Kitchen Manager - Dallas

Job description

The Yay Company Kitchen Manager — Dallas Market 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 ● $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