Dallas Prep Kitchen Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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