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Kitchen Manager
Von Trier
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
About
· Full-time · Evenings, weekends, holidays
The job at a glance
Pay:
$48,000–$52,000 base, plus quarterly bonuses tied to prime cost, food revenue, and operational milestones. Total realistic comp with bonus:
$52,000–$60,000 . Benefits:
Health care bonus, PTO, employee discount, paid training, first-time home buyer bonus, professional development support. Location:
2235 N. Farwell Ave, Milwaukee (on-site; must reliably commute or relocate). Reports to:
GM, working alongside Bar Manager and a tight management team.
What you'd own
You'd run the kitchen. The team, the menu execution, the costs, the standards, the daily experience for line cooks and guests. You'd own food cost, COGS, prime cost, scheduling, training, and the standard your line holds to every shift.
Why this role exists right now
Von Trier has been a Milwaukee institution since 1978. We took over last year and have spent the past year upgrading equipment, systems, and the team.
Our 2026 goal is to nearly double food sales , and that growth depends on a Kitchen Manager who wants to build something — not just run a line. This is a growth-phase role. You'd be putting your stamp on the food program at one of Milwaukee's most-loved historic bars, with ownership that's engaged and supportive, not absent and not micromanaging.
What we're building toward
A kitchen where the food matches the room. Where a guest who came in for the beer and the stained glass stays for the schnitzel and tells two friends. Tight line, healthy costs, proud team, clear standards. Where a small mistake becomes a moment of hospitality, not a complaint.
You'd thrive here if you
Lead by setting a clear standard and coaching your team to it Genuinely care about food cost, COGS, prime cost, and menu engineering Care about craft and place — German cuisine, Milwaukee history, the difference between a pretzel and a real pretzel Respond to pressure with calm and empathy, not anger or blame Want to grow a food program, not just maintain one
What we're looking for
3+ years managing a kitchen team 4+ years professional cooking experience Comfort with food costing and menu COGS ServSafe certified (or willing to get certified quickly) Available evenings, weekends, and holidays — we're a bar German cuisine experience is a plus, but we'll teach the right person Catering and private event experience is a plus Able to lift 50 lbs and 30 lbs overhead, reliable transportation
About Von Trier
We've been pouring imports and serving schnitzel since 1978, in a 1949 building filled with German antiques, Stoettner stained glass, and a chandelier that once hung in the Pabst Mansion. Our ivy-covered biergarten is full all summer. Our regulars span families, UWM students, Oriental Theater moviegoers, and travelers who came in just because they heard we're a real piece of Milwaukee history. Shepherd Express readers voted us
Best Import Beer Selection
— we're working hard to earn the same reputation on the food side. We're owned by Nitelite Hospitality, the same group behind At Random and James Beard Semi-Finalist Bryant's Cocktail Lounge. Restoring and running historic Milwaukee bars is what we do.
One honest note before you apply
We're not fine dining, even though we serve great food. We're not a dive, even though the room is warm and the regulars are real. We're a German beer hall that takes craft, history, and hospitality seriously, and we expect the same from the people who lead our kitchen. Not management-ready yet but love what we're building? Reach out anyway and let us know. We promote from within.
Languages
- English
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