Benefits:

401(k)
Dental insurance
Free uniforms
Health insurance
Opportunity for advancement
Paid time off
Training & development
Vision insurance

Role: Experienced Chef/Food Service & School Operations Support at Primrose School of Aliana - 11225 Markdow Road Richmond, TX 77407
Full-Time | In-Person
Pay: $13.00–$17.00 per hour, based on directly relevant experience, qualifications, and certifications

Job Overview

Primrose School of Aliana is seeking a strong, experienced Chef to manage the school’s daily food-service operations while also supporting broader school operations as needed.

The ideal candidate has previous experience preparing meals in a licensed childcare center, preschool, school, or similar institutional setting, understands food safety and allergy requirements, and is comfortable managing breakfast, lunch, snacks, food ordering, inventory, sanitation, and kitchen organization.

This role is intentionally broader than traditional food preparation. In addition to leading kitchen operations, the Chef will support the front desk, classrooms, teacher breaks, ratio coverage, and other school needs when operationally necessary.

We are looking for someone who is dependable, organized, flexible, safety-conscious, and comfortable being part of the overall school operations team, rather than working exclusively in the kitchen

Key Responsibilities

Food Service & Kitchen Operations

Prepare and serve breakfast, lunch, and snacks according to approved menus and school schedules.
Manage overall kitchen operations and ensure meals are prepared safely, consistently, and on time.
Prepare weekly menus using approved Primrose menu options.
Accommodate children with food allergies, dietary restrictions, and special meal requirements.
Maintain proper food storage, labeling, dating, rotation, and temperature controls.
Maintain a clean, organized, sanitary, and inspection-ready kitchen.
Wash dishes and maintain kitchen equipment, refrigerators, freezers, pantry, and storage areas.
Manage food ordering, inventory, kitchen supplies, and paper goods.
Monitor food usage and waste while helping control costs and stay within budget.
Maintain required kitchen, food-service, sanitation, and safety documentation.
Follow applicable health department, food safety, childcare licensing, and Primrose requirements.
Prepare meals and snacks for special events when needed.

Front-Desk & School Operations Support
When kitchen responsibilities allow, the Chef will also support general school operations, including:

Monitor or assist at the front desk when leadership is temporarily unavailable.
Welcome and acknowledge families and visitors entering the school.
Help ensure the reception area remains responsive and professional.
Notify the appropriate leadership team member when a family or visitor needs assistance.
Assist with light administrative or operational tasks as assigned.
Support school events, deliveries, supplies, and other day-to-day operational needs.

Classroom & Teacher Support
The Chef will also be expected to assist classrooms when operationally necessary, including:

Responding appropriately to classroom calls or requests for assistance.
Helping provide teacher breaks when needed.
Supporting short-term classroom coverage.
Assisting with ratio coverage when leadership or other staff are unavailable.
Helping during classroom or teacher transitions.
Supporting children safely and appropriately when temporarily assisting in a classroom.
Following all applicable supervision, licensing, health, and safety requirements while providing classroom support.

Qualifications

Previous professional cooking experience in a licensed childcare center, preschool, school, or similar institutional environment strongly preferred.
At least 1 year of childcare food-service experience preferred.
Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, proper food handling, storage, and allergy precautions.
Food Manager Certification strongly preferred; ability to obtain required certification if not currently held.
Food Handler Certification required.
Experience preparing meals for groups of children.
Experience with food ordering, inventory, menu planning, and waste control.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Dependable, punctual, and able to work independently.
Comfortable interacting professionally with children, families, teachers, and school leadership.
Flexible and willing to support the front desk and classrooms when operational needs require.
Must meet all applicable childcare background-check and employment requirements.
Must be physically able to stand for extended periods and lift supplies associated with kitchen and school operations.

The Ideal Candidate
We are looking for someone who is:

Experienced. You understand food service in a childcare environment and the additional care required when serving young children.
Highly organized. You can manage menus, food orders, inventory, allergies, sanitation, and kitchen schedules without constant reminders.
Safety-conscious. You take food safety, sanitation, allergies, and child safety seriously.
Dependable. Meals need to be ready on time every day, and the school must be able to rely on you.
Flexible. You understand that this is a school environment and are willing to help at the front desk, support classrooms, provide breaks, or assist with other operational needs when necessary.
Team-oriented. You see yourself as part of the entire school team, not only the kitchen.

Schedule & Expectations

This is a full-time, in-person position.

The Chef must be available early enough to prepare breakfast and support the school’s daily meal schedule. Some schedule flexibility may be required for school events, trainings, or operational needs.

Compensation
$13.00–$17.00 per hour

Compensation will be based on directly relevant childcare food-service experience, cooking experience, certifications, demonstrated kitchen-management capability, and overall fit for the expanded responsibilities of the role.

The higher end of the range is intended for candidates with strong childcare-center Chef experience, relevant certifications, and demonstrated ability to independently manage food-service operations.

Benefits
Eligible employees may have access to:

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Retirement Plan
Paid Time Off
Professional Development & Training
Referral Program

Ready to Join Our Team?
If you are an experienced childcare Chef or food-service professional who takes pride in providing safe, nutritious meals, maintaining an organized kitchen, and being a dependable part of a school team, we would love to hear from you.

Compensation: $13.00 - $17.00 per hour

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Benefits

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

As a preschool teacher, you'll develop the skills you need to advance your career in education or launch the next chapter of your professional life.

INDUSTRY-LEADING CURRICULUM

Teachers at Primrose schools are educators, not babysitters. They all use our Balanced Learning approach - an exclusive, research-informed method that gives you both structure and flexibility, so you can make the most of every moment in the classroom.

SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY

You'll be part of a team of educators and in-school leaders who feel more like family and are as invested in the children - and your future - as you are.