Nashville Riverboats Food & Beverage (FOH) Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Food & Beverage (FOH) Manager – Nashville Riverboats

Manthey Hospitality | Nashville, TN | Full-Time | Incentive Eligible

Nashville Riverboats is growing! With an additional vessel joining our fleet soon, we are looking for a strong, hands-on Food & Beverage Manager to help us build the team, systems, and service standards needed for our next phase of growth.

This is not your typical Nashville F&B management job.

We aren't a Broadway honky-tonk, and we're not trying to be one. Nashville Riverboats offers guests a relaxing escape from the downtown nightlife scene, a welcoming, family-friendly experience built around Southern hospitality, scenic river cruising, dining, live entertainment, and special events.

We need a leader who understands that experience and can bring it to life every day.

This Is a Hands-On Leadership Role

Our F&B Manager isn't someone who manages from an office. You'll be on the vessel, on the floor, and alongside your team.

You'll lead servers, bartenders, and support staff through everything from sightseeing cruises and casual service to dinner cruises, weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations. You'll jump in when the team needs help, notice the small details before a guest does, and hold people accountable when standards aren't being met.

We're looking for someone who takes genuine ownership of their operation. If something isn't right, you don't walk past it, you fix it.

What You'll Do

• Lead day-to-day onboard food and beverage operations across dining, bar, banquet, and event service. 
• Set clear expectations and hold the team accountable for service, cleanliness, presentation, professionalism, and attention to detail. 
• Be highly visible during service, actively supporting the team and engaging with guests. 
• Recruit, onboard, train, coach, and develop servers, bartenders, support staff, and emerging leaders. 
• Conduct pre-shift meetings and ensure employees understand the day's cruise, service expectations, safety considerations, assignments, and special events. 
• Create a positive, professional work environment while addressing performance or behavioral concerns promptly and consistently. 
• Partner closely with HR on hiring, onboarding, training, employee relations, performance management, accommodations, workplace concerns, and company policies. 
• Manage scheduling and labor based on cruise volume, events, and operational needs. 
• Monitor food and beverage costs, inventory, ordering, waste, and other key operating expenses. 
• Oversee POS procedures, cash handling, reporting, and reconciliation. 
• Maintain high standards for alcohol service, food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance. 
• Work closely with Culinary, Marine Operations, Sales, Events, Entertainment, and company leadership to execute a seamless guest experience. 
• Help prepare the operation for the addition of our next vessel, including staffing, training, processes, and service execution. 

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a hardworking operator and people leader, not simply someone with an F&B management title.

Our ideal candidate has:

• 4+ years of progressive F&B leadership experience, preferably in high-volume restaurants, hotels, resorts, banquets, weddings, entertainment venues, or event-driven hospitality. 
• A strong understanding of front-of-house operations, beverage service, labor management, inventory, cost controls, and guest-service standards. 
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, develop, and hold employees accountable. 
• A hands-on management style and willingness to jump into service when needed. 
• Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to identify operational issues before they impact the guest. 
• Strong judgment, professionalism, and emotional intelligence when handling employee or guest concerns. 
• A foundational understanding of HR principles, including appropriate documentation, performance management, harassment and discrimination prevention, accommodations, confidentiality, and when to involve HR. 
• Strong organizational and follow-through skills, you don't leave problems or projects half-finished. 
• The ability to remain calm, organized, and professional during busy services and unexpected operational challenges. 
• A genuine commitment to creating a welcoming, polished, and family-friendly guest experience. 

Working on a Passenger Vessel

Hospitality on the water is different, and that's part of what makes this role special.

Once a cruise leaves the dock, our team can't simply run down the street for something we forgot. Preparation, communication, inventory, staffing, and attention to detail matters. Our managers must anticipate needs, solve problems quickly, and lead confidently in a unique working environment.

This is also an active position. You should expect to spend significant portions of your shift standing, walking throughout the vessel, navigating stairs and multiple decks, assisting with service and setup, and working alongside your team.

Availability for weekdays, evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events is required.

Why Nashville Riverboats?

This is an opportunity to join Nashville Riverboats at an exciting point in our growth. With another vessel coming online, the person stepping into this role will have an opportunity to help build the operation rather than simply inherit it.

Manthey Hospitality offers:

• Competitive annual salary starting @ $70,000.00
• Incentive/bonus opportunity 
• Medical and ancillary benefits 
• 401(k) with employer match 
• Free parking 
• Complimentary cruises and employee discounts 
• Leadership and growth opportunities as our Nashville operation expands 

If you're a hands-on hospitality leader who notices the details, develops strong teams, takes ownership, and isn't afraid to roll up your sleeves, we'd love to hear from you.

Ready to help us build the next chapter of Nashville Riverboats? Apply today!

Equal Opportunity Statement

Manthey Hospitality is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law.

This posting is a condensed summary of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive job description. Responsibilities may change based on operational and business needs.

Requirements: