The Yay Company
Kitchen Manager — Chantilly, VA (DC-Area Commissary)
Reports to: Operations ManagerLocation: Chantilly, VAType: Full-Time, Salaried
Role Overview
The Kitchen Manager runs day-to-day production at the Chantilly commissary kitchen, supplying cold and hot meals to a number of school partners across the DC-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 Chantilly or within commuting distance
What We Offer
- $60,000 annual salary
- 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 · Chantilly, VA Market · Internal — Confidential · 2026