Kitchen Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Benefits:

• Opportunity for advancement
• Bonus based on performance
• Company parties
• Competitive salary
• Dental insurance
• Employee discounts
• Health insurance
• Training & development
• Vision insurance

Join the leadership team at Base Camp Bar & Grill, located slope-side in Snowmass Village.

We’re a high-volume, high-energy restaurant known for bold food, strong drinks, and a tight-knit team culture. We’re looking for an experienced Kitchen Manager who can lead from the floor, build a strong kitchen team, and keep operations organized and consistent through the extreme volume swings of a seasonal resort restaurant.

This is a hands-on leadership position. The right person is comfortable jumping onto the line when needed, but also understands that their larger responsibility is building the people, systems, and accountability that keep the kitchen running well every day.

Key Responsibilities
• Kitchen Leadership: Lead day-to-day back-of-house operations and maintain a professional, productive, team-focused kitchen environment. Set clear expectations and hold the team accountable to Base Camp standards.
• Hiring, Training & Development: Assist with recruiting and hiring kitchen employees. Train, coach, and develop BOH staff while addressing performance issues promptly and consistently.
• Scheduling & Labor Management: Build efficient kitchen schedules based on forecasted business levels and make adjustments as needed to balance service demands with labor goals.
• Inventory, Ordering & Food Cost: Manage food and kitchen supply ordering using established pars and order guides. Maintain accurate inventories and work with the BOH management team to control food cost, waste, overproduction, and purchasing.
• Quality & Execution: Maintain consistent food quality, portioning, preparation, and presentation. Conduct line checks, temperature logs, prep checks, and food quality assessments and correct issues before they affect service.
• Service Leadership: Maintain strong organization and communication during high-volume service. Help manage ticket times, expo flow, prep readiness, and line execution during peak periods.
• Systems & Organization: Implement and maintain BOH systems including prep lists, order guides, pars, opening and closing procedures, cleaning schedules, and daily kitchen walkthroughs.
• Health & Safety: Maintain a clean, organized kitchen and enforce food safety, sanitation, workplace safety, and health department standards.
• Communication & Problem Solving: Communicate openly with ownership, front-of-house management, and the BOH team. Identify operational issues early and bring solutions, not just problems, to regular management meetings.
• Menu Development: Collaborate with ownership and the kitchen team to maintain and evolve a cohesive, seasonal menu that reflects the Base Camp brand, operational capabilities, and guest preferences.

Qualifications
• Previous kitchen management, sous chef, or comparable leadership experience in a high-volume restaurant.
• Strong experience managing high-volume prep and à la carte service.
• Proven ability to lead, train, coach, and hold a kitchen team accountable.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to maintain systems even during extremely busy periods.
• Experience managing food cost, inventory, ordering, waste, labor, and scheduling.
• High standards for food quality, cleanliness, sanitation, and kitchen organization.
• Calm, patient, and direct leadership style with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Comfortable operating in a seasonal resort environment with significant fluctuations in business and extremely high-volume holiday periods.
• Familiarity with restaurant scheduling, inventory, and operational software.
• ServSafe or comparable food safety certification preferred.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, stand for extended periods, and perform the physical requirements of a working kitchen management position.
• Availability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and other shifts required by the business.

At Base Camp, we promote from within and give our managers meaningful ownership over their departments. This position is ideal for someone who wants more than a chef title. We’re looking for a leader who wants to build a strong kitchen, improve systems, develop people, and have a real voice in how the restaurant operates and grows.