Restaurant General Manager

About SALT

SALT. is an upscale restaurant in Rockford, Illinois, offering seasonal, ingredient-driven cuisine, a curated wine and cocktail program, and attentive, polished service. The dining experience brings together thoughtful food preparation, careful course pacing, and warm hospitality that makes guests feel welcome and well cared for.

Our standards extend beyond what arrives at the table. We value preparation, product knowledge, teamwork, and attention to detail throughout the guest experience. The General Manager sets the example for how those standards are carried out each day.

SALT. is part of the Rock Oak Capital Partners portfolio and Rock Oak is conducting this search on behalf of SALT.

The Opportunity

SALT. is seeking a hands-on General Manager to lead daily restaurant operations, develop the team, and take responsibility for service quality and business performance. This is a visible leadership role with an active presence in the dining room and meaningful authority over staffing, scheduling, vendors, and operating decisions within agreed budgets and company policies.

The General Manager will work closely with ownership, the executive chef, and the bar and service teams to keep the restaurant running smoothly. The role combines floor leadership with the planning and administrative work behind a successful restaurant, including staff training, purchasing, cost control, marketing, and performance reporting.

SALT. has an existing foundation of service and training materials. The next General Manager will put those standards into consistent practice, continue developing practical tools for the team, and identify improvements that strengthen both the guest experience and profitability.

The Ideal Candidate

The strongest candidate is a restaurant leader who earns trust through sound judgment, clear communication, and a willingness to step in wherever needed. This person can welcome a guest, coach an employee, resolve a service issue, and make a staffing or purchasing decision while keeping the larger operation in view.

Upscale or fine dining experience is strongly preferred. We will also consider leaders from restaurant groups, hotels, country clubs, and other hospitality settings who can demonstrate the service standards, people leadership, and operating judgment needed for SALT. A current General Manager title is less important than the ability to take ownership and lead effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Restaurant Operations and Floor Leadership

• Own daily restaurant operations, including opening and closing readiness, shift coverage, dining room presentation, and coordination between the kitchen, bar, and service teams.
• Maintain a visible presence during service, anticipate problems, and step in to support the team and keep service moving smoothly.
• Partner with the executive chef on food quality, menu execution, course timing, and operational needs while maintaining clear responsibilities and accountability.

Guest Experience and Service Standards

• Lead consistent execution of SALT. service standards, from greeting and seating through beverage service, course pacing, payment, and farewell.
• Build guest relationships, resolve complaints promptly and professionally, and use feedback to improve service and encourage return visits.
• Ensure guest preferences, allergies, dietary restrictions, and special requests are clearly communicated and handled with care.

Team Leadership and Training

• Recruit, hire, onboard, schedule, coach, and evaluate employees; address performance concerns and make staffing decisions consistent with company policy.
• Use and improve training manuals, onboarding plans, preshift meetings, and ongoing menu and beverage education to build a knowledgeable, dependable team.
• Create a respectful working environment with clear expectations, fair accountability, and effective communication across the restaurant.

Financial Performance and Cost Control

• Work with ownership to establish financial and service goals; review sales, labor, food and beverage costs, and guest feedback to identify needed action.
• Align staffing and purchasing with anticipated demand, manage inventory, control waste, and select and manage vendors within agreed budgets.
• Maintain sound cash-handling, payment, and closing procedures, and provide accurate operating information to ownership and accounting support.

Sales Marketing and Community Relationships

• Develop practical marketing and guest-retention initiatives with ownership, including local outreach, social media, and restaurant promotions.
• Coordinate private dining and special events with the kitchen and service teams so that commitments, staffing, and execution are aligned.
• Build local relationships and coach staff on thoughtful menu and beverage recommendations that support guest satisfaction and sales.

Safety Facilities and Continuous Improvement

• Maintain food safety, sanitation, responsible alcohol service, and workplace safety standards, and oversee compliance with applicable requirements.
• Coordinate equipment maintenance, cleanliness, supplies, and incident response to keep the restaurant safe and ready for service.
• Keep ownership informed of performance and significant issues, recommend improvements, and follow through on agreed actions.

Required Experience and Capabilities

• Restaurant or comparable hospitality leadership experience, with demonstrated responsibility for staff supervision and daily service execution.
• Ability to recruit, train, schedule, coach, and hold employees accountable while building a collaborative team.
• Understanding of restaurant sales, labor planning, purchasing, inventory, and cost control.
• Strong guest-service judgment, including the ability to resolve complaints and remain composed during busy service.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize competing needs, and make sound decisions with appropriate communication to ownership.
• Comfort using restaurant point-of-sale, scheduling, and reporting tools, along with common office software.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and responsible alcohol service; ability to maintain applicable training and certifications.

Relevant and Preferred Background

• Upscale or fine dining experience is strongly preferred, including leadership in a restaurant, hotel, country club, or comparable setting.
• Experience with wine and beverage service, staff product education, private dining, and special events.
• Experience improving service standards, training materials, or operating processes; familiarity with Toast and Sling is helpful.

Why Join SALT

• Take meaningful ownership. Lead the daily operation and make decisions that directly influence the restaurant, its team, and its results.
• Work directly with ownership. Bring ideas forward, establish priorities together, and see the impact of improvements.
• Build on a service-focused foundation. Develop a team around thoughtful cuisine, strong product knowledge, and attentive hospitality.

Location and Work Environment

This full-time, on-site role is based at SALT., 6860 Spring Creek Road, Rockford, Illinois. Regular presence during service includes evenings, weekends, and holiday or special-event coverage as needed. The workweek also includes preparation, training, scheduling, and administration. A minimum of 40 hours of actual work per week is expected, with additional time as needed to fulfill the role.

The role involves extended periods standing and walking throughout the restaurant, hands-on support during service, and occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds, with reasonable accommodation as applicable.