Kitchen Manager – Alcove OTR

POSITION SUMMARY: As the Kitchen Manager at Alcove, you'll be the heartbeat of our kitchen leading a high-energy operation. You're not just managing – you're connecting with your team, growing future leaders, and giving a f*ck about every plate that leaves the kitchen. From ensuring our food quality is consistently amazing to mentoring the team, into their next chapter, you'll wear many hats while keeping things rooted in connection and purpose. 

LOCATION: Cincinnati, OH
REPORTS TO: General Manager, Alcove
STATUS: Full-Time (Exempt - Salaried)
COMPENSATION RANGE: $50,830 - $59,800 - $68,770
VARIABLE COMPENSATION: Up to $10,000/year for achieving specific performance metrics

SCHEDULE: Full-Time | Availability including some nights, weekends, and holidays

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage and maintain food costs, inventory (including ordering, receiving & storage), and vendor relationships, and report weekly on food cost, labor, waste, and quality metrics.
• Lead and develop the kitchen team through recruiting, onboarding, training, coaching, and performance management.
• Maintain food quality and consistency through active floor presence, regular quality checks, and modeling the standards you expect from your team.
• Build and manage team member schedules based on business forecasts, staffing needs, and labor budget targets.
• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, and sanitation standards; coordinate maintenance, repairs, and upkeep of kitchen equipment, tools, and work areas with the appropriate vendors or facilities resources.
• Partner with the Private Events team on catering planning and execution — including menu development, cost analysis, staffing coordination, and on-site supervision.
• Develop and implement SOPs and training programs for menu execution, opening and closing operations, and kitchen workflows.
• Build a positive kitchen culture by resolving conflicts effectively, implementing retention strategies, and partnering with Alcove leadership to deliver our Points of Differentiation: Warm & Welcoming, Craft to Exceed Expectations, and Together, We Plant a Better Community.
• Monitor and respond to guest feedback in a timely and effective manner.
• Partner on performance reviews, engagement survey follow-through, and people-related action plans, ensuring timely documentation and follow-up on all policy or behavior matters.
• Spend at least 16 hours a year volunteering (paid) for MadTree Impact initiatives and encourage your team to do the same.
• Work the floor as an active, hands-on leader — executing quality checks, modeling the behaviors you expect, and ensuring that food quality, consistency, safety, and sanitation are never an afterthought, never a compromise
• Monitor and respond to guest feedback in a timely and effective manner.
• Other duties as assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform essential duties, accountabilities, and responsibilities satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Must be at least 21 years of age or older.

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent education preferred.
• 2+ years of kitchen leadership, people management, and kitchen staff training & development in a high-volume restaurant required.
• ServSafe PIC/Manager certified.
• Available to work evening hours, weekends, and holidays. Management work week averages 45-50 hours per week, and more is deemed necessary at various times.

• Experience managing teams of 15+ employees and weekly food sales volume of $40k+ preferred.
• Proficiency with restaurant management platforms including R365, Toast, Google Suite, etc required.

SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Leadership Excellence: Develops talent, drives engagement, and ensures accountability of their team through setting expectations and leading by example.
• Operations Management: Strong financial acumen and ability to optimize & adjust kitchen operations in line company budget.
• Works Well Under Pressure: can handle the fast pace of a busy kitchen environment without losing focus.
• Attention to Detail: recognizes the importance of quality, making sure that even the smallest of details are not overlooked.
• Passion for Food: Demonstrates genuine enthusiasm for cuisine and the culinary arts.
• Problem Solver: Identifies and resolves issues quickly and effectively, while not being afraid to “think outside the box”.
• Team Builder: Creates a strong and positive work environment for their team and thrives in building strong cross-functional relationships across the organization.
• Communication Expert: Clear and effective communicator with all levels of staff and leadership, always both explaining and owning the “why”.
• Guest-Focused: Committed to delivering exceptional dining experiences for their guests.
• Multi-Tasker: Manages multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, pivoting and prioritizing where needed.
• Tech-Savvy: Comfortable with various restaurant management & scheduling systems, and has the ability to teach others.
• Safety Champion: Ensures compliance with all safety and sanitation standards, and champions the education of their team around this.
• Community Builder: Actively participates in and promotes volunteer initiatives
• Hospitality Professional: Solid and experienced understanding of restaurant operations and service excellence.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to regularly sit, stand, and walk.
• Ability to frequently talk and hear.
• Ability to frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to frequently reach with hands and arms. Use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• The work environment is usually that of a bar, restaurant, and kitchen.
• The employee occasionally works near hazardous materials.
• The employee frequently works on wet floors.