Reports to: Operations Manager

Location: Dallas, TX

Type: Full-Time, Salaried

Role Overview

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

• $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