Fine Dining General Manager JN -102026-182811

Goodwin Recruiting; New York (NY); On-site; USD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Goodwin Recruiting seeks an exceptional General Manager to lead an intimate, chef-driven fine dining restaurant in New York City. This role demands a hospitality leader who will shape culture, guest experiences, and long-term success.

You will drive front-of-house leadership, develop a talented team, implement efficient systems, and partner with ownership and the culinary team to elevate operations and financial performance.

Qualifications

• Upscale or fine dining leadership experience.
• Ability to lead and develop high-performing teams.
• Experience implementing operational systems.
• Strong financial acumen with P&L and cost controls.
• Experience growing private dining or events programs.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with opportunity spotting.
• Strong guest relations and community partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Lead front-of-house operations while maintaining exceptional service standards and guest satisfaction.
• Develop, mentor, and inspire a hospitality-focused team.
• Build operational systems and processes that improve efficiency, consistency, and accountability.
• Oversee staffing, scheduling, labor management, inventory, financial performance, and daily restaurant operations.
• Partner with ownership and the culinary team to ensure seamless execution across all areas of the business.
• Take ownership of the restaurant's financial performance, identifying opportunities to increase revenue while controlling costs.

Skills

GM experience

Leadership

Operations

P&L

Staff development

Events growth

Job description

We are seeking an exceptional General Manager to lead an intimate, chef-driven fine dining restaurant in New York City. This is an opportunity for a hospitality leader who wants to make a lasting impact—not simply oversee daily operations. Our restaurant has built a strong reputation for exceptional food, genuine hospitality, and memorable guest experiences. In addition to our dining room, we offer a private event space, creating significant opportunity to expand our events business through creative programming and community engagement.

What You'll Do

• Lead all front-of-house operations while maintaining exceptional service standards and guest satisfaction.
• Develop, mentor, and inspire a hospitality-focused team, creating a culture where employees feel supported, challenged, and excited to come to work.
• Build operational systems and processes that improve efficiency, consistency, and accountability.
• Oversee staffing, scheduling, labor management, inventory, financial performance, and daily restaurant operations.
• Partner closely with ownership and the culinary team to ensure seamless execution across all areas of the business.
• Take ownership of the restaurant's financial performance, identifying opportunities to increase revenue while controlling costs.

Events & Business Development

This role extends beyond restaurant operations. We are looking for someone who understands how to turn a beautiful restaurant into a destination.

Responsibilities

You will be responsible for growing our private events business while creating programming that keeps guests engaged throughout the year. Examples include:

• Wine dinners
• Chef tasting experiences
• Guest chef collaborations
• Cocktail and spirits events
• Brand partnerships
• Influencer and media dinners
• Seasonal activations
• Community events and special programming

What We're Looking For

• Previous General Manager or senior restaurant leadership experience in upscale or fine dining.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and retain high-performing teams.
• Experience implementing operational systems and improving restaurant efficiency.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing P&L, labor, and operating costs.
• Experience growing private dining, events, or hospitality programming.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to identify business opportunities and execute new ideas.
• Strong relationship builder with guests, staff, vendors, and community partners.
• Organized, hands-on leader who is equally comfortable on the dining room floor and reviewing financial performance.

If you're looking for an opportunity to build something, earn the trust of ownership, and play a key role in the next chapter of a growing hospitality company, we'd love to hear from you.

$100,000 - $125,000,