The Santa Cruz Toddler Care Center is currently hiring a vegetarian cook for our half day, morning, outdoor program. We are a prestigious, well established, RIE inspired nonprofit childcare center with a one to three teacher/child ratio . We believe that young children thrive outdoors , and have rebuilt our campus to provide a beautifully remodeled, re-landscaped, and extremely toddler-friendly space for one and two year olds and the adults who care for them. We value anti-bias curriculum , diversity, sustainability, and the dream of each child being able to achieve all they are capable of, with the knowledge that together human beings can make a difference. We have published a book about our unique philosophy of care, 1,2,3......The Toddler Years, that is widely used in ECE classrooms and parent education programs. We serve organic vegetarian meals cooked onsite , supplemented by the children's organic vegetable garden . Vegetarian Cook Hours are approximately 8:30am-1:30 pm Monday - Friday, with with an extended shift on Fridays for paid planning, training and meeting time.

Job Responsibilities:

Prepare organic vegetarian breakfast and lunch for 9-12 children, ages 12 to 36 months, in a group care setting. Manage the food program including budgeting, purchasing, cooking and cleaning. Commit to and role model green practices in all aspects of the job whenever possible. Desired Job Requirements AA or certificate in Culinary Arts and/or Early Childhood Education or related field. 2 years minimum catering, commercial kitchen or restaurant experience. Have or obtain Food Safety certification. Understanding of and passion for vegetarian and vegan cooking, and alternatives for children with allergies. Reliable transportation for programmatic shopping and errands. Knowledge of ingredients and age appropriate food portions and safety. Mathematical competency for amounts and quantities. Promptness and reliability. Professionalism and maturity; interpersonal skills; ability to give and receive feedback. Planning and organizational skills; ability to implement food guidelines. Ability to work independently, take initiative, and follow through on tasks. Certified CPR and basic first aid. Exceptional verbal and written communication skills. Computer and smartphone competency including Zoom, email, text messaging, google docs, word docs and digital photography. Passionate about nature based early childhood education. Comfortable working with children with differing developmental needs. Warm and caring personality - friendly and approachable to children and families. Willingness to be flexible with job duties and participate fully as a member of a team. Salary increase for those with ECE units. If interested, please respond by email with resume and cover letter. Applications without cover letters will not be accepted. The Santa Cruz Toddler Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation. We value a racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse work community and we strongly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

Job Type:

Part-time Pay:

$20.00 - $25.00 per hour

Benefits:

Dental insurance Employee discount Paid time off

Experience:

Cooking:

1 year (Preferred) working with young children: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

Driver's License (Required)

Work Location:

In person