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Lead Cook
DREAMMott Haven, United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 6 Mar 2026
💰 $47,000/yr($45,000/yr – $47,000/yr)
About the role
Originally founded in 1991 as Harlem RBI, DREAM has grown to annually serve more than 2,500 youth across East Harlem and the South Bronx through a network of seven PreK-12, extended-day, extended-year DREAM Charter Schools and community sports-based youth development programs. Through our commitment to rigorous academics, social-emotional learning, deep family and community engagement, and health and wellness, we create lifelong learners who are equipped to fulfill their vision of success in and out of the classroom. We dream big, as well, with an aggressive five-year plan to expand to serve 3,500 students across seven schools—growing our organization’s impact and leveling the playing field for all children. To learn more, visit wearedream.org.
DREAM has partnered with Brigaid to build our own in-house food service program, which will launch in Fall 2023 at our state-of-the-art school in the South Bronx and eventually expand to two additional DREAM locations in East Harlem and the Bronx. At scale, this program will serve breakfast, lunch, and likely dinner to 1,300 students almost 365 days of the year, along with providing curated food programs for DREAM alumni, families, and community members. The South Bronx campus will be the central hub for DREAM’s food and wellness programs as well as the main culinary event space for high-profile external events.
Reporting to the Director of Special Projects, the Lead Cook will work closely with the Brigaid Program Chef and kitchen team to execute DREAM’s vision of a best-in-class food and nutrition program. The Lead Cook will assist with leading the kitchen team in daily production and service of meals to DREAM students and staff, and training the kitchen team on basic cooking techniques, recipes, measurements, food safety, and organization. This is an exciting opportunity for a culinary professional committed to supporting the community’s engagement with food to help execute a one of a kind food program in service of DREAM’s students and families.
Expected weekly hours will be 40-50 hours per week. Expected daily hours will be between 7AM - 3:30PM, but daily hours are subject to change.
Responsibilities
- Overseeing DREAM’s National School Lunch Program (NSLP)-compliant food service program
- Implementing operating standards, protocols, and SOPs that promote the highest level of food quality, food safety and consistency
- Daily production and service of meals for DREAM students and staff
- Ensuring food safety, cleanliness and organization standards are maintained to the highest level at all times
- Placing orders for food and supplies and ensuring all deliveries are promptly received and stored
- Executing monthly physical inventory of food and supplies
- Creating menus and developing NSLP-compliant recipes that students enjoy
- Managing part-time cooks to ensure that all standards are met in regards to food quality, food safety, meal compliance, meal presentation, personnel safety and well being, and facility and equipment upkeep
- Maintaining required records, including those related to food production, purchasing, and inventory, as well as all HACCP documentation, including food safety and temperature logs
- Monitoring feedback and preferences from students and responding proactively through menu/recipe adjustments
- Executing food production for special events, such as fundraisers and community meals
- Additional tasks as necessary, including dishwashing, cleaning, and organizing kitchen and storage areas
- Interfacing with DREAM students, employees, and leadership from a wide variety of backgrounds, establishing and maintaining strong relationships with families, students, and school staff and leaders
- Adhering to all United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health (DOH) guidelines and regulations
Qualifications
- At least 3 years of professional cooking experience (with at least one year of kitchen supervisory experience preferred)
- Valid NYC DOH Food Protection Certificate, or the ability to take the self-paced course and pass the exam prior to starting
- Strong understanding of good food safety practices
- Strong cooking ability, with understanding of all basic cooking techniques and the abi
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