Lead Cook: High-Impact School Kitchen Leader

The Yay Company; Trenton (AL); On-site; USD 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Accrued paid time off

Job summary

The Yay Company is seeking a Lead Cook who will drive the kitchen, lead the line, and ensure every meal for students is on spec and on time. You’ll manage hot and cold production, inventory, and team development, while representing Yay in school interactions.

This hands-on role requires a current Food Handler certification, strong knife skills, reliability, and experience in high-volume kitchens. Compensation is $23/hr with a 30-hour workweek, Monday through Friday.

Qualifications

• Current Food Handler certification is required; ServSafe is a plus.
• Experience in a high-volume kitchen such as school food service or catering.
• Strong knife skills and comfort with hot line and cold prep.
• Detail-oriented: follow recipes, label correctly, avoid cutting corners.
• Reliable, on time, and ready to work hard from the moment you walk in.

Responsibilities

• Hot Food Production: cook from recipe cards, portion correctly, verify temps, keep on schedule.
• Cold Batch Production: manage weekly batches, label with prep/use-by dates, FEFO across shelves.
• Kitchen Pars & Inventory: weekly inventory, order based on counts, verify invoices, log waste.
• Team Development: brief, assign, debrief, address performance; lead and train staff.
• Sales & School Happiness: act as face of Yay at school, gather feedback from students and staff.

Skills

Food handler certification

ServSafe

High-volume kitchen experience

Knife skills

Detail-oriented

Reliability / punctuality

Job description

The Yay Company is seeking a Lead Cook who will drive the kitchen, lead the line, and ensure every meal for students is on spec and on time. You’ll manage hot and cold production, inventory, and team development, while representing Yay in school interactions.

This hands-on role requires a current Food Handler certification, strong knife skills, reliability, and experience in high-volume kitchens. Compensation is $23/hr with a 30-hour workweek, Monday through Friday.