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Kitchen Manager
The Yay Company
compensation:
$55,000
employment type:
full-time
experience level:
mid level
job title:
Kitchen Manger
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The Kitchen Manager is the on-the-ground operator for the Dallas market. This is a working kitchen leadership role — the Kitchen Manager directly runs day-to-day operations at the primary hub kitchen and maintains check-in oversight of two additional school locations in the market that have staff onsite and one additional drop-off location. The Kitchen Manager is accountable for food quality, kitchen team performance, production execution, and operational standards across all four Dallas schools.
Market Scope
Primary Hub Kitchen — Direct Management
• Works alongside the Lead Cook and kitchen team daily — this is a working kitchen role, not supervisory-only
• Owns bi-weekly cold batch production: plans, leads, and executes all cold batch runs at the hub kitchen
• Leads hot prep days in partnership with the Lead Cook, setting the pace and standard for the team
• Manages production scheduling, food quality, waste tracking, and inventory at the hub
• Directly supervises kitchen staff and holds the team accountable to Yay standards
Two Additional Dallas Locations — Check-In Oversight
• Delivers cold food to both additional Dallas schools twice per week
• Uses each delivery as a structured site visit — directly oversees kitchen staff, checks standards, and addresses any issues in person
• Manages the school relationship at each location: serves as the primary Yay contact for school staff and leadership
• Supports Lead Cook development at each site through in-person coaching during delivery visits
• Conducts daily check-ins with both locations on non-delivery days to confirm service is on track
Core Responsibilities Daily Kitchen Operations
• Runs hub kitchen from prep through service — production schedule, food quality, and on-time execution
• Manages call-out coverage and real-time kitchen decisions during service hours
• Ensures food is produced to Yay standards and delivered on time to spoke schools
served by the hub
• Serves as primary point of contact for school partners at hub location on day-of operational matters
• Checks in with both additional Dallas locations daily to confirm service status and address any real-time issues
Labor & Scheduling
• Sets the hub kitchen schedule within labor budget provided by the Operations Manager
• Tracks actual hours versus scheduled hours daily; identifies and corrects overages
• Approves any schedule changes or additional shifts at the hub kitchen
• Reports labor performance to the Operations Manager as part of daily and weekly reporting
Food Quality, Waste & Inventory
• Monitors and reduces waste at the hub kitchen — holds team accountable for portioning, FIFO, and end-of-day tracking
• Confirms inventory counts are accurate and that pars are correctly set for the week ahead
• Reviews waste reports from additional Dallas locations and flags concerns to Operations Manager
• Upholds Yay food quality and safety standards at all three Dallas locations
Team Leadership
• Provides direct leadership to Lead Cooks and kitchen staff at the hub kitchen
• Supports Lead Cook development at the two additional locations through regular check-ins and site visits
• Leads onboarding for new kitchen hires and sets standards for the Dallas market
• Escalates performance or operational issues to the Operations Manager as needed
Day in the Life / Week in the Life Daily — During Shift Hours
• Present at the hub kitchen during service hours — managing production flow, team execution, and quality
• Handles real-time issues: call-outs, equipment problems, service timing, and school-level escalations
• Checks in with both additional Dallas locations to confirm service is running smoothly
Daily — End of Day Review
• Reviews the day through the ops dashboard and daily reports after service closes
• Sales vs. target: are all three Dallas locations hitting expected meal counts?
• Labor hours logged vs. budget: did the hub kitchen run over, and why?
• Waste reported by hub and additional locations: is it within acceptable range?
• Sends a brief end-of-day summary to the Operations Manager on any flagged items — labor overages, waste spikes, service misses, or school concerns
Weekly — Ongoing Rhythm
• Inventory review: confirms hub kitchen has submitted accurate counts and pars are set for the following week
• Schedule audit: reviews Dallas hub schedule for the coming week to confirm labor hours are within budget and all roles are covered
• Check-ins with both additional location Lead Cooks: brief call or structured Slack review to surface any issues and align on the week ahead
• Waste debrief: reviews weekly waste totals across all three Dallas schools, identifies trends, and holds Lead Cooks accountable
• Weekly update to Operations Manager covering labor %, waste, meal counts, and operational flags
What Success Looks Like
• The hub kitchen runs smoothly every service day — on time, on standard, no surprises
• Both additional Dallas locations are checked in with daily and any issues are surfaced
early
• Labor stays at or below budget across all Dallas locations, every week
• Waste is tracked, understood, and trending down — root causes identified and addressed
• All three Dallas schools receive food on time, at temperature, and to Yay quality standards
• Lead Cooks at additional locations are supported, accountable, and growing in the role What We’re Looking For
● 2–4 years of experience in kitchen or food production operations — you know how to run a shift, lead a team, and keep a kitchen on track
● Hands-on cook and leader — you're comfortable working the line alongside your team and setting the standard through your own work
● Experience with batch production, food safety, and inventory management — FIFO, portioning discipline, and waste reduction are second nature
● Strong people skills — you've held people accountable, coached newer cooks, and built trust with a team
● Organized and dependable — you manage multiple moving pieces daily and nothing gets dropped
● Comfortable on the road — this role involves regular driving between Dallas locations; reliable transportation and a valid driver's license required
● ServSafe certification or willingness to obtain within 30 days of hire
● Must be based in Dallas or within commuting distance
What We Offer
● $55,000 annual salary
● A high-growth, mission-driven company where your work directly impacts what kids eat
every day
● A leadership team that values accountability, transparency, and operators who take pride
in their craft
● Real career growth as we expand into new markets and build out our kitchen leadership
team
- Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.