Cook

The City of Corpus Christi is a vibrant coastal city in Texas known for its dedication to community welfare and public service. The city operates a comprehensive Senior Nutrition Program aimed at supporting the nutritional needs of senior citizens through multiple channels including Senior Centers, Nutrition Sites, and Home Delivered Meal Programs. This program plays a critical role in promoting health and wellness among the elderly population by providing nutritious meals in a timely and efficient manner. The city is committed to meeting local Health Department regulations and HACCP standards to ensure food safety and sanitation throughout its food service operations.

Within this framework, the Central Kitchen serves as the hub where meal preparation and packaging activities take place to serve approximately 900 seniors daily. The cook position at the Central Kitchen is a full-time, non-exempt role vital to the success of this large-scale food service operation. Working Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, this position requires flexibility to work additional hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, especially in emergency situations where continuity of service is paramount.

The role involves preparing and packing meals for multiple Senior Centers and Nutrition Sites, ensuring that every food item meets stringent quality and safety standards. A successful candidate will need to expertly interpret written and verbal recipes, convert these recipes into appropriate meal quantities, and have hands-on skills using a variety of kitchen equipment such as commercial immersion blenders, steamer ovens, and both gas and electric ovens. In addition to cooking, the position includes responsibilities for strict adherence to sanitation practices and daily cleaning duties to maintain kitchen hygiene according to local health codes.

Moreover, this position involves detailed record-keeping and inventory management, including logging temperature controls and monitoring the taste, texture, color, and smell of food. Food safety is a priority, and the cook must be vigilant in following food safety regulations, supporting teamwork in order to achieve high scores on City and County Food Service Establishment inspections.

Candidates interested in this role should be prepared to engage fully with the standards of kitchen safety, sanitation, and food preparation required by the City of Corpus Christi. The position offers an important opportunity to contribute meaningfully to community health and support senior citizens through nutritious meal provision. As part of the City’s employment practices, the selected candidate will undergo necessary background checks and comply with licensing and certification requirements, including obtaining Food Manager's Certification shortly after hire and CPR and First Aid certifications within the first three months.

Overall, the cook position at the Central Kitchen is a rewarding, hands-on role that combines culinary skills, teamwork, regulatory compliance, and public service to support Corpus Christi’s senior residents’ health and nutrition.