Front of House Manager

Front of House Manager

Brushmill by the Waterfall is an upscale-casual New American restaurant on West Main Street in Chester, Connecticut, overlooking the falls. We're hiring a Front of House Manager to lead our dining room, bar, and service team alongside an award-winning kitchen and hospitality crew.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who loves the floor, sets the standard for guest experience, and wants a real schedule with real time off.

The Front of House Manager owns every guest-facing minute of service: the host stand, dining room, bar, and patio. You'll run shifts, build and coach the FOH team, protect our service standards, and work hand in hand with the Executive Chef and ownership on the guest experience and the numbers behind it.

• Reports to: Owner / Director of Operations
• Works closely with: Executive Chef, Sous Chefs
• Status: Full-time, salaried

What you'll do

Lead service

• Run the floor during service: pre-shift lineups, table touches, pacing, and real-time problem solving
• Manage reservations, waitlist, and table flow to maximize covers without rushing guests
• Resolve guest concerns on the spot and follow up on reviews and feedback
• Keep tight communication with the kitchen on timing, 86s, and special requests

Build the team

• Recruit, hire, onboard, and train servers, bartenders, hosts, and support staff
• Lead our 5-day server training program and certify new team members
• Coach daily, document performance, and hold the team to Brushmill standards

Run the business

• Manage FOH labor, comps, and voids against budget
• Oversee bar and wine inventory, ordering, and cost control with ownership
• Handle opening and closing procedures, cash-outs, tip reporting, and daily logs
• Support private events, weekly promotions, and Sunday brunch execution
• Maintain cleanliness, safety, health code, and responsible alcohol service compliance
• Contribute to menu, wine, and cocktail decisions and new service initiatives

What you bring

Required

• 2+ years as a FOH, restaurant, or bar manager in full-service dining (upscale casual or fine dining strongly preferred)
• Strong working knowledge of wine, spirits, and cocktails
• Experience with a POS and reservation system (Toast, OpenTable, Resy, or similar)
• Proven ability to hire, train, and lead a team through busy services
• Comfort with labor scheduling, basic P&L concepts, and cost control
• Availability for nights, weekends, and holidays
• Ability to stand for long shifts and lift up to 40 lbs

Preferred

• ServSafe Manager certification (or ability to obtain within 60 days)
• Responsible alcohol service certification (TIPS or equivalent)
• Private event and banquet experience
• Sommelier or WSET coursework

What we offer

• Competitive salary: [salary range], commensurate with experience
• Health insurance
• Paid vacation: 1 week every six months (2 weeks per year)
• Real time off: every Monday and Tuesday, plus a third day off every other week
• Shift meals and dining discount
• A place on an award-winning team in one of Connecticut's most scenic dining rooms
• Room to grow with a hands-on owner who invests in systems, training, and people

Required Skills

• Leadership
• Team Management
• Customer Service Excellence
• Problem Solving
• Communication Skills
• Training and Development
• Performance Management
• Budget Management