HEAD COOK
Salary
$54,248.88 - $73,107.36 Annually
Location
Los Angeles County, CA
Job Type
Full time
Job Number
J6402S
Department
SHERIFF
Opening Date
07/09/2026
Closing Date
7/22/2026 5:00 PM Pacific
Position/Program Information
TYPE OF RECRUITMENT:
We welcome applications from anyone.
FIRST DAY OF FILING:
We will be accepting online applications from Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 8:00 A.M. (PT) until Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 5:00 P.M. (PT).
All applications must be received before 5:00 P.M. (PT) on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, to be accepted.
EXAM NUMBER:
J6402S
JOIN OUR TEAM
Click here to view a video about Food Services Bureau career opportunities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj-yCqcgx2o&t=3s
Check Out Our Outstanding Benefits!
Los Angeles County offers one of the strongest public-sector benefits packages in the nation:
https://hr.lacounty.gov/benefits/
Why work for us?
With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation. As the largest employer in Southern California, over 116,000 employees in more than 38 Departments, we provide vital public services as diverse as law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, cultural activities and many more.
We are dedicated professionals committed to preserving the dignity and integrity of the workplace as well as protecting the rights of each employee. The County has more than 2,300 different job descriptions, offering a lifetime of opportunities and careers! We offer one of the strongest public-sector benefits packages in the country. Join us and discover a rich selection of health care options, robust retirement plans and the flexibility to work, relax, and rejuvenate to reach your fullest personal and professional potential.
Essential Job Functions
Supervises and monitors, directly or through subordinate supervisors, the assignment of and work of food services staff and inmate workers, providing instruction in, or overseeing, the training of staff in standard food preparation and cooking techniques.
Makes work assignments and oversees the work of food services staff in the preparation of food items, inspecting quality of work in progress and upon completion to ensure that the quality of food prepared is acceptable, in adequate quantities, and meets established dietary guidelines.
Monitors conformance with all health and safety regulations, keeping staff apprised of changes or additions to these regulations.
Requisitions food supplies and ensures that food supply inventories are maintained at levels adequate to meet the needs of the facility on a daily/weekly basis using computer software.
Conducts daily inspections of the kitchen, equipment, and food storage areas checking for cleanliness and ensuring that all equipment is functioning properly and that all health and safety regulations are observed.
Inspects food supplies received, rejects those supplies of poor or unacceptable quality, oversees the proper storage of supplies accepted and monitors the rotation of supplies to prevent spoilage.
Makes or approves changes to menus or modifies recipes when supplies are unavailable.
Monitors and inspects the serving of meals, ensuring that the necessary equipment and utensils are utilized, and makes sure that food being served is maintained at proper temperatures and in necessary quantities throughout the meal.
Inspects refrigerators, freezers, storerooms, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and compliance with health standards.
Supervises the preparation and transportation of meals for emergency crews or special functions.
Prepares or assists in the preparation of employee evaluations.
Monitors employee time activity using computer software.
For more information, please view the classification specification: Head Cook
Requirements
REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY
Three (3) years journey-level experience in quantity food preparation and cooking of complete meals in an institutional, commercial, military, or similar establishment, one year of which must have been in a supervisory capacity.
LICENSE
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out essential duties.
PHYSICAL CLASS
Physical Class III - Moderate: This class requires that the incumbent stand or walk most of the time with bending, stooping, squatting, twisting, reaching, working on irregular surfaces, occasional lifting of objects weighing over 25 pounds, and frequent lifting of 10-25 pounds.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION
Quantity food preparation and cooking of complete (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) meals covers experience in preparing and cooking many food items. Examples include soups, meats, vegetables, and others. Experience in fast food service is not considered as qualifying for this position.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Credit will be given to applicants who possess DESIRABLE qualifications and indicate so on their employment application at the time of filing.
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE
As part of this application process, applicants will be required to complete a supplemental questionnaire. The questionnaire contains a pre-investigative questionnaire which will be used as part of the background investigation process to ensure applicants meet the standards set forth by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Applicants who fail the pre-investigative questionnaire will be disqualified and will have to wait three (3) months from the date of disqualification in order to reapply.
Additional Information
EXAMINATION CONTENT
This examination will consist of two (2) parts:
PART I
A structured interview worth 70% of your total score assessing:
As part of the structured interview, candidates will also be required to complete a brief written communication exercise. Candidates who do not submit a written communication exercise will be disqualified from this examination.
APPLICANTS MUST ACHIEVE A PASSING SCORE OF 70% OR HIGHER ON PART I TO PROCEED TO PART II.
PART II
This assessment type will evaluate the training and experience you list on the supplemental questionnaire and assign a score based on a standardized scoring system. This part of the assessment is worth 30% of your total score and assesses:
APPLICANTS MUST ACHIEVE A PASSING SCORE OF 70% OR HIGHER ON EACH WEIGHTED PART OF THE EXAMINATION IN ORDER TO BE PLACED ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST.
TESTING ACCOMMODATION
If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, you will be required to submit documentation from a qualified medical provider or other qualified professional to support your request for a testing accommodation. Please note, you will be contacted at a later time by a Sheriff's Department representative that will guide you through the process. You will be provided with an initial deadline to submit documentation. Failure to submit the required documentation by the deadline will delay your participation in the examination process and consideration for initial placement on the eligible list.
VETERANS CREDIT
If you are a veteran, you may be eligible for veterans credit, which is an additional 10% of the total points added to a passing score. We will need a copy of your DD214 Form to review, so please include that with your application or email it to sheriffexamsunit@lasd.org as soon as possible, so if you are eligible for veterans credit, we can include it before the list is available.
ELIGIBILITY AND VACANCY INFORMATION
The names of applicants receiving a passing grade in the examination will be placed on the eligible list in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of promulgation. We will use this list to fill vacancies within the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, Custody General & Specialized Divisions, Custody Food Services.
SPECIAL INFORMATION
AS PART OF THE HIRING INTERVIEW PROCESS, CANDIDATES MUST SUCCESSFULLY PASS THE CUSTODY FACILITY SECURITY CLEARANCE. UPON SUCCESSFUL CLEARANCE, A TOUR WILL BE PROVIDED.
SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS MUST COMPLETE A DETAILED BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION, INCLUDING FINGERPRINT SEARCH. Examples of disqualifying factors include: Any felony convictions; job related misdemeanor convictions; certain serious traffic convictions or patterns of traffic violations (3 moving violations in one year; failure to appear; at fault accidents; suspended license; driving under the influence); poor credit history; poor employment history; substance abuse; anyone on probation.
ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY IF HIRED
The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department (Department) has a "zero tolerance" policy for its employees for the following.
Any employee found in violation of this policy will be subject to discharge.
AVAILABLE SHIFT: Any Shift
WORK CONDITIONS
The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department operates seven (7) days a week, 24 hours a day. Appointees MUST be willing to work:
APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:
We only accept applications filed online. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person are not accepted. Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" green button at the top right of this posting. This website can also be used to get application status updates. Your application and supplemental questionnaire must be submitted by 5:00 P.M., PT, on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
Please fill out the application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employers name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.
We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying verbiage from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience will not be sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and may lead to disqualification.
We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicants responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.
NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICIAL APPLICATION FILING PERIOD, NO EXCEPTIONS.
TO ENSURE THAT YOUR APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY SUBMITTED, YOU MUST HAVE RECEIVED A CONFIRMATION EMAIL AS VERIFICATION.
New email addresses need to be verified. This only needs to be done once per email address and can be done at any time by logging in to www.governmentjobs.com and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of the online application and to prevent incorrectly entered email addresses.
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.
COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES
For those who do not have access to a computer or the internet, we provide access to complete an application at public libraries throughout the county.
NO SHARING OF USER ID, EMAIL, AND PASSWORD
All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family members or friends login information may erase a candidates original application record.
California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922
ADA Coordinator Phone: (213) 229-1621
Teletype Phone: (213) 626-0251
Department Contact Name: Professional Examinations Unit
Department Contact Phone: (323) 526-5611
Department Contact Email: sheriffexamsunit@lasd.org
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Employment Information
Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.
This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.
Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement:
The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/.
Testing Accommodations for Applicants:
The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit: https://hr.lacounty.gov/accessibility/.
Fair Chance:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).
Employment Eligibility:
Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.
Career PathFinder:
Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov.
Veteran's Credit:
Pursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions.
For more information on veteran's credit, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205102_PPG_115.pdf
Revised September 2025
For detailed information, please click here
01
The information you provide on this supplemental questionnaire will be evaluated and used to determine your eligibility to participate in the next phase of the examination process. CHECK YOUR ANSWERS CAREFULLY. Any mistake you make and/or any incomplete responses you provide in completing these questions will be used to disqualify your application even if you possess the qualifying experience. Be as specific as possible and include all information requested. Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered as a response. Utilizing VERBIAGE from Class Specification including the listed Examples of Duties and/or Essential Job Functions serving as you description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETE RESPONSE AND NO CREDIT WILL BE AWARDED. All information is subject to verification at any time in the examination and hiring process. Falsification of any information may result in disqualification or dismissal.
02
If you are unwilling to comply with any of the following work conditions, your application will be rejected.
03
Are you willing to work holidays and weekends?
04
Are you willing to work any shift, day or night?
05
Are you willing to work in a Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department jail facility, which operates 24 hours a day/seven (7) days a week, within Los Angeles County?
06
Are you willing to work in close proximity with law enforcement personnel?
07
Are you willing to work in a secure environment where inmates may be present?
08
If you successfully pass the exam process and are invited for a hiring interview, you will participate in a jail facility tour. In order to participate in the jail facility tour, you will be required to complete a Custody Facility Clearance Application and be subjected to a background check for access into the Los Angeles County Jail System.
09
Which of the following best describes your journey-level experience in quantity food preparation and cooking of complete meals in an institutional, commercial, military, or similar establishment?
(Please note that experience in fast food is NOT considered qualifying for this position.)
Journey-level experience is defined as possessing the required knowledge, skills, and training to perform a full-range and diversity of work independently and reliably. Positions at this level operate with fairly significant freedom from day-to-day supervision and need little or no guidance on such matters as selecting appropriate problem-solving methods and techniques, locating appropriate regulation, or applying proper procedures to carry out work.
10
DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE in quantity food preparation and cooking of complete meals in an institutional, commercial, military, or similar establishment at the journey level. INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
1.) Dates of Employment (MM/DD/YYYY to MM/DD/YYYY)
2.) Employer Name
3.) Your Job Title
4.) Description of Duties
5.) The number of people you cooked for on a daily basis
6.) List the food items that you prepared and cooked on a daily basis
(Also indicate your experience on your application. Insert N/A if not applicable.)
11
Which of the following best describes your supervisory experience in quantity food preparation and cooking of complete meals in an institutional, commercial, military, or similar establishment?
Supervisory capacity refers to providing direct administration and technical supervision to include planning, assigning and reviewing work of staff (typically three (3) to ten (10) employees), evaluating employee performance, approving leaves of absence, counseling and recommending discipline.
(Please note that experience in fast food is NOT considered qualifying for this position.)
12
DESCRIBE YOUR SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE in overseeing, directing, and providing instruction to lower-level cooks, food service workers, and/or contract employees engaged in all phases of food preparation and cooking in an institutional, commercial, military, or similar establishment. INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
1.) Dates of Employment (MM/DD/YYYY to MM/DD/YYYY)
2.) Employer Name
3.) Your Job Title
4.) Description of Duties
5.) Number of Employees Supervised
(Also indicate your experience on your application. Insert N/A if not applicable.)
13
Do you require a reasonable accommodation to complete any portion of the examination process? In order to be considered for the initial promulgation, make sure to submit all required documentation by the initial deadline. Submitting the required documentation past the given deadline will delay your participation in the examination process and consideration for placement on the initial eligible list.
14
Applicants have the ability to opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices. It is the applicants responsibility to take the above steps to view correspondence. Los Angeles County will not consider claims of not viewing or receiving notifications to be a valid reason for a late test administration or re-scheduling.
15
How did you learn about this position?
16
WARNING: This pre-investigative questionnaire is part of the background investigation. It is used to determine an applicants suitability for service within the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department (LASD). All information provided is considered confidential. A candidates information will only be disclosed to an assigned background investigator if he/she is deemed suitable for the job based on the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department hiring guidelines. Answer the following questions honestly and thoroughly, as your responses will be used to determine whether or not you can proceed with the hiring process. Your responses to the following questions will be subject to verification.
Do you understand this information?
17
The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department (Department) has a "zero tolerance" policy for its employees for the following: Use of narcotics, controlled substances, and/or prescription drugs without a prescription. Any employee found in violation of this policy will be subject to discharge.
18
The Los Angeles Sheriffs Department (LASD) employees must adhere to the departments policies regarding appearance. Hair should be clean and well groomed. Tattoos upon the neck, face or head are prohibited. Beards are not allowed for employees who wear any type of uniform; mustaches must be trimmed and neat; jewelry must be minimally observable. A uniform or professional attire is required while on duty. Are you willing to comply with all the grooming, appearance policies, procedures, and standards of the LASD?
19
Do you understand you will be subject to a thorough background investigation and a medical examination, if applicable?
20
Are you currently on criminal probation?
21
Are you currently on criminal parole?
22
Have you ever been convicted for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs or any DUI-related crimes? If "yes", when was the last incident/arrest date?
23
Have you ever used any illegal drug (methamphetamine, heroin, speed, cocaine, ecstasy, PCP, hallucinogens, etc.) OTHER than marijuana? If "yes", when was the last time?
24
Have you ever used methamphetamine? If "yes", how many times?
25
Have you ever used heroin? If "yes", how many times?
26
Have you ever used speed? If "yes", how many times?
27
Have you ever used cocaine? If "yes", how many times?
28
Have you ever used ecstasy? If "yes", how many times?
29
Have you ever used PCP? If "yes", how many times?
30
Have you ever used hallucinogens? If "yes", how many times?
31
By answering the previous questions, you acknowledge that any false statements or omissions in this questionnaire will cause you to be disqualified, removed from an eligibility list, or be cause for immediate dismissal, if any appointment is or will be made at a later time.
Required Question
Employer County of Los Angeles
Address
Los Angeles, California, 90010
Website http://hr.lacounty.gov