Description
Job Title: Restaurant Supervisor
Reports To: General Manager
Department: Operations – Front of House
Employment Type: Hourly, Non-Exempt
Position Summary
The Restaurant Supervisor is a hands-on front-of-house leader responsible for ensuring the restaurant is fully prepared, properly staffed, clean, organized, and operationally ready before doors open and throughout service. This position serves as a key link between the hourly team and management.
The Restaurant Supervisor leads by example and is expected to demonstrate exceptional hospitality, urgency, attention to detail, product knowledge, and sound judgment. The Supervisor supports food and beverage leadership by identifying operational needs early, communicating issues promptly, maintaining service standards, and ensuring all opening, running, and closing responsibilities are completed accurately and on time.
Key Responsibilities
Opening & Pre-Service Readiness
- Complete a thorough preliminary walk-through of all Front of House (FOH) areas before the restaurant doors open. The preliminary walk-through must be completed before opening and is part of the required opening procedure. The MOD will complete the final management walk-through.
- Inspect the dining room, bar, host area, service stations, restrooms, guest-facing corridors, and all other FOH areas to confirm they are clean, organized, properly stocked, and ready for service.
- Ensure all FOH areas are clean, orderly, and Department of Health (DOH) inspection-ready before opening.
- Notify the Opening Manager of any deficiencies identified during the preliminary walk-through and communicate any-and-all needs requiring management attention.
- Confirm all scheduled staff arrive on time and are present and ready for service.
- Immediately communicate late arrivals, call-outs, staffing gaps, or other attendance concerns to Management.
- Communicate with the Receiving Team to ensure beverage requisitions and other required opening deliveries arrive with sufficient time for the restaurant to be fully prepared before doors open.
- Ensure all lighting and music is operating at the appropriate levels for the restaurant and service period.
- Unlock the restaurant doors at the appropriate time and ensure the entrance is guest-ready.
- Check that silverware, glassware, plates, and other serviceware are properly polished, clean, and ready for service.
- Confirm that all service stations are fully stocked and organized according to restaurant standards.
- Confirm the opening cash bank is counted and placed securely at the bar in accordance with cash-handling procedures.
- Verify that all POS terminals are powered on, functioning properly, and ready for service.
- Immediately communicate any POS issue to the MOD; do not allow unresolved POS issues to remain unreported.
- Check with the kitchen prior to opening for any 86'd items, unavailable menu items, product shortages, or other changes that may affect service.
- Ensure all relevant 86'd items and menu changes are communicated to the Opening Manager and FOH team before doors open.
- Review any unfinished tasks, maintenance concerns, shortages, or operational issues from the previous night and promptly notify the manager of anything that remains incomplete.
Guest Experience & Service
- Act as an agent of hospitality and seek every opportunity to create a positive, memorable, and professional guest experience.
- Guide guests through the menu by demonstrating a deep and accurate knowledge of food, wine, cocktails, spirits, service standards, and common allergens.
- Maintain awareness of dining room flow, guest comfort, service timing, and overall atmosphere throughout the shift.
- Promptly inform the manager of any service issue, guest complaint, VIP concern, allergy concern, safety issue, or other guest-related challenge that requires management involvement.
- Use sound judgment and appropriate urgency when responding to guest needs while maintaining composure and professionalism.
Team Leadership & Communication
- Lead by example and consistently model the restaurant's service standards, hospitality philosophy, work ethic, and professional expectations.
- Assist in training new hires by demonstrating proper service procedures, restaurant standards, product knowledge, POS procedures, and guest interaction expectations.
- Conduct and support ongoing staff education related to food, wine, cocktails, service standards, allergens, menu changes, and operational procedures.
- Support effective communication between the Front of House and Back of House teams to ensure service runs smoothly and efficiently.
- Immediately elevate operational concerns that may impact guest experience, safety, staffing, service execution, or revenue.
- Maintain a positive, team-oriented attitude and contribute to a respectful and professional working environment.
- Demonstrate a sense of urgency, attention to detail, accountability, and strong follow-through.
Side Work, Cleanliness & Operational Standards
- Verify that assigned side work is completed accurately, completely, and within the required timeframe.
- Ensure service stations remain stocked, organized, and free of unnecessary clutter throughout the shift.
- Monitor cleanliness standards continuously rather than waiting until the end of service to address deficiencies.
- Ensure all FOH equipment and guest-facing areas are maintained in working order and promptly report maintenance concerns to management.
- Maintain awareness of sanitation requirements and ensure FOH practices remain consistent with applicable DOH standards and restaurant procedures.
Service Execution & MOD Support
- Support management in executing a smooth and successful service period.
- Communicate all-and-any operational needs to the appropriate manager in a timely manner.
- Monitor staffing, service flow, guest experience, product availability, and operational readiness throughout the shift.
- Assist management with identifying and resolving service bottlenecks before they negatively impact guests.
- Ensure staff remain engaged, professional, and attentive to guests throughout service.
- Support management in maintaining restaurant and bar standards during periods of high volume, including the ability to prioritize multiple operational needs while remaining composed.
- Complete a thorough handoff to the manager at the conclusion of the shift, including outstanding tasks, guest concerns, operational issues, product shortages, equipment concerns, and any other information requiring follow-up.
Standards of Performance
- Arrives on time, in proper uniform and ready to lead the team before the scheduled start of the shift.
- Maintains a visible and engaged presence on the restaurant floor.
- Communicates proactively rather than waiting for issues to escalate.
- Demonstrates strong product knowledge and the ability to confidently explain menu items and beverage offerings.
- Maintains composure and professionalism during high-volume and high-pressure service periods.
- Demonstrates strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
- Consistently follows restaurant policies, procedures, opening standards, cash-handling standards, and sanitation requirements.
- Takes ownership of assigned responsibilities and follows through to completion.
- Protects the guest experience while supporting operational efficiency and team accountability.
Skills & Conditions
- 2–3 years of applicable restaurant or hospitality experience; supervisory experience preferred.
- Strong knowledge of food, wine, cocktails, spirits, service standards, and common food allergens.
- Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with guests, supervisors, managers, kitchen personnel, and other employees.
- Ability to take direction while also demonstrating initiative and sound independent judgment.
- Must be organized, self-motivated, detail-oriented, and capable of prioritizing multiple tasks.
- Ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure in a fast-paced restaurant environment.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to identify operational issues before they affect the guest experience.
- Ability to operate and troubleshoot basic restaurant technology, including POS terminals and music systems, and promptly elevate issues when necessary.
- Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods and maintain well-paced mobility throughout the shift.
- Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, listening, hearing, and visual acuity.
- Talking and hearing occur continuously in communicating with guests, supervisors, managers, and other employees.
- Requires manual dexterity to use and operate all necessary restaurant equipment.
In Return, We Offer You
- Competitive compensation
- Comprehensive health & wellness benefits
- Retirement savings plans
- Employee dining discounts
- Growth in a values-driven, award-winning hospitality group
Equal Opportunity Employer
José Andrés Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in the federal E-Verify Program.
Requirements
Required Qualifications
- 1+ year of restaurant supervision experience and 1+ year in fast casual or full-service restaurants.
- Ability to lead a team during high-volume periods; strong communication skills.
- Knowledge of service standards, sanitation/health codes, and responsible alcohol service.
- Proven ability to coach, train, and evaluate team members fairly.
- Basic P&L literacy regarding labor, cash handling, and inventory.
- Ability to use POS systems, scheduling tools, and Google Workspace.
- Availability on nights, weekends, and holidays.