Assistant General Manager | Sake a Gogo | NuLu

BELLE NOBLE ENTERTAINMENT LLC; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage (100% company-paid)

Dental coverage (100% company-paid)

Vision coverage (100% company-paid)

Paid time off – 2 weeks

Parental leave – 1 week

401(k) eligibility with company match

Life insurance - $100,000

Laptop provided

Birthday day off

Work-anniversary gift

Supplemental insurance options

Job summary

Sake a Gogo, part of Belle Noble Group, in Louisville, Kentucky, seeks an experienced Assistant General Manager to lead day-to-day operations on the floor and drive exceptional hospitality.

The role requires a strong background in fine dining leadership, Japanese cuisine/service knowledge, and the ability to coach and develop staff while maintaining polished service standards.

Qualifications

• Upscale/fine-dining leadership experience required.
• Professional experience with Japanese cuisine and restaurant service required.
• Strong understanding of elevated service standards and guest-facing hospitality.
• Ability to lead, coach, train, and hold employees accountable.
• Strong operational instincts and ability to resolve issues during service.
• Strong communication, organization, and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of wine, spirits, cocktails, and beverage service required.
• Knowledge of sake and Japanese spirits strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day restaurant operations and maintain a strong management presence on the floor during service.
• Ensure consistent execution of service standards, policies, and procedures.
• Coach, train, develop, and hold employees accountable through ongoing feedback and corrective action.
• Deliver an elevated guest experience, resolve service issues, and build strong guest relationships.
• Partner with culinary leadership to ensure strong communication between front and back of house.
• Monitor guest feedback, online reviews, service scores, and reputation trends for improvements.
• Maintain high standards for cleanliness, organization, and operational readiness.
• Support scheduling, labor management, beverage execution, private events, and other operational needs.

Skills

Leadership

Guest service

Communication

Staff development

Operations management

Beverage knowledge

Sake knowledge

Night/weekend hours

Tools

POS systems

Job description

Assistant General Manager

Sake a Gogo | Louisville, Kentucky
Belle Noble Group

Sake a Gogo is seeking an experienced Assistant General Manager to join our leadership team and help lead the day-to-day operations of our upscale Japanese restaurant.

This is a hands-on restaurant operations position for a leader who understands elevated hospitality, polished service, and the attention to detail required in a refined dining environment. The Assistant General Manager will spend the majority of their time on the floor, actively leading service, developing the team, interacting with guests, and ensuring Sake A Go Go consistently delivers the experience our brand promises.

The ideal candidate will bring previous leadership experience in fine dining or elevated upscale restaurants, along with meaningful experience with Japanese cuisine and service. Familiarity with the standards, products, terminology, and hospitality associated with Japanese dining is important to success in this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day restaurant operations and maintain a strong management presence on the floor during service.
• Ensure consistent execution of Sake A Go Go and Belle Noble Group service standards, policies, and procedures.
• Coach, train, develop, and hold employees accountable through ongoing feedback and corrective action when needed.
• Deliver an elevated guest experience, resolve service issues, and build strong guest relationships.
• Partner closely with culinary leadership to ensure strong communication and execution between front and back of house.
• Monitor guest feedback, online reviews, service scores, and reputation trends and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Maintain high standards for cleanliness, organization, restaurant appearance, and operational readiness.
• Support scheduling, labor management, beverage execution, private events, and other operational needs.

Experience & Qualifications

• Previous restaurant management experience in an upscale or fine-dining environment required.
• Previous professional experience with Japanese cuisine and Japanese restaurant service required.
• Strong understanding of elevated service standards and guest-facing hospitality.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, train, and hold employees accountable.
• Strong operational instincts and the ability to identify and resolve issues during service.
• Strong communication, organization, and interpersonal skills.
• Working knowledge of wine, spirits, cocktails, and beverage service required.
• Knowledge of sake and Japanese spirits strongly preferred, with deeper expertise in sake, shochu, Japanese whisky, and related categories highly valued.
• Ability and willingness to work nights, weekends, holidays, special events, and other hours required by restaurant operations.

Schedule

Sake a Gogo is currently open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner service and closed Sunday and Monday.

As the restaurant and brand continue to develop, operating days and hours may expand. Management availability must remain flexible based on the needs of the business.

Benefits

Tier 2 Leadership Benefits include:

• 100% company-paid single medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Two weeks PTO to start, increasing annually up to four weeks
• One additional week of paid parental leave
• 401(k) eligibility after one year with up to 4% company match
• $100,000 life insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Company-issued laptop
• Paid birthday day off
• $250 annual work-anniversary gift
• Optional supplemental insurance coverage

Benefits are subject to the terms and eligibility requirements of the Company’s current plans.

About Sake a Gogo

Sake a Gogo is part of Belle Noble Group, an independent Louisville restaurant group committed to distinctive concepts, exceptional hospitality, strong restaurant operations, and memorable guest experiences.

We are looking for a leader who appreciates Japanese food and beverage culture, understands sophisticated hospitality, and enjoys being on the floor, in the operation, and actively developing both the restaurant and its people.