KITCHEN / FRONT OF HOUSE MANAGER

Somerset West: Somerset West: Somerset West: My client, a premium Italian-style restaurant operating in an open-kitchen environment, is seeking an experienced Kitchen / Front of House Manager to take on a senior, hands-on leadership role with real responsibility and influence. Working closely with supportive, values-driven owners, the successful candidate will play a key role in maintaining high standards, shaping a disciplined kitchen culture, and ensuring consistent food quality and service delivery. This is a stable, long-term opportunity offering competitive remuneration based on experience.

Purpose of the Role

To lead and manage the kitchen operation while overseeing front-of-house flow in an open-kitchen setting, ensuring strict adherence to recipes, preparation methods, and service standards. The role requires a steady leader who protects quality daily, trains teams to work to system, and ensures the guest experience consistently reflects the restaurant’s values.

Key Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To

• Leading the kitchen team with calm, consistent, hands-on leadership
• Ensuring strict adherence to recipes, prep methods, portion control and Italian cooking techniques
• Maintaining disciplined mise en place, storage, labelling and stock rotation
• Monitoring heat control, timing and technique to prevent waste, burning or poor execution
• Tasting food daily and correcting quality issues immediately
• Training and retraining staff to ensure standards are followed automatically
• Preventing shortcuts and poor prep practices through proactive supervision
• Overseeing kitchen cleanliness, organisation and operational efficiency
• Managing stock control, ordering, waste reduction and prep planning
• Maintaining a visible, professional presence in an open-kitchen environment
• Overseeing front-of-house flow, pacing and communication to support smooth service
• Stepping in early to address service or communication breakdowns between kitchen and FOH
• Leading by example with punctuality, professionalism and attention to detail
• Providing feedback and operational input to the owners to support continuous improvement

Criteria

• Proven experience in a kitchen leadership or kitchen management role
• Strong background in Italian or Italian-style cuisine, with pizza and pasta experience a distinct advantage
• Disciplined approach to systems, standards and consistency
• Confident and fair leader able to correct staff and hold standards without aggression
• Experience managing kitchen teams, prep schedules, stock control and service delivery
• Comfortable working in an open-kitchen environment and representing the brand daily
• Solid understanding of health, safety and hygiene standards
• Organised, observant and detail-focused
• Able to remain calm, focused and effective under pressure
• Formal culinary training is advantageous