Restaurant Manager

Hi,

My name is Foluso Salami- owner & founder of Dundu. This is not your usual job ad, it’s a letter to a restaurant professional who wants something more meaningful than just another restaurant management job.

Dùndú is an independent Fast Casual restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. We have already built something real: a strong product, a growing brand, loyal customers, we have established channels of business and operating systems that have allowed us to build consistency and deliver at a high standard.

It is clear there is something great here but, we are still an early stage company.

Before we go any further, I want to tell why you should NOT apply for this role- please take it to heart.

You should not apply if…

• You’re simply looking for your next restaurant management job —an established playbook to follow (a fully built operation to step into and run) and a narrow defined job description- this is not the right opportunity for you.
• You need sophisticated corporate infrastructure around you to succeed. We are building toward something larger, but we are still doing the work required to get there.
• You love the idea of building a company, but not the hard, messy work of actually building one. If you’d rather join after the company is large than help build it into one, this isn’t for you.
• You think your experience means you have all the answers. Strong opinions are highly encouraged and welcome. Arrogance isn't. We want confident people who remain open to continuous learning and can admit it when they are wrong.
• You’re smart, but deep down you hate feedback. We want people who can learn from others regardless of title and change their minds when needed.
• You can’t disagree respectfully. We debate ideas openly and passionately. Once a decision is made, our leaders get behind it—without resentment or hurt feelings.

Sincerely, this is where I hope you swipe away if you know any of the above are true.

Now Back to What We’re Building and Who We are Looking for…

The opportunity ahead of Dùndú is far greater than what we have built so far. Getting there will require real work—strengthening systems, solving problems, developing people, improving what works, and building what doesn’t yet exist. I’m looking for someone who finds that compelling.

Years of management experience alone won’t determine who is right for this role. Someone with ten years could be the wrong fit; someone much earlier in their career could be exceptional—and vice versa.

Experience matters. But mindset and a continuous drive to learn, improve, and do better matter more .

Who we're looking for

• You understand restaurant operations deeply but can step back and see the bigger picture. You spot what could work better, take ownership, and look for lasting solutions—not just today's fix.
• You think naturally in systems. You look for what’s causing problems and figure out a way to fix them, knowing that strong systems drive consistency, great food, great service, and scalable growth.
• You are exceptionally detail-oriented and have high standards of excellence. Please, if both don’t matter deeply to you, you’ll hate it here. You’ll find working with me frustrating because my attention to detail and pursuit of excellence are relentless. Some call it obsessive; I prefer relentless.
• You are disciplined, dependable and accountable. You follow through, use sound judgment, and can be trusted without being watched or chased.
• You are a confident, independent thinker without the ego. Challenge assumptions. Bring ideas. Make your case. But you’re humble enough to listen, learn, be led, and change your mind when needed.
• You are ambitious, see extraordinary possibility and want to help build it and be rewarded for it. Research Dùndú carefully. If you can't envision Dùndú becoming an NYSE-listed company in the next dozen years (or growing bigger than Chipotle), we’re not for you. I want people ambitious enough to help build toward that vision—and patient enough to do the detailed, unglamorous work required to get there. 
• You have a NYC Food Handler’s License .

Why Join Dùndú Now?

You’re not joining an idea or hoping somebody wants what we’re selling. Dùndú is an established brand with a product our guests and catering clients love, strong service, and proven, repeatable systems. We’ve demonstrated that the fundamentals work.

• You won’t be one of thousands executing decisions made several layers above you. Your contribution can be visible, consequential, and felt .
• Strong, competitive pay that reflects your experience, capabilities, and contribution.
• As the business grows, exceptional performance will lead to greater responsibility, greater leadership opportunities, and greater financial reward.
• You’ll have a front-row seat to building a company— not just operating inside one.
• Your ideas and judgment can directly shape what we build and how we build it.
• The people who grow with Dùndú and help create meaningful long-term value will have the opportunity to benefit from the value they help create.

For the wrong person, this probably sounds exhausting. But for the person we’re looking for, that is precisely what makes this opportunity compelling.

If you’ve made it this far reading my letter, understand all the reasons not to apply , and you’re still energized by the idea of joining us to build Dùndú—and genuinely believe you’d be a great fit—I’d like to meet you. Please apply.

I hope to meet you,
FS