Kitchen Manager - Philadelphia

Yay Lunch; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

The Yay Company in Philadelphia is seeking a Kitchen Manager to oversee day-to-day kitchen production, ensuring meals for school partners are delivered on time and to standard. You will lead the team on the line, manage inventory, labor, and training, and report to the Operations Manager.

Must be based in Philadelphia and have a reliable vehicle. The role is full-time with hourly compensation of $23, offering growth as we expand into new markets and improve kitchen operations in a mission-driven

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of kitchen or food production experience.
• Hands-on cook and leader who can run a shift.
• Experience with cold and hot batch production and inventory management.

Responsibilities

• Runs the kitchen from prep through production and dispatch — schedule, quality, and on-time execution
• Leads cold batch and hot production runs, setting pace and output standards
• Manages inventory and pars, tracking waste, using FIFO and portioning discipline
• Sets and manages kitchen schedule within labor budget; tracks hours
• Directly supervises kitchen staff — hires, onboards, coaches Lead Cooks and team
• Handles real-time issues during production
• Reports daily/weekly on labor, waste, and meal counts to the Operations Manager

Skills

Kitchen leadership

Food safety

Inventory management

Team supervision

Time management

Education

ServSafe certification

Job description

The Yay Company

Kitchen Manager — Philadelphia, PA

Reports to: Operations Manager
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Type: Full-Time, Hourly $23

Role Overview

The Kitchen Manager runs day-to-day production in the kitchen, supplying cold and hot meals to a number of school partners across the Philadelphia area market. This is a hands-on, working kitchen leadership role — you're on the line with the team, not just supervising from the sidelines.

Core Responsibilities

• Runs the kitchen from prep through production and dispatch — schedule, food quality, and on-time execution
• Leads both cold batch and hot production runs alongside the kitchen team, setting the pace and standard for output
• Manages inventory and pars, keeping waste tracked and trending down through FIFO and portioning discipline
• Sets and manages the kitchen schedule within labor budget; tracks actual vs. scheduled hours
• Directly supervises kitchen staff — hires, onboards, and coaches Lead Cooks and team members
• Handles real-time issues during production: call-outs, equipment problems, timing
• Reports daily and weekly on labor, waste, and meal counts to the Operations Manager

What Success Looks Like

• The commissary runs smoothly every production day — on time, on standard, no surprises
• Labor stays at or below budget every week
• Waste is tracked and trending down
• All schools served receive food on time, at temperature, and to Yay quality standards

What We're Looking For

• 2–4 years of kitchen or food production experience — you know how to run a shift and lead a team
• Hands‑on cook and leader, comfortable working the line
• Experience with cold and hot batch production, food safety, and inventory management
• Strong people skills and a track record of holding a team accountable
• ServSafe certification or willingness to obtain within 30 days of hire
• Must be based in Philadelphia or within commuting distance
• Must have reliable and insured personal vehicle

What We Offer

• $23/hour
• A high‑growth, mission‑driven company where your work directly impacts what kids eat every day
• Real career growth as we expand into new markets

The Yay Company · Philadelphia, PA Market · Internal — Confidential · 2026