Kitchen Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Position Description: POSITION SUMMARYJason Dady Restaurant Group is seeking a strong, hands-on Kitchen Manager to lead the Tex-Mex kitchen.This role is about more than running shifts. The Kitchen Manager is responsible for building a strong team, protecting food quality, creating a positive and accountable kitchen culture, managing costs, and leading the restaurant through high-volume service with confidence and control. We are looking for a leader who understands that great kitchens are built on preparation, consistency, communication, urgency, and respect.The right Kitchen Manager can push a team to perform at a high level without creating unnecessary chaos. They remain calm under pressure, lead from the front, coach constantly, solve problems quickly, and create an environment where employees want to work, improve, and grow.RESPONSIBILITIES:BUILD THE TEAMThe Kitchen Manager is responsible for creating and developing a high-performing kitchen team.This includes:•\tRecruit, hire, train, coach, and retain strong BOH employees.•\tCreate a positive, professional, team-focused work environment.•\tEstablish clear expectations for performance, attendance, cleanliness, communication, and teamwork.•\tDevelop cooks into trainers, lead cooks, sous chefs, and future managers.•\tProvide consistent coaching and real-time feedback.•\tRecognize strong performance and employees who demonstrate hustle, consistency, teamwork, and leadership.•\tAddress performance problems quickly, fairly, and professionally.•\tBuild accountability without relying on yelling, intimidation, or unnecessary negativity.•\tCreate training systems that allow new employees to become productive quickly and correctly.•\tCross-train employees to create a more flexible and capable kitchen.•\tBuild a kitchen team that can perform consistently even when senior leadership is not physically present.2. WIN THE RUSHThis is a high-volume, high-speed restaurant, and the Kitchen Manager must be comfortable leading through significant business volume.Ticket Times • Food Quality • Communication • Staffing • Station Readiness • Product Levels • Cleanliness • Safety • Guest ExperienceThe Kitchen Manager will:•\tLead from the kitchen floor during peak periods.•\tMaintain urgency without sacrificing standards.•\tAnticipate service bottlenecks before they become major problems.•\tMove employees and resources where they are needed during service.•\tConstantly monitor ticket flow and station performance.•\tMaintain clear communication with FOH management.•\tAdjust prep and staffing based on actual volume.•\tEnsure every station is stocked and ready before service.•\tQuickly identify why a station is falling behind and correct the problem.•\tMaintain composure during difficult services.FOOD QUAILITY AND STANDARDSFood quality is non-negotiable. The Kitchen Manager is responsible for protecting recipe integrity, consistency, food safety, portioning, and presentation across every shift.Responsibilities include:•\tMaintain all recipes and preparation standards.•\tExecute consistent Tex-Mex food across all dayparts and volumes.•\tMonitor proteins, sauces, salsas, tortillas, rice, beans, queso, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and other restaurant specialties.•\tConduct regular line checks before and during service.•\tMaintain proper taste, temperature, freshness, portioning, and presentation standards.•\tEnsure stations are properly set, stocked, labeled, and organized.•\tMaintain product rotation and FIFO procedures.•\tMonitor food holding, cooling, reheating, and storage procedures.•\tProtect high-cost ingredients through proper yield and portion management.•\tEliminate unnecessary waste and overproduction.•\tWork with culinary leadership on menu improvements, specials, training, and execution.The Kitchen Manager is expected to taste the food, inspect the line, and stay actively involved in the product being served.RUN THE BUSINESSThe Kitchen Manager is expected to understand the financial side of the restaurant and actively manage controllable costs.Performance TargetsMetric\tTargetFood Cost\t28% or lessTotal Restaurant Hourly Labor\tLess than 17%Overtime Hours\tNo more than 4%Dry Goods\t4% or lessRestaurant Sales\t$200,000+ per applicable periodThe Kitchen Manager will actively manage:•\tFood cost•\tBOH labor•\tTotal hourly labor in partnership with the General Manager•\tOvertime•\tInventory•\tPurchasing•\tWaste•\tProduct yields•\tPortion control•\tPrep levels•\tVendor pricing•\tDry goods and operating supplies•\tProductivity•\tSchedulingFood Cost Responsibilities•\tConduct accurate inventory counts.•\tReview food-cost performance regularly.•\tInvestigate unusual variances.•\tMaintain appropriate pars.•\tControl waste and overproduction.•\tMonitor protein and high-cost ingredient yields.•\tEnsure proper receiving procedures.•\tReview invoices for price and quantity accuracy.•\tReduce unnecessary emergency purchases.•\tMaintain appropriate inventory without excessive stock.Labor Responsibilities•\tSchedule according to projected sales.•\tAdjust staffing to actual business conditions.•\tMinimize unnecessary overtime.•\tControl early clock-ins and late clock-outs.•\tCross-train employees to improve labor flexibility.•\tMaintain appropriate productivity by station and daypart.•\tPartner with restaurant leadership to keep total hourly labor below target.PERFORMANCE BONUS PROGRAMThe Kitchen Manager will become eligible to participate in the Jason Dady Restaurant Group management bonus program.The program provides the opportunity to earn:UP TO $1,000 per accounting period × 13 periods annually = up to $13,000 in annual performance bonuses.Bonus compensation is not guaranteed. For a bonus to be earned for an applicable period, all required performance standards must be achieved. Final bonus calculations will be based on Jason Dady Restaurant Group accounting records and applicable company policies.OWN THE KITCHENThe Kitchen Manager is expected to treat the kitchen like their own business.That means taking responsibility for:•\tCleanliness•\tOrganization•\tMaintenance•\tFood safety•\tEquipment•\tStorage•\tReceiving•\tEmployee standards•\tPrep systems•\tInventory•\tCommunication•\tFinancial performance•\tTeam developmentThe Kitchen Manager should not walk past problems.If something is dirty, broken, disorganized, unsafe, improperly stored, poorly prepared, or below standard, the expectation is that the issue is addressed.FOOD SAFETY & SANITATIONThe Kitchen Manager is responsible for maintaining an inspection-ready kitchen at all times.Responsibilities include:•\tMaintain compliance with all applicable health department requirements.•\tMaintain required manager certifications.•\tEnforce proper handwashing and employee hygiene.•\tMaintain required food temperature controls and logs.•\tEnsure proper cooling, reheating, labeling, dating, and storage.•\tPrevent cross-contamination.•\tMaintain proper allergen procedures.•\tEnsure chemicals are stored and labeled correctly.•\tMaintain cleaning schedules for equipment and kitchen areas.•\tKeep walk-ins, freezers, prep areas, cook lines, dish areas, floors, walls, and storage areas clean and organized.•\tImmediately address food-safety or workplace-safety concerns.LEADERSHIP STANDARDThe Kitchen Manager sets the tone for the kitchen. When the restaurant becomes busier, the manager should become: More focused. More organized. More communicative. More composed.We expect leaders who:•\tWork beside their teams when necessary.•\tHold everyone to consistent standards.•\tGive clear direction.•\tRecognize good performance.•\tCorrect problems promptly.•\tTreat people with respect.•\tMaintain accountability.•\tDevelop employees rather than simply manage them.•\tProtect food quality at all times.•\tPut the success of the team and restaurant first.Leadership performance will be evaluated not only by financial results, but also by the strength of the team the Kitchen Manager develops, including:•\tEmployee retention•\tTraining effectiveness•\tTeam development•\tCleanliness•\tOrganization•\tConsistency•\tService execution•\tReadiness•\tAbility of the kitchen to perform without constant senior-management interventionQUALIFICATIONSThe successful candidate should demonstrate:•\tPrevious kitchen-management experience in a high-volume full-service restaurant.•\tExperience in Tex-Mex, Mexican, Southwestern, or scratch-kitchen operations preferred.•\tStrong leadership and team-development skills.•\tProven ability to manage food cost and labor.•\tStrong inventory and purchasing experience.•\tExperience scheduling hourly kitchen employees.•\tWorking understanding of restaurant P&L fundamentals.•\tStrong food-safety and sanitation knowledge.•\tAbility to work successfully under significant service volume.•\tStrong organizational and communication skills.•\tAbility to lead calmly under pressure.•\tWillingness to work nights, weekends, holidays, and peak restaurant periods.•\tA hands-on leadership style.WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKEA successful Kitchen Manager builds a kitchen that is: Fast. Clean. Organized. Consistent. Accountable. Positive. Profitable. The kitchen should serve outstanding Tex-Mex food at high volume while developing employees, controlling costs, maintaining standards, and delivering an excellent guest experience.We are looking for a Kitchen Manager who wants to build a great kitchen team—not simply run a kitchen. $65,000.00 - $70,000.00 Annually