without serving as a formal supervisor.

Impact:

Food Production & Operational Execution

- Independently prepare, cook, portion, assemble, package, and label meals across multiple production stations using approved standardized recipes and production specifications.

- Operate and maintain proficiency with assigned commercial kitchen equipment; follow safe setup, use, cleaning, and shutdown procedures.

- Verify assigned station readiness, ingredients, recipe yields, portions, counts, packaging, and labels; identify errors before products advance to the next production step.

- Recognize workflow delays, shortages, food quality concerns, and waste; address routine station-level issues within approved procedures and escalate issues requiring authorization.

- Support accurate completion and review of station production records, temperatures, and quality checks; flag incomplete or inconsistent documentation.

- Provide flexible production coverage across stations and help maintain continuity during staffing changes or high-volume periods.

Food Safety, Quality & Program Compliance

- Follow food safety, sanitation, personal hygiene, allergen prevention, temperature control, and cross-contamination procedures; promptly report hazards and deviations.

- Prepare and package meals according to approved menus, standardized recipes, portion sizes, age-group requirements, production instructions, and special diet controls.

- Complete assigned production records, temperature logs, sanitation checks, and other documentation accurately and on time; report discrepancies and corrective actions.

- Never independently change approved recipes, ingredients, special diet instructions, or meal components; escalate proposed substitutions through established approval channels.

Training & Skill Development

- Demonstrate approved production techniques and coach Kitchen Associate I staff, volunteers, or trainees on station tasks, equipment, recipes, sanitation, and documentation.

- Provide factual input on trainee readiness and demonstrated competencies to Kitchen Leads and Kitchen Managers; do not conduct formal performance evaluations.

- Maintain cross-training across core kitchen functions and participate in continuous improvement efforts.

Teamwork & Mission Support

- Communicate production status, shortages, equipment issues, quality concerns, and unfinished tasks to the Kitchen Lead or Kitchen Manager.

- Work respectfully with colleagues, volunteers, interns, and trainees; follow established safety, attendance, uniform, and workplace conduct standards.

- Support emergency and disaster feeding, special events, and other essential SAFB operations as assigned.

- Perform other related duties as assigned.

Role Boundaries & Advancement

This is a skilled individual-contributor role, not a formal supervisory position. Kitchen Associate II employees may coach others and support station execution but do not independently assign staffing schedules, issue discipline, approve menu or special diet changes, or assume shift-wide leadership authority reserved for Kitchen Leads and Kitchen Managers.

Required Job Qualifications:

- At least two years of relevant high-volume food service, institutional kitchen, school nutrition, or comparable production experience, or demonstrated equivalent proficiency.

- Demonstrated ability to independently follow standardized recipes, accurately measure and portion food, and operate commercial kitchen equipment safely.

- Ability to work proficiently across multiple kitchen stations and recognize food safety, quality, and production discrepancies.

- Experience documenting production tasks or ability to learn production records and electronic systems.

- Ability to obtain required food handler training/certification within the employer-established timeframe.

Preferred Job Qualifications:

- Experience in CACFP, NSLP, SBP, SFSP, or another regulated meal service environment.

- Experience with special diet meal preparation, allergen controls, or high-volume meal packaging.

- Experience coaching or training coworkers; familiarity with Mosaic or similar production software.

- ServSafe Manager certification; bilingual English/Spanish.

Physical Demands

Constantly required to stand and walk for extended periods; regularly bends, reaches, pushes, pulls, and performs repetitive kitchen tasks.

Utilizes fine manipulation and near visual acuity.

Must regularly lift and move up to 50 pounds, with appropriate assistance or equipment as needed.

Work Environment

This job is primarily performed in a commercial kitchen with varying temperatures, including walk-in coolers and freezers.

May travel to partner sites of varying conditions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and levels of work to be performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties.