Restaurant Manager

General Manager – Service-Driven, James Beard–Recognized Restaurant (St. Louis, MO)Salary: $70,000–$80,000 with ability to make over $100,000 with bonus, health insurance, paid time off & major holidays off.

We're a James Beard semi-finalist restaurant in St. Louis, known for big-hearted hospitality, simple beautiful food, and a welcoming, community-centered dining room. We're now looking for a General Manager who wants to build a joyful, high-functioning team and make our dining room feel like the best version of "home" for both guests and staff.

Think of this role as a cross between a restaurateur and a Trader Joe's "captain": present on the floor, genuinely kind, a little quirky, deeply organized, and obsessed with making things better for everyone who walks through the door.

The Role

The General Manager will:

• Lead the full guest experience in the dining room: greeting, flow, pacing, problem-solving, and the overall emotional tone of the room.
• Cross-train in every major station (BOH & FOH) during the first weeks so you truly understand what you're leading: dish, prep, line, expo, host, server, takeout.
• Hire, schedule, coach, and support the entire hourly team so they feel respected, clear on expectations, and proud of their work.
• Partner with ownership on systems, service standards, and culture, and then protect those on busy nights when it's hardest.
• Own key operational rhythms: pre-shift meetings, side work, checklists, basic reporting, and closing the loop on guest feedback.
• Watch the numbers (labor, COGS, sales) and work with ownership to hit agreed targets without burning people out.

Our Culture (what you're stepping into)

We're intentionally cultivating a culture with some of the best parts of Trader Joe's:

• Warmth begins with coworkers. We expect people to talk to each other with the same kindness and respect we want them to show guests.
• Everyone pitches in. No one is "above" any task; leaders jump on dish, run food, wipe a table, or take a phone call when needed.
• High standards, low drama. Clear expectations, direct communication, consistent follow-through—without yelling, shaming, or ego trips.
• Ideas from the ground up. The people doing the work often have the best ideas. We listen to them, test improvements, and keep what works.
• Playful and human. We work hard, but we want our team to feel like they can bring their personality, not a fake "service robot" persona.

We want a GM who not only fits this, but actively models it.

What We're Looking For

You might be a great fit if:

• You have recent GM or AGM experience in a full-service or busy fast-casual environment, ideally $2M+ annual volume or comparable.
• Have operated at a chef or kitchen manager but love guest interaction and see the restaurant as an ecosystem over BOH vs FOH.
• You genuinely love being in the dining room: reading the room, noticing small details, remembering regulars, stepping in before issues snowball.
• You're comfortable with basic restaurant numbers (labor %, COGS %, daily/weekly reports) and can use them to make sane scheduling and purchasing decisions.
• You're a coach, not a dictator: you hold people accountable, but you do it with clarity and respect.
• You're excited (not threatened) by learning every station and being able to jump in anywhere in a pinch.
• You care about equity, psychological safety, and long-term sustainability—for yourself and for your team.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary: $70,000–$80,000, depending on experience.
• Bonus: Performance-based bonus opportunity tied to:
• Hitting agreed financial targets (labor/COGS/prime cost).
• Maintaining strong guest satisfaction scores and handling feedback with care.
• Building and retaining a healthy, well-trained team.
• Health insurance: Employer-supported health insurance (details in interview).
• Paid time off:
• Paid vacation time.
• Paid sick/mental health time.
• Paid time off for major holidays.
• Perks: Shift meals, staff discount, and a direct working relationship with ownership where your voice actually affects how the restaurant runs.

How to Apply

Please send:

• Your resume
• A short note telling us:
• A story about a time you turned around a rough service or upset guest.
• One concrete example of how you've improved culture or systems in a past restaurant.
• What hobby or show or activity are you most excited about right now and what does it bring to your life?

Subject line: "GM – (Your Name) – St. Louis"

This role is for someone who wants to build something meaningful with us: a place where guests feel cared for, staff feel respected and supported, and the work has both excellence and heart.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $70, $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Paid training
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person