Kitchen Manager- King of Prussia, PA

The Yay Company
Kitchen + Market Manager — Philadelphia Market
Reports to:
Director of Operations
Location:
Hub School, Philadelphia, PA
Type:
Full-Time, Salaried $60,000
Role Overview
The Kitchen + Market Manager is the on-the-ground operator for the Philadelphia market. This is a working kitchen leadership role — the Kitchen + Market Manager serves as Lead Cook at the hub school kitchen while also owning oversight of three additional schools in the Philadelphia market. This person is accountable for food quality, kitchen team performance, production execution, and market-wide operational standards across all four Philadelphia schools.
Market Scope
Hub School (Hub Kitchen) — Direct, Hands-On Management
Serves as Lead Cook, working the line daily and setting the standard through hands-on execution
Owns production planning and execution at the hub kitchen — cold batch runs, hot prep days, and daily service
Manages production scheduling, food quality, waste tracking, and inventory at the hub
Directly supervises hub kitchen staff and holds the team accountable to Yay standards
Three Additional Philadelphia Schools — Market Oversight
Serves as the primary Yay point of contact for school staff and leadership at each location
Oversees delivery, service quality, and day-to-day issue resolution across all three schools
Conducts regular check-ins (in-person and/or remote) to confirm service is on track and standards are being met
Supports Lead Cooks/onsite staff at each location through coaching and troubleshooting
Reviews waste, meal counts, and any flagged issues across all three schools
Core Responsibilities
Daily Kitchen & Market Operations
Runs the hub kitchen from prep through service as working Lead Cook — production schedule, food quality, and on-time execution
Manages call-out coverage and real-time kitchen decisions during service hours at the hub kitchen
Checks in daily with all three additional Philadelphia schools to confirm service status and address real-time issues
Serves as the point of contact for school partners across the market on day-of operational matters
Labor & Scheduling
Sets the hub kitchen schedule within labor budget provided by the Director of Operations
Approves schedule changes or additional shifts across the market
Tracks actual hours versus scheduled hours daily at the hub kitchen; identifies and corrects overages
Reports labor performance across the full Philadelphia market to the Director of Operations
Food Quality, Waste & Inventory
Monitors and reduces waste at the hub kitchen — holds team accountable for portioning, FIFO, and end-of-day tracking
Confirms hub kitchen inventory counts are accurate and pars are correctly set for the week ahead
Reviews waste and quality reports from the three additional schools and flags concerns to the Director of Operations
Upholds Yay food quality and safety standards across all four Philadelphia locations
Team Leadership & Development
Provides direct, hands-on leadership to the hub kitchen team as working Lead Cook
Supports Lead Cooks/staff at the three additional schools through regular check-ins and coaching
Leads onboarding for new kitchen hires and sets standards for the Philadelphia market
Escalates performance or operational issues to the Director of Operations as needed
What Success Looks Like
The hub kitchen runs smoothly every service day — on time, on standard, no surprises
All three additional Philadelphia schools are checked in with regularly and any issues are surfaced early
Labor stays at or below budget at the hub kitchen every week
Waste is tracked, understood, and trending down across the market
All four Philadelphia schools receive food on time, at temperature, and to Yay quality standards
Staff at additional locations are supported, accountable, and growing in their roles
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 — comfortable working the line daily while also managing operations across a broader market
Experience with batch production, food safety, and inventory management — FIFO, portioning discipline, and waste reduction are second nature
Strong people skills — has held people accountable, coached other cooks, and built trust with a team across multiple sites
Organized and dependable — manages multiple moving pieces daily across several locations and nothing gets dropped
Comfortable traveling between Philadelphia locations as needed; reliable transportation required
ServSafe certification or willingness to obtain within 30 days of hire
Must be based in Philadelphia or within commuting distance
What We Offer
Competitive annual salary (based on experience)
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 the Philadelphia market expands, with the role designed to grow alongside it
The Yay Company · Philadelphia Market · Internal — Confidential · 2026