Cook

Join a great team with great benefits and a tradition of culinary excellence. K-State food has again landed in the Top 20 nationwide. The Princeton Review's " The Best 390 Colleges " ranked K-State's campus food at #14 in its 2025 issue. Early and...

  • 520725
  • Manhattan, Kansas, United States
  • Department of Housing & Dining
  • Staff Full Time (USS)
  • Closing on: Nov 18 2025
  • On-site

About This Role

At the heart of it all, our dynamic team works together to prepare safe, wholesome food for the residents and guests in the Residence Hall system at Kansas State University. Cooks provide food production support to several different food and service platforms in a “from scratch” production environment. The 40 hour per week work schedule includes a generous benefit package. The work schedule includes one Saturday or Sunday (one day) and every other weekend. A day off will be scheduled either before or after the weekend day. Early and late shifts are available and offer a generous benefits package. 
Duties include:
• Prepare multi-step, complex entrees and side dishes using standardized menus and recipes. Assist in the coordination of food production using batch cooking methods.
• Operate, clean, and maintain equipment and work areas in a safe and sanitary manner. Comply with all cleaning and sanitation standards.
• Evaluate HACCP and food safety activities and works closely with others to make sure all equipment and cleaning standards are being met. Store and handle food in a safe and sanitary manner using established procedures.
• Participate as an effective team worker by cooperating with and assisting co-workers and by participating in daily meetings.
• Train and oversee the work of student employees in production area.

About Us

Housing and Dining Services is a large, complex, self-operated auxiliary department employing about 1,000 full and part-time staff. As a group, we share the desire to provide exemplary services, products and facilities for our residents and other guests. K-State food has once again landed in the Top 20 nationwide. The Princeton Review's " The Best 390 Colleges " has ranked K-State's campus food at No. 14 in its 2025 issue. It's pretty rare for campus meals to be made from scratch on location, and our students appreciate that!

Worksite Description

The duties of this position are performed on-site.

All employees must reside in the United States when they begin working to comply with state law. K-State is unable to provide remote or hybrid work opportunities for residents of the state of Idaho.

What You'll Need to Succeed

Minimum Qualifications:

  • One year of experience in commercial/institutional cooking.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Ability to learn to perform basic math computations to accurately weigh and measure ingredients
  • Ability to use and care for equipment
  • Ability to handle food safely while preparing high quality products
  • Considerable knowledge of large scale food preparation, equipment, health sanitation, and safety procedures
  • One to three years experience in an institutional or volume setting
  • Ability to understand and follow written and oral instructions

Additional Role Information:

  • Work regularly requires moderate physical exertion to transport heavy items (up to 50 lbs.) repetitively.
  • Work is generally performed in a stationary position for long periods of time.

Sponsorship eligibility:

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship.

How to Apply

Please submit the on-line application.

Application Window

Applications close on: November 18, 2025

Anticipated Hiring Pay Range

$16.00 per hour. Some shifts may be eligible for an additional $.60 per hour shift differential.

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Why Join Us:

Kansas State University offers a supportive and inclusive community, dedicated to your professional growth. While specific benefits may vary by position, many roles come with comprehensive packages that support your well-being and work-life balance, including health and life insurance, retirement plans, and generous paid time off. To learn more about benefits that are available for various positions, visit our benefits overview page.

Work Authorization: 

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States at the time of employment.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Kansas State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.

Remote and Hybrid work options:

Some positions are eligible for remote or hybrid working arrangements.  An employee who is working in a remote or hybrid capacity for K-State must reside within the United States in order to comply with all federal and state laws, filings, or tax requirements. Remote and hybrid work arrangements are not available for anyone who resides in the state of Idaho.

Background Screening Statement:

Upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment, a candidate may be subject to a background check per K-State’s background check policy.

Interview Preferences:

Kansas State University honors interview preferences for qualified applicants who are veterans or individuals with disabilities. Eligible applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, submit all required application materials, and submit required preference documentation by the closing date on the job advertisement will be granted a first-level interview.

The disability and veteran interview preferences do not apply to student employment positions, temporary positions, athletics positions, academic and administrative department heads*, positions that require licensure as a physician, and positions that require that the employee be admitted to practice law in Kansas.

*Heads of Departments refers to any individual holding a primary leadership role responsible for the overall strategic direction, management and operational oversight of a recognized academic or administrative unit within the university.

To learn more about interview preferences at K-State, please visit our interview preferences page.

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