Kitchen Manager

Yard Restaurant Group; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 360,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

YARD Restaurant Group in Cape Town is seeking a Kitchen Manager to oversee daily kitchen operations, ensure quality, hygiene and cost control, and lead a busy team across multiple brands. Based on-site, you will supervise cooks, coordinate prep and service, train staff, manage inventory and ordering, and collaborate with front-of-house leadership to maintain a guest-focused culture.

This role requires hands-on leadership, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to work flexible hours

Qualifications

• Proven experience in kitchen management or a senior chef role in a busy restaurant environment is required.
• Strong knowledge of food preparation techniques, menu execution and portion control.
• Experience with inventory management, ordering, stock rotation and basic cost control.
• You must be able to hand stretch pizzas professionally.
• Understanding of food safety standards, health and hygiene regulations, and maintaining a clean, compliant kitchen.
• Experience in leading and training teams, with effective communication across kitchen and floor staff.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily kitchen operations to ensure quality, efficiency and food safety.
• Supervise kitchen staff and coordinate food preparation and service.
• Maintain hygiene standards and health regulations, including equipment checks.
• Manage inventory, ordering, stock rotation and cost control.
• Train and schedule team members, support menu execution, and collaborate with front-of-house leadership.
• Foster a productive, respectful work environment aligned with Yard's guest-focused culture.

Skills

Kitchen leadership

Expeditor experience

Inventory management

Food cost control

Pizzas hand-stretch

Food safety

Team scheduling

Communication

Job description

Company Description

YARD Restaurant Group based in Cape Town, brings together distinctive, high-energy restaurant concepts known for bold food and vibrant spaces. Home to brands such as The Dog's Bollocks, Pizza Warehouse and Pavement Café, the group focuses on quality, creativity and memorable guest experiences. YARD is built as a social hub where people meet, ideas are shared and communities gather for casual lunches, after-work get-togethers and special celebrations. As a growing hospitality group, Yard emphasizes distinctive brands, meaningful partnerships and contributing to the culture and energy of Cape Town.

Role Description

The Kitchen Manager is a full-time, on-site role based in Cape Town, responsible for overseeing daily kitchen operations to ensure consistent quality, efficiency and food safety. This role includes supervising kitchen staff, coordinating food preparation and service, and maintaining high standards of hygiene and compliance with health regulations. The Kitchen Manager manages inventory, controls food costs, oversees ordering and stock rotation, and ensures equipment is maintained and functioning properly. Day-to-day responsibilities also involve training and scheduling team members, supporting menu execution, collaborating with front-of-house leadership, and helping create a productive, respectful work environment aligned with Yard's guest-focused culture.You need to be able prove you are one of the best expeditors in Cape Town.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in kitchen management or a senior chef role in a busy restaurant environment, with strong leadership, team coordination skills and expeditor experience.
• Solid knowledge of food preparation techniques, menu execution and portion control, with a commitment to quality and consistency.
• You must be able to hand stretch pizzas professionally.
• Understanding of food safety standards, health and hygiene regulations, and best practices for maintaining a clean, compliant kitchen.
• Experience with inventory management, ordering, stock rotation and basic cost control to support efficient operations.
• Strong organizational and time-management abilities, including scheduling, task prioritization and handling peak service periods.
• Effective communication skills for working collaboratively with kitchen and front-of-house teams and supporting a positive workplace culture.
• Ability to work on-site, including evenings, weekends and public holidays as required in a hospitality environment.
• Relevant culinary training or qualification is advantageous; prior experience within a multi-brand or high-volume restaurant group is a plus.