Lead Cook

The Yay Company•Easton, PA

36d•Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Cook is the engine of the Yay kitchen. You’re the first one in and the person the team looks to when production gets moving. This is a hands-on cooking role — you’re at the line, in the prep, making sure every meal that goes to students is on spec and on time. You also help keep the kitchen organized and set the standard for how the team works. This is the right role if you love to cook, take pride in consistency, and want to be trusted to run the kitchen when it matters.

Requirements

Current Food Handler certification (required)
Experience in a high-volume kitchen (school food service, catering, or similar)
Strong knife skills
Comfort with both hot line and cold prep
Detail-oriented (follow recipes, label correctly, do not cut corners)
Reliable, on time, and ready to work hard

Nice To Haves

ServSafe certification

Responsibilities

Cook from recipe cards and portion correctly every time for hot food production.
Spot check portions, verify temperatures, and keep production on schedule.
Ensure cold batch items (fruit cups, veggie packs, snack packs, wraps, salads, etc.) are completed on time, portioned correctly, labeled immediately with prep date and use-by date, and stored at 41°F or below.
Enforce FEFO (First-Expired, First-Out) for all cold items.
Conduct full inventory counts weekly and order based on counts and the batch schedule.
Receive deliveries personally, verify against the invoice, and flag any issues.
Log all waste daily and review patterns weekly.
Brief kitchen and service assistants at the start of every shift with clear assignments.
Ensure everyone knows their role in the cold production process on batch day.
Debrief the team at least twice a week.
Address performance issues directly and document them in real time.
Communicate proactively with school administration regarding menu changes and service updates.
Collect feedback from students and staff and pass it up.
Complete food safety logs daily, including temperatures at opening, during cooking, during holding, and at close.
Keep station and shared kitchen spaces clean and organized.
Log waste accurately and flag anything that seems off.
Help receive deliveries and verify product against invoices when needed.
Set the pace and the standard for the kitchen team during your shift.
Support and lead team members, showing them the right way to do things and leading on where support is needed.