Cafe & Kitchen General Manager

Great Performances•New York, NY

10d•$105,000 - $115,000•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Café & Kitchen General Manager to lead the daily operations of a fast-paced café and kitchen within one of our cultural institution venues. This role is designed for a seasoned hospitality operator who thrives in high-volume service environments and can confidently lead both front-of-house and back-of-house teams. The Cafe & Kitchen General Manager will be responsible for overall operational performance, financial management, culinary execution, team leadership, and guest experience. This individual must bring strong organizational discipline, hospitality instincts, and a proven ability to drive efficiency and consistency in a fast-casual service environment. The ideal candidate combines restaurant leadership experience, operational rigor, and a passion for hospitality.

Requirements

2 - 4 years of progressive hospitality or restaurant management experience.
At least 3 years in a General Manager, Operations Manager, or Senior Restaurant Leadership role.
Proven success managing high-volume café, fast-casual, or restaurant operations.
Experience leading teams of 10–25+ staff members across FOH and BOH.
Strong understanding of fast-casual service models, kitchen workflow, and high-volume ticket management.
Demonstrated ability to maintain operational discipline during busy peak service periods.
Experience implementing operational systems and workflow improvements.
Proven ability to manage P&L performance, labor modeling, COGS, inventory, and purchasing systems.
Experience in achieving financial targets while maintaining hospitality standards.
Strong knowledge of NYC Department of Health regulations, sanitation standards, and food safety protocols.
NYC Food Protection Certificate (or ability to obtain immediately) required.
Strong leadership presence with excellent communication and organizational skills.
Ability to thrive in fast-paced hospitality environments.
Experience with restaurant POS systems, scheduling platforms, and inventory tools.

Nice To Haves

Experience with specialty coffee programs or beverage service preferred.

Responsibilities

Oversee all café and kitchen operations, ensuring smooth coordination between front-of-house and back-of-house teams.
Maintain high standards for speed of service, ticket times, food quality, and guest experience during peak service periods.
Develop and implement standard operating procedures and service systems to ensure consistency and efficiency.
Ensure the café operates at health-inspection readiness at all times, maintaining strict adherence to food safety and sanitation protocols.
Manage vendor relationships, purchasing, and inventory systems to ensure proper product availability and cost control.
Provide culinary oversight to maintain quality, consistency, and presentation standards across all menu items.
Support seasonal menu updates, prep systems, and recipe standards in collaboration with culinary leadership.
Ensure café beverage programs, including specialty coffee and barista operations meet quality standards.
Monitor guest feedback and service flow to continually improve the café experience.
Lead, coach, and develop a diverse hospitality team across kitchen and service operations.
Recruit, hire, and train team members to maintain a high-performing workplace culture.
Foster strong communication between FOH and BOH teams to promote a collaborative “one-team” environment.
Build schedules aligned with business needs while maintaining labor efficiency and service quality.
Own financial performance of the café including labor management, COGS, purchasing, and operating expenses.
Analyze sales trends, labor utilization, and operational data to identify opportunities for improvement.
Maintain disciplined cost control while protecting the guest experience and team culture.
Communicate financial performance and operational goals with senior leadership.
Partner with hospitality and events teams to support on-site catering and venue events.
Coordinate operational logistics, staffing, and service execution for building events.
Serve as a key operational liaison between café operations and venue leadership.