Food Service Assistant: Dallas, TX

As a Food Service Assistant with Bezos Academy, your primary responsibilities include organizing and serving meals, managing vendor deliveries, ensuring adherence to safety and food regulations, and assisting with various operational tasks to support school staff. You'll manage kitchen inventory, maintain hygienic food handling practices, and create a nurturing environment for our preschoolers by ensuring their dietary needs are met.

To qualify for the Food Service Assistant position at Bezos Academy, you need to be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or GED. It's essential to pass background checks, complete required state training, possess knowledge of cooking methods, and obtain active food manager and handler certifications before starting. Experience in a regulated kitchen setting is highly valued.

Compensation for a Food Service Assistant at Bezos Academy ranges from $21 to $31 per hour, translating to an annual salary between approximately $44,000 and $65,000. The exact starting pay depends on your qualifications and prior experience, with higher rates typically reserved for long-term employees who demonstrate exceptional performance.

Food Service Assistants at Bezos Academy receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, a 401(k) plan with a 4% employer match, paid parental leave, numerous paid days off, and much more. This robust offering reflects the Academy's commitment to supporting its employees' well-being.

The typical work schedule for a Food Service Assistant at Bezos Academy falls between 7:30 AM and 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday. You'll work a full-time shift of 8 hours, which varies based on community needs and your school's schedule, ensuring flexibility while meeting the needs of both staff and students.

In your response, highlight any formal training you have related to food safety, such as certifications you hold, and any previous job experiences where you implemented safe food handling practices. Discuss your familiarity with health and safety regulations, your ability to handle food safely, and how you ensure compliance in a bustling kitchen environment.

When answering this, explain your method for prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance. Discuss your time-management skills and how you stay organized amid the fast-paced environment of a school kitchen, ensuring all meals are prepared and served on time while maintaining quality standards.

Discuss your approach to learning about each child's dietary restrictions and preferences. Mention any experience you have with meal planning or food preparation that takes food allergies into account, and explain how important it is to foster a safe dining experience for every child.

Outline your routine for ensuring cleanliness in the kitchen, including regular sanitization of surfaces, equipment, and storage areas. Discuss how you include sanitation practices in your daily tasks and the importance of maintaining hygiene to prevent foodborne illnesses.

Emphasize the importance of being open to feedback. Describe how you actively listen to concerns, take them seriously, and how you use that feedback to improve meal preparation and service practices, ensuring that you consistently strive for higher quality in your work.

Reflect on your past experiences in team settings, particularly in kitchens or food service roles. Discuss your collaborative approach, including how you communicate and engage with your colleagues to create a positive work atmosphere while achieving shared goals.

Express your knowledge of USDA guidelines and how they apply to the preparation and serving of food in educational settings. Highlight any relevant training or certifications you've acquired and how understanding these guidelines ensures the nutritional quality and safety of the meals served.

Explain your problem-solving skills and give an example of a time when you had to improvise in the kitchen. Talk about evaluating alternatives quickly, maintaining open communication with staff, and ensuring that children's meals are still balanced and appealing.

List the kitchen tools and equipment you're skilled at using, such as food processors, mixers, or ovens, and emphasize your ability to handle them safely. Mention any experience you have with specialized tools specific to food service in educational settings.

Share your passion for working with children and your interest in contributing to their development through nutritious meals. Highlight how Bezos Academy’s values align with your personal beliefs about education and the importance of nutrition in early childhood, showcasing your dedication to the role.