Reports to: Operations Manager
Location: Dallas, TX
Type: Full-Time, Salaried
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.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- $50,000 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
