Kitchen Manager

Kitchen Manager at Goodwin Recruiting summary:

The Kitchen Manager oversees back-of-house operations in a high-volume casual dining and sports bar environment, ensuring food quality, cleanliness, and efficient kitchen execution. Responsibilities include staffing, training, inventory management, and maintaining food safety standards. The role demands strong leadership skills, the ability to manage fast-paced service, and a proactive approach to improving kitchen processes.

Kitchen Manager

Location: Cary, NC

Job Type: Full-Time

Industry: Casual Dining / Sports Bar / Hospitality

Overview:

We’re seeking a hands-on, experienced Kitchen Manager to lead back-of-house operations for a high-volume, casual dining restaurant with a lively, sports-driven atmosphere. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys leading teams, and takes pride in delivering consistent food quality, cleanliness, and strong kitchen execution.

What You’ll Do:

• Oversee all back-of-house operations, including food production and execution
• Train, coach, and develop kitchen team members
• Manage kitchen schedules, staffing levels, and daily shift leadership
• Maintain high standards for food quality, ticket times, and presentation
• Oversee inventory, ordering, and vendor communication
• Ensure BOH cleanliness, organization, and food safety compliance
• Support high-volume periods such as game days, weekends, and events
• Help implement or improve kitchen systems, prep processes, and line organization

What We’re Looking For:

• Kitchen leadership experience in casual dining, sports bar, or high-volume restaurant environments
• Strong skills in team supervision, shift leadership, and training
• Ability to manage fast-paced service with accuracy and consistency
• Experience with expo, line operations, prep management, and station flow
• Working knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and BOH organization
• ServSafe certification preferred
• Hands-on leader with strong communication and follow-through
• Someone with grit, initiative, and an ownership mindset

What’s in It for You:

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Insurance Stipend
• Paid time off and flexible scheduling
• Supportive, team-oriented culture
• Opportunities for growth within a multi-concept hospitality group

Who Will Succeed in This Role:

A strong candidate will be:

• Calm under pressure and comfortable with busy service periods
• Motivated to build structure, train others, and elevate kitchen standards
• Accountable, dependable, and proactive
• Passionate about food quality, organization, and team culture

Keywords:

kitchen manager, food service manager, casual dining, sports bar, team leadership, food safety, inventory management, training and development, kitchen operations, restaurant management