Job Description: FOOD SERVICE MENU COORDINATOR
PRIMARY FUNCTION:
The Menu Coordinator is responsible for planning, coordinating, and maintaining nutritious, appealing, cost-effective, and compliant school meal menus for a large, multi-site public school food service system. This role ensures alignment with USDA Child Nutrition Program requirements and Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) initiatives while meeting the diverse dietary needs of students, including food allergies and medically prescribed special meals.
The Menu Coordinator also supports nutrition education efforts, oversees recipe development, and provides supervision and mentorship to interns participating in the school food service program.
SUPERVISES:
Dietetic Assistant, assigned interns
TYPICAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Plan, coordinate, and maintain cycle menus for breakfast, lunch, supper, snack and other reimbursable meal programs in compliance with USDA and CSDE regulations.
- Ensure menus meet required meal pattern components, portion sizes, and nutrient standards.
- Review and update menus based on participation data, student preferences, ingredient availability, seasonal considerations, operational needs, and program requirements.
- Utilize POS software as it pertains to menu planning.
- Communicate menu updates, substitutions, and other changes to food service leadership and school-based staff.
- Develop, test, and standardize recipes that meet USDA meal pattern requirements and CSDE nutrition standards for use throughout the school food service program.
- Modify and adapt recipes to accommodate food allergies, special diets, cultural preferences, and student acceptance.
- Conduct taste tests and recipe evaluations with students and staff to improve quality and participation.
- Create and maintain standardized recipe documentation, including yields, portion sizes, ingredient lists, preparation steps, and allergen identification.
- Ensure recipes align with available equipment, labor capacity, and food safety requirements in school kitchens.
- Collaborate with vendors to evaluate new products and integrate them into menus and recipes as appropriate
- Coordinate the development and implementation of special meals for students with documented medical, allergy-related, religious, or dietary needs.
- Ensure recipes and menus clearly identify allergens and approved substitutions.
- Maintain and update records and maintain database of student allergies and special meal accommodations.
- Collaborate with school nurses, parents/guardians, administrators, and food service staff to ensure safe meal preparation and service.
- Support staff training on allergen awareness, cross-contact prevention, and special meal preparation procedures.
Compliance, Documentation & Quality Assurance
Ensure all menus, recipes, and substitutions comply with USDA, CSDE, and local health department regulations.
Assist with nutrient analysis, creation of production records, standardized recipes, and documentation for administrative reviews and audits.
Monitor compliance and assist with corrective actions as needed.
Maintains records and documentation necessary to support menu planning, special meals, recipe standardization, and program compliance.
Procurement, Product Evaluation & Forecasting Support
Assist with the development of food service-related Requests for Proposals (RFPs), bids, and contracts, ensuring menu requirements and nutritional standards are accurately reflected.
Provide menu specifications, product criteria, and nutrition requirements to support competitive procurement processes.
Collaborate with food service leadership, and vendors throughout the procurement cycle.
Review product submissions and samples for compliance with menu needs, nutrition standards, allergen requirements, and CSDE/USDA guidelines.
Support evaluation of awarded products to ensure they meet operational, quality, and cost expectations.
Assist with forecasting product needs based on menus, participation trends, and special initiatives.
Nutrition Education, Promotions & Special Initiatives
Coordinate menu enhancements and recipe adaptations to support CSDE and national initiatives, including:
National School Breakfast Week
Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids Week
National Farm to School Month
Local and seasonal food promotions
Incorporate locally grown and minimally processed foods into menus and recipes when available.
Support marketing efforts through menu descriptions, signage, and promotional materials related to special initiatives.
Supports nutrition education and district wellness initiatives.
Staff & Intern Supervision
Supervise and provide direction to the Dietetic Assistant and assigned student interns.
Coordinate and support internship experiences for students in nutrition, dietetics, or food service-related programs.
Provide mentorship and hands‑on training in menu planning, recipe development, food safety, and program compliance.
Assign and oversee intern projects such as recipe testing, nutrient analysis, taste tests, menu marketing, and nutrition education activities.
Evaluate intern performance and communicate with academic institutions as required.
Work collaboratively with food service leadership, kitchen staff, and external partners.
Coordinates with appropriate staff to address menu changes, product availability, recipe concerns, special meal needs, and other issues affecting meal service.
Participates in meetings, training, professional development, and other activities related to school nutrition and food service operations.
Performs related duties and supports departmental initiatives as assigned.
NOTE: The above description covers the principal duties and responsibilities of the job and shall not be construed as a complete listing of all duties or as a contract.
EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor's degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, Food Service Management, or a related field/
- Minimum of 2-4 years of progressively responsible experience in school nutrition, institutional food service, menu planning, recipe development, nutrition services, or a closely related field.
- Experience developing or coordinating menus and standardized recipes in a large-scale or institutional food service environment.
- Experience addressing food allergies, special diets, or medically required meal accommodations.
- Experience in a K-12 school nutrition program preferred.
- In lieu of college degree, an additional four years of directly related experience may be substituted.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:
- Considerable knowledge of menu planning principles and practices for large-scale or institutional food service operations.
- Considerable knowledge of standardized recipe development, testing, scaling, portion control, and documentation.
- Knowledge of USDA Child Nutrition Programs, meal pattern requirements, and applicable Connecticut State Department of Education school nutrition requirements and initiatives.
- Knowledge of nutrition standards applicable to school meal programs, including nutrient analysis and reimbursable meal requirements.
- Knowledge of food allergies, allergen identification, cross-contact prevention, special diets, and medically required meal accommodations.
- Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, temperature control, and HACCP principles applicable to school food service operations.
- Knowledge of food products, ingredients, substitutions, and methods for evaluating products for nutritional, operational, allergen, and quality requirements.
- Knowledge of institutional food service operations, including the relationship among menu planning, production capacity, equipment, staffing, product availability, and cost considerations.
- Knowledge of procurement practices as they relate to menu specifications, product standards, Requests for Proposals, bids, and food product evaluation.
- Ability to plan, develop, coordinate, and maintain menus for multiple meal programs and service locations.
- Ability to develop, test, evaluate, and standardize recipes for large-scale food production.
- Ability to modify menus and recipes to accommodate food allergies, medical needs, dietary restrictions, cultural preferences, product availability, and operational requirements.
- Ability to interpret and apply USDA, CSDE, district, and other applicable regulations, policies, and program requirements.
- Ability to analyze participation data, menu performance, product usage, nutritional information, and other relevant data to support menu planning and forecasting.
- Ability to review nutrition facts, ingredient statements, allergen information, product specifications, and related documentation for accuracy and compliance.
- Ability to evaluate food products and recipes for nutritional value, quality, student acceptance, operational feasibility, and cost-effectiveness.
- Ability to maintain accurate menu, recipe, allergy, special meal, nutrient analysis, and compliance records.
- Ability to identify compliance, food safety, allergen, or operational concerns and recommend or implement appropriate corrective action.
- Ability to use menu planning, nutrient analysis, recipe management, point-of-sale, database, and other applicable food service software and technology.
- Ability to organize and manage multiple priorities, deadlines, menu cycles, special initiatives, and program requirements.
- Ability to supervise, train, mentor, and provide direction to assigned staff, interns, and trainees.
- Ability to communicate technical nutrition, menu, allergen, and food service information clearly to food service employees, school personnel, students, families, vendors, and other stakeholders.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with food service leadership, school staff, healthcare personnel, families, vendors, academic institutions, and community partners.
- Ability to work collaboratively across departments and operational functions to support consistent and effective meal service.
- Strong analytical, organizational, problem‑solving, written communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, attention to detail, and discretion when handling student dietary and special meal information.
- Ability to use applicable food service, inventory, ordering, forecasting, and administrative software and technology, including Microsoft Office.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must possess and maintain a valid Connecticut driver's license and be able to travel between assigned work locations.
- ServSafe Certification must be obtained within three months of appointment and maintained throughout course of employment.
- Ability to life and move food and supply items as needed (with or without accommodation).
- May require early mornings, occasional evenings, occasional weekends or flexible hours to meet operational needs.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONS:
Physical Requirements
Amount of Time
Amount of Time
None
Under 1/3
1/3 to 2/3
Over 2/3
None
Under 1/3
1/3 to 2/3
Over 2/3
Stand
X
Wet / humid conditions (non-weather)
X
Walk
X
Work near moving mechanical parts
X
Sit
X
Work in high, precarious places
X
Touch, handle, or feel
X
X
Reach with hands & arms
X
Toxic / caustic chemicals
X
Climb or balance
X
Outdoor weather conditions
X
Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl
X
Extreme cold (non-weather)
X
Talk or hear
X
Risk of electrical shock
X
Taste or smell
X
Work with explosives
X
Risk of radiation
X
Lifting or force to be exerted?
Vibration
X
How much and
how often?
Amount of Time
None
Under 1/3
1/3 to 2/3
Over 2/3
Up to 10 pounds
X
Up to 25 pounds
X
Up to 50 pounds
X
Up to 75 pounds
X
Up to 100 pounds
X
More than 100 pounds
X
Work is performed in office and school kitchen environments.
SALARY, BARGAINING UNIT & APPLICABLE TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Local 3144 Salary Scale- Range 8: $64,357 - $103,289
This is a Special Fund position. Continued employment contingent upon availability of future funding. The grant funding supporting this position may be terminated at any time.
Hires are not covered by Social Security and will not pay Social Security taxes. They instead participate in the City Pension.
This position is included in a collective bargaining agreement with Local 3144, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Bargaining agreementsavailable to review HERE .
Employees become eligible to participate in the Medical & Dentalbenefit plan provided for members of Local 3144. Employees may elect a medical plan including prescription drug and dental coverage, for which employees must contribute a portion of the premium cost. Benefit information can be found online HERE , under the Local 3144 Management & Professional banner.
Eligible employees receive paid vacation,paid sick days, paid personal days, and paid holidays.
Term Life Insurance of $20,000 is provided at no cost to the employee.
Short-Term Disability coverage is also provided at no cost to the employee.
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