General Manager

La Nouvelle Garde; Greater London; On-site; GBP 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

50% discount across all Nouvelle Garde

Staff meal on every shift

Hospitality Rewards platform

Career progression opportunities

Job summary

La Nouvelle Garde in London is seeking an experienced General Manager to take full ownership of restaurant operations, lead the team, and drive commercial performance. You will work closely with Heads of Department and London partners to deliver outstanding standards as the brand grows in the UK.

You will build a high-performing team, own the P&L, and execute strategies to grow sales while controlling costs.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years running high-volume restaurants in London.
• Strong leadership to build and develop management teams.
• Full P&L ownership with ability to drive sales and manage costs.
• Deep understanding of UK restaurant operations including safety and licensing.
• Must hold a personal alcohol licence.
• Excellent hospitality standards and guest experience focus.
• Confident, organized, and able to make autonomous decisions.
• Experience with openings or growing hospitality businesses is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead restaurant operations and own day-to-day management.
• Develop a high-performing team and set department goals.
• Drive sales growth while protecting profitability.
• Ensure safety, health, and licensing compliance.
• Build relationships with France HQ and UK partners.
• Deliver exceptional guest experience and manage guest feedback.
• Create scalable systems and processes for a growing business.

Skills

General Management

Leadership

P&L Management

Commercial Mindset

UK Restaurant Ops

Autonomy

Builder Mindset

Team Development

Job description

Our story

Back in 2019 in Paris, two friends, Charles and Victor, opened a brasserie together - the kind of place Parisians disappear into for a 3-hour lunch.

Our story

Back in 2019 in Paris, two friends, Charles and Victor, opened a brasserie together - the kind of place Parisians disappear into for a 3-hour lunch. They called it La Nouvelle Garde: a promise to eat and drink the French way, done properly, 100% homemade, cooked from scratch from the highest quality seasonal ingredients. They served classic French dishes prepared with care, generosity and excellence in beautiful, relaxed spaces full of energy. Guests loved it! So they opened another one, and then another one. And 9 brasseries later, it was finally time to bring it to London. In July 2026, in Sloane Square, Brasserie Olivia was born. This is just the beginning of our London story, and we'd love you to help write the next chapter.

The role

As we prepare for our second London opening in Spring 2027, we’re looking for an experienced General Manager to join the team. As General Manager, you’ll take full ownership of the restaurant operation, leading the team while working closely with your Heads of Department. You’ll be responsible for the commercial performance of the restaurant, from driving sales and growing the business to managing costs and delivering a healthy P&L. You’ll have the autonomy to run the restaurant, build a high-performing team and create the structure needed to deliver exceptional standards as we continue to grow in the UK. You’ll also be a key link between our London operation and the wider Nouvelle Garde team in France, representing the business and building strong relationships with our partners and suppliers in the UK.

What Success Looks Like

• You’ll build a strong leadership team, setting clear expectations, leading by example, and developing your Heads of Department to take ownership of their areas.
• You’ll take full ownership of the restaurant’s P&L, understanding what drives performance and making commercially smart decisions that grow sales and protect profitability.
• You’ll actively identify opportunities to grow the business and establish the restaurant within the London market.
• You’ll deliver an exceptional guest experience, ensuring consistently strong service while using guest feedback and reviews to continuously improve.
• You’ll ensure the restaurant operates safely and compliantly, maintaining excellent standards across food safety, health & safety, licensing and all relevant UK requirements.
• You’ll create a culture of high standards, accountability and great communication, leading from the front.
• You’ll help build the systems, rituals and ways of working we need as a growing business, bringing ideas and turning them into practical solutions.
• You’ll build strong relationships with the Nouvelle Garde team in France, as well as our UK suppliers and partners.

What You’ll Bring

• You’re an experienced General Manager with a minimum of 5 years running high-volume restaurants in London.
• You’re an experienced leader who knows how to build strong management teams, set clear expectations, give feedback and develop people.
• You have full P&L experience and a strong commercial mindset, with a clear understanding of how to drive sales, manage costs and build a profitable restaurant.
• You have an excellent understanding of UK restaurant operations, including food safety, health & safety, licensing and compliance. You are a personal alcohol licence holder.
• You understand what exceptional hospitality looks like and know how to translate high standards into a consistently great guest experience.
• You’re confident, organised and comfortable working autonomously, making decisions and taking responsibility in a complex, fast-moving operation.
• You have a builder mindset: you’re curious, proactive and excited by the challenge of joining a growing business where not everything has been built yet.
• Experience with new restaurant openings or growing hospitality businesses would be a plus.

What We Offer

• Annual salary from £70,000 (including Tronc)
• 48-hour contract, 5 working days and 2 days off.
• 50% discount across all Nouvelle Garde restaurants.
• A freshly prepared staff meal on every shift.
• Employee benefits platform (Hospitality Rewards)
• The opportunity to join a growing company at the beginning of its journey and make a genuine impact from day one.
• The chance to help shape a high-performing team and culture from the early stages.
• Real opportunities for career progression as the business grows, with future restaurant openings already planned.
• A supportive management team that values high standards, teamwork and continuous development.

La Nouvelle Garde is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

Please note you must have a right to work in the UK.