Jobs › Universities of Wisconsin
Head Start Cooks (Continuous Recruitment)
Posted Jul 1, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
Apply at Universities of Wisconsin
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Tell me about how you keep a kitchen clean and inspected every day.
What they are checking: Whether they have a cleaning routine for equipment and surfaces that meets food safety rules.
Tell me about a time you worked as part of a team that served children or families.
What they are checking: Whether they work well with teachers and staff and enjoy serving young children.
Why do you want to cook for a Head Start program?
What they are checking: Whether they connect with the mission of serving low-income families and children.
What would you do
Say a delivery is missing an ingredient for today's lunch. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they find a safe substitute that still meets the meal pattern and tell the supervisor.
You may greet families and answer questions about food. How would you talk with a parent who is worried their child is not eating?
What they are checking: Whether they are friendly and helpful and pass concerns on to teaching staff.
The program has seven centers in five cities. How would you handle being asked to fill in at a different center?
What they are checking: Whether they are flexible and can work in an unfamiliar kitchen.
About the work
You would cook for children in UW Oshkosh Head Start, a federally funded preschool for low-income families. What changes when you cook for preschoolers instead of adults?
What they are checking: Whether they think about choking hazards, portion sizes, texture and nutrition for young children.
How do you handle food allergies in a kitchen that serves many children?
What they are checking: Whether they label, separate and double check meals so a child with an allergy is never served the wrong food.
Head Start follows federal meal guidelines. How would you make sure each meal meets the menu requirements?
What they are checking: Whether they follow the planned menu and portions closely, since meals must meet program rules.
What temperatures do you check, and how often, when cooking and holding food?
What they are checking: Whether they know safe cooking and holding temperatures and record them.
Practice this interview out loud.
Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Universities of Wisconsin from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.
Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Universities of Wisconsin.