General Manager - New Steakhouse Opening

Food Management Search; Southport (CT); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Food Management Search, Inc. is seeking a General Manager for a new steakhouse opening in the Connecticut market. The right candidate will lead a high-volume, full-service operation, creating an exceptional guest experience and a strong, service-driven culture.

You will partner with ownership and a leadership team to establish operating systems, staffing, training, and standards from day one, while driving profitability and guest satisfaction in a competitive local scene.

Qualifications

• Proven GM or senior restaurant leadership in high-volume, full-service setting.
• Experience with steakhouse or elevated dining concepts preferred.
• Strong leadership, financial acumen, and hospitality mindset.

Responsibilities

• Lead all day-to-day operations of the restaurant, maintaining high standards across service, hospitality and operations.
• Partner with ownership and leadership to execute a successful opening and establish the restaurant as a destination in the market.
• Recruit, train, develop, and retain a high-performing front- and back-of-house team.
• Create a culture centered around hospitality, accountability, teamwork, and professionalism.
• Drive sales through exceptional guest experiences, strong local relationships, and a vibrant bar and dining-room atmosphere.
• Manage labor, food and beverage costs, inventory, purchasing, and other key financial controls.
• Analyze financial performance and identify opportunities to improve profitability without compromising the guest experience.
• Ensure consistent execution of service standards, food quality, cleanliness, and overall restaurant presentation.
• Build strong relationships with guests and develop a loyal regular clientele.
• Work collaboratively with the culinary team to ensure seamless front- and back-of-house operations.
• Lead by example and remain highly visible and engaged on the floor.

Skills

Leadership

P&L management

Staff development

Guest experience

Operations management

Tools

POS systems

Job description

General Manager — New Steakhouse Opening

About the Restaurant

An exciting new steakhouse is preparing to open its doors, bringing together the energy of a great neighborhood restaurant with the polish and hospitality of an elevated steakhouse. The concept will feature a classic, tablecloth-service dining room, a dynamic bar scene, and a menu centered around exceptional steaks, seafood, and hospitality.

Backed by an experienced ownership group with multiple successful restaurant concepts, this is an opportunity to join the team from the ground floor and play a significant role in establishing the restaurant's culture, standards, and reputation.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced, hands-onGeneral Managerwho understands how to operate a high-volume restaurant while creating a genuine, welcoming guest experience. The ideal candidate is a proven operator who knows how to lead a team, drive sales and profitability, maintain high service standards, and build a strong culture.

This person will work closely with ownership and the leadership team through the opening process and beyond, helping establish operating systems, service standards, staffing, training, and the overall guest experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead all day-to-day operations of the restaurant, maintaining consistently high standards across service, hospitality, and operations.

• Partner with ownership and the leadership team to execute a successful opening and establish the restaurant as a destination within the market.

• Recruit, train, develop, and retain a high-performing front- and back-of-house team.

• Create a culture centered around hospitality, accountability, teamwork, and professionalism.

• Drive sales through exceptional guest experiences, strong local relationships, and a vibrant bar and dining-room atmosphere.

• Manage labor, food and beverage costs, inventory, purchasing, and other key financial controls.

• Analyze financial performance and identify opportunities to improve profitability without compromising the guest experience.

• Ensure consistent execution of service standards, food quality, cleanliness, and overall restaurant presentation.

• Build strong relationships with guests and develop a loyal regular clientele.

• Work collaboratively with the culinary team to ensure seamless front- and back-of-house operations.

• Lead by example and remain highly visible and engaged on the floor.

Ideal Candidate

• Proven General Manager or senior restaurant leadership experience in ahigh-volume, full-service restaurant.

• Experience with steakhouse, upscale casual, polished casual, or other elevated dining concepts strongly preferred.

• A true operator with demonstrated success managing both the guest experience and financial performance of a restaurant.

• Strong understanding of labor management, cost controls, P&L performance, and restaurant-level profitability.

• Exceptional leadership and communication skills with the ability to build and retain strong teams.

• Comfortable in a restaurant where the bar is an important component of the business.

• Hospitality-driven, energetic, polished, and highly present on the floor.

• Experience with restaurant openings is a significant plus.

• A track record of progressive responsibility and success with established restaurant groups is preferred.

Why This Opportunity

This is an opportunity to join a well-capitalized and experienced ownership groupbefore openingand have a meaningful voice in building the operation from the ground up. The right General Manager will have the support of a team that has successfully developed and operated multiple concepts, while having significant ownership and autonomy in shaping this new restaurant.

Competitive compensation and benefits commensurate with experience, with significant opportunity for growth as the group continues to expand.