Job Description
BASIC FUNCTION:Under the direction of an assigned supervisor, perform large-quantity cooking in the preparation of foods such as main dishes, vegetables, fruits and salads in the District's production kitchen; maintain kitchen facilities, equipment and utensils in a clean and sanitary condition.
REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES:
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
• Perform large-quantity cooking in the preparation of foods such as main dishes, vegetables, fruits and salads in a production kitchen environment; assure related activities comply with established safety and sanitation requirements
• Determine appropriate quantity of food items for cooking; assure compliance with food quality standards including appearance and nutritional requirements; heat and cook food according to standardized recipes to meet scheduled menu requirements and operating time lines
• Measure and weigh ingredients; calculate, adjust and extend recipes; estimate needed quantities of food and supplies; assemble, mix and prepare a variety of ingredients and supplies; open containers; remove wrappers and ingredients; thaw items as needed; assure proper temperature of foods
• Maintain kitchen facilities and equipment in a clean and sanitary condition; clean serving counters, tables, food containers and food service equipment; deep clean ovens, food racks, carts, refrigerators, chillers and other equipment
• Prepare food items and utensils for distribution to school and contract sites according to individual school needs as assigned; review and verify quantities of outgoing shipments; load hot and cold transport carts with specified food items and supplies for distribution to school sites
• Monitor inventory levels of food items, utensils and supplies; order, receive, store and rotate food items and supplies; conduct meal counts and inventories
• Operate standard food service equipment such as slicers, ovens, can openers, food carts, mixers, choppers, stoves and warmers
• Communicate with personnel and various outside agencies to exchange information and resolve issues or concerns
• Maintain a variety of records related to daily food item distribution, inventory and assigned activities; process and complete food transport sheets as required
OTHER DUTIES:
Perform related duties as assigned
KNOWLEDGE OF:
Methods of preparing and serving foods in large quantities
Methods of adjusting and extending recipes and proper substitutions
Terminology, techniques, ingredients, equivalent measures and abbreviations used in cooking
Sanitation and safety practices related to preparing, handling and serving food
Standard kitchen equipment, utensils and measurements
Basic inventory practices and procedures
Oral and written communication skills
Interpersonal skills using tact, patience and courtesy
Portion control techniques
Storage and rotation of perishable food
Proper lifting techniques
Record-keeping techniques
ABILITY TO:
Perform large-quantity cooking in the preparation of foods such as main dishes, vegetables, fruits and salads in a production kitchen environment
Maintain kitchen facilities, equipment and utensils in a clean and sanitary condition
Prepare attractive, appetizing and nutritious meals for students and staff
Follow, adjust and extend recipes
Determine appropriate quantity of food items for cooking
Operate standard kitchen equipment safely and efficiently
Follow and assure compliance with health and sanitation requirements
Store and rotate food supplies in storage areas according to established procedures
Conduct daily inventories and estimate appropriate amounts of food items and supplies
Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others
Meet schedules and time lines
Work independently with little direction
Maintain various records related to work performed
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Any combination equivalent to: graduation from high school and three years increasingly responsible experience in the preparation of food in large quantities including work with following and extending recipes in a commercial kitchen, catering operation or similar environment
LICENSES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Valid ServSafe certification obtained through a proctored exam
ENVIRONMENT:
Food service environment
Subject to heat from ovens
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Standing for extended periods of time
Hearing and speaking to exchange information
Lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling objects typically weighing up to 50 and up to 60pounds with assistance
Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate food service equipment
Reaching overhead, above shoulders and horizontally
Bending at the waist, kneeling or squatting
Seeing to monitor food quality and quantity
HAZARDS:
Heat from ovens
Exposure to very hot foods, powerful industrial-grade equipment, and metal objects
Working around knives, slicers or other sharp objects
Exposure to cleaning chemicals and fumes
Slippery floors
EXAMINATION INFORMATION:
The first step in the examination process is the application screening, and whether or not the candidate meets the minimum qualifications listed.
The testing process may consist of a written exam, an oral exam, a performance exam, a structured interview (SI), a qualification appraisal interview (QAI), an evaluation of training & experience/education (T&E), and/or any combination thereof.
All tests
will have a passing score set between 50 and 99, depending on a variety of factors affecting that specific recruitment.
The testing process consists of a minimum of two examination processes,
EXAMINATION WEIGHT:
FIRST EXAMINATION: 50%
SECOND EXAMINATION: 50%
OTHER:
Proof of identification for completion of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, must be submitted at the time of processing for employment.
SALARIES:
All salaries, as stated, are based on present information and are subject to change.
The hiring rate shall be the first step of the schedule, except for classes where recruitment efforts have indicated difficulty in recruiting at that step. Appointments are made at the minimum salary shown in the posting, and increases are granted at intervals based on anniversary date.
Notification of
Non-Discrimination Policy:
The Berkeley Unified School District is committed to providing equal opportunity for all individuals in district programs and activities. Accordingly, BUSD programs and activities shall be free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying based on actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. The Board shall promote programs that ensure that discriminatory practices are eliminated in all district activities. (Board Policy 0410, Board Policy 1311, Board Policy 4030, Board Policy 5145.3, Board Policy 5145.7)
The Board also prohibits retaliation against any district employee or job applicant who complains, testifies or in any way participates in the district's complaint procedures instituted pursuant to this policy. (Board Policy 4030)
Complaint forms are available at school sites and on the district webpage at
www.berkeleyschools.net/complaints.
For inquiries or concerns regarding BUSD nondiscrimination policy
5145.3 or the filing of discrimination complaints, please contact:
Jasmina Viteskic, Title IX Coordinator/Compliance Officer
2020 Bonar Street Room 116, Berkeley, CA 94702
Phone: 510.486.9338
Email:
nondiscrimination@berkeley.net
More information is available at
www.berkeleyschools.net/non-discrimination/
Closing Date/Time: Mon, 14 Sep 2026
Berkeley Unified School District
5106448975About the District
Since the founding of the University of California, Berkeley in 1868 and the establishment of Berkeley’s first high school in 1879, Berkeley’s community has been proud to be a leader in public education. In 1968, the Berkeley Unified School District was the nation’s first school district to desegregate without a court order. What you should know about our District:
- Students are our priority.
- We take pride in our diversity.
- We hold high expectations for ourselves and our students.
- We treat each other with respect and act with integrity.
Berkeley Unified is responsible for educating more than 9,400 individual students in 11 public elementary schools, 3 middle schools, one comprehensive high school, and an alternative high school. In addition, the district has 3 preschool facilities and an Adult School serving several thousand students each year. With a tradition of excellence rooted in a vibrant community, Berkeley Unified alumni have become national and international leaders in business, civic society, politics, academia, sports and the arts. Students and staff in Berkeley Unified come from a wide variety of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, surrounded by one of the most intellectually and culturally rich regions in the United States.
The Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals of Berkeley Unified are encapsulated in the four E’s:
- Excellence
- Equity
- Engagement
- Enrichment
Excellence in Learning, in Teaching, and in Service to our Students and Families
Equity in Access, in Resource Allocation, and Educational Outcomes
Engagement with Parents, Guardians, Families, and Community
Enrichment in Curriculum with Music & the Arts, Libraries, Gardens & Nutrition, Science & Health, Physical Education & Sports
Parent and Community Involvement
The Vision for BUSD is one in which parents, family, and community are an integral part of each school. When parents and families get personally involved in education, their children do better in school and grow up to be more successful in life. This is why Berkeley has dedicated resources and specialized staff to support the home-school partnership and to give all parents/guardians access to understanding opportunities and services available for their children.
Public Support
Over the past 25 years, the Berkeley Unified School District’s ability to provide well-rounded educational resources and opportunities to all students has been significantly boosted by the generous financial support of local taxes that augment the General Fund for specific purposes.
Berkeley voters have overwhelmingly supported the Berkeley Schools Excellence Program (BSEP), a special local tax first adopted in 1986 and renewed consistently since then, most recently as Measure A in 2006. (1986 to present)
Berkeley voters are as committed to the safety and modernization of school and district facilities as to the students and educational programs they house, most recently evidenced in the renewal of a maintenance special tax and a new facilities bond in 2010.
- Facilities Bonds (1992, Measure BB of 2002, Measure I of 2010)
- Maintenance Parcel Tax (Measure H of 2010)
Very Low Class Size
Berkeley Public schools have among the lowest class sizes in the state. While many school districts have exceeded 20 students in kindergarten through third grade, thanks to the BSEP tax measure Berkeley has maintained 20:1 since 1984. Grades 4 and 5 classrooms have average student-teacher ratios of 26-1, again much lower than the state average.
- All Berkeley elementary schools have fewer students than the state average of 525 students — in fact, the Berkeley average is 375.
- The average student-teacher ratio in academic classrooms in middle school is less than 28:1, and many math classes are 20:1.
- The average student-teacher ratio in academic classrooms in high schools is 28:1.
Because the Berkeley community recognizes that public education is the cornerstone of a productive, creative, and healthy society, all of our schools benefit from the generosity of monetary and in-kind donations. Visit our “Public Support” page to find out more about the generosity and commitment of our supporters and how the many different funding and volunteer organizations enhance each child’s education in the Berkeley Public Schools.
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