Cook/Cook-Lead

Tulare County is a vibrant and diverse community located in the heart of California's Central Valley. The County government is committed to providing excellent public services and fostering a work environment that values respect, support, and professional growth. The Human Resources and Development (HR&D) department is dedicated to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly skilled workforce to serve a population of over 5,100 employees across more than 800 job classifications in 20 County departments. Working for Tulare County offers employees a family-oriented atmosphere promoting work-life balance, flexibility, and meaningful career opportunities. Employees benefit from a comprehensive range of health plans, paid time off, retirement packages, and ongoing professional development initiatives.

The Tulare County Probation Department is currently seeking qualified candidates for the full-time position of Cook or Cook-Lead within their Nutrition and Food Services team. This recruitment effort aims to establish an employment list for filling current and future vacancies. The Cook and Cook-Lead roles focus on preparing and cooking meals in large quantities, primarily serving the Probation Department's facilities. The annual salary range for this position is between $39,390.62 and $54,445.15, reflecting the importance of the role and the skills required.

As a Cook within Tulare County, you will be responsible for preparing, cooking, and baking a variety of foods in large amounts, adhering to recipes and instructions, including those for special diets. You will work with kitchen equipment safely, maintain sanitation standards, and effectively communicate with diverse populations respecting varying educational and socioeconomic backgrounds. The role requires a minimum of one year of paid food preparation experience and equivalent education to the completion of the twelfth grade. The Cook position offers an opportunity to develop culinary skills in a supportive institutional environment, contributing directly to the health and well-being of the community.

The Cook-Lead position builds upon the foundational responsibilities of the Cook but adds supervisory duties and working with more complex meal planning and institutional menu requirements. Candidates for the Cook-Lead position must have at least two years of progressively challenging cooking experience, including one year of supervisory experience. The Cook-Lead is expected to oversee food preparation, requisition supplies based on changing meal counts, maintain stringent sanitation protocols for institutional kitchens, and ensure compliance with nutrition and dietetic standards. The role is pivotal for coordinating team efforts, meal quality, and food safety for large-scale institutional food services.

Tulare County offers its Cook and Cook-Lead employees a robust benefits package, including choices of PPO and HMO medical and dental plans with vision coverage, paid holidays, vacation and sick leave accrual, disability and life insurance, and participation in a defined benefit retirement plan. The County encourages its employees through career incentive pay based on years of service, and offers additional programs such as deferred compensation plans and student loan forgiveness qualifications through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA). Candidates selected for employment will be required to pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol screening, background investigations, and may be subject to physical exams as appropriate.

By joining Tulare County as a Cook or Cook-Lead, you become part of a dedicated team providing essential nutrition services that support the overall mission of the Probation Department and the wider community. The role is integral to ensuring that healthy, appetizing meals are served in a safe, sanitary, and efficient manner, contributing to the well-being and rehabilitation efforts within the county’s institutional care settings. Tulare County prides itself on offering a welcoming work environment and ongoing support for employee growth and satisfaction, making it an excellent choice for culinary professionals seeking meaningful public sector careers.