The role
The Kitchen Manager runs the back of house. You own the numbers, the schedule, and the standards: food cost, labor cost, inventory, sanitation, and the day-to-day performance of the kitchen team. You're on the line during peak service and in the office handling orders and scheduling when you're not. Success looks like a kitchen that runs consistently whether or not you're standing in it.
What you'll do
Operations
- Run BOH during service — expedite, jump on stations, and keep ticket times within target
- Maintain recipe and plating specs across every station; correct drift before it becomes normal
- Open and close the kitchen, including line checks, temp logs, and end-of-night walkthroughs
- Partner with FOH management on service flow, 86s, large parties, and events
Cost and inventory
- Hit food cost targets through portion control, waste tracking, and yield management
- Place orders with approved vendors; receive deliveries and verify quality, quantity, and pricing against invoices
- Run weekly and period-end inventory and reconcile against usage
- Build and manage the BOH schedule to labor targets while keeping the line properly staffed
- Flag cost variances and equipment issues to [Executive Chef / Director of Operations] with a proposed fix
People
- Recruit, interview, onboard, and train BOH staff
- Coach in the moment and hold regular check-ins; document performance issues and handle discipline with HR
- Build a bench — cross-train cooks and develop leads who can run a shift
- Set the tone: professional kitchen, no yelling, no cutting corners
Compliance and safety
- Maintain health department standards at all times and lead the venue through inspections
- Enforce HACCP practices, cooling and holding procedures, allergen protocols, and labeling
- Keep sanitation, cleaning, and equipment maintenance schedules current
- Ensure all BOH staff hold required food safety certifications
Menu
- Contribute to menu development, specials, and seasonal changes with the [Executive Chef]
- Cost out new items and build recipe cards before they hit the line
- Train the team on new items and verify execution
What we're looking for
- [3]+ years in a professional kitchen with at least [1–2] years in a supervisory or management role
- Track record managing food and labor cost to target — you can speak to specific numbers you moved
- Comfortable running a high-volume service and stepping onto any station when the line gets buried
- ServSafe Manager certification [required / or ability to obtain within 60 days]
- Working knowledge of [POS system], inventory software, and scheduling tools; solid with spreadsheets
- Strong communicator who can lead a diverse team and hold standards without burning people out
- Organized enough to handle ordering, scheduling, and admin without letting it slip
- [Conversational Spanish a plus]
Physical requirements
- Stand and walk for shifts of up to [10–12] hours
- Lift and carry up to [50] lbs
- Work in a kitchen environment with heat, steam, noise, and slippery floors
- Frequent bending, reaching, lifting, and repetitive hand motion