Tips For Hiring the Best Management Staff

Perhaps only second to the executive chef, the general manager, or the kitchen manager, will be the most important employee that you hire for your restaurant. The kitchen manager will oversee much of the operations of your establishment in regards to everything other than actually making the food, therefore this position - which is crucial to your success - needs further elaboration. Understanding the specific responsibilities of a general manager / ktichen manage will help you find the right candidate.

Here are some tips to help you find the right restaurant general manager.

Tip # 1

Understand the general manager position. This vital player in your restaurant often holds the keys to your businesses success. They must come bundled with so many diverse skills and abilities, that you may begin to wonder - does such a person exist.

So, what is a general manager supposed to do? In short, their role is to manage the kitchen staff, hire and fire employees, manage the back of the house, handle customer service, take charge of regulatory inspections, and oversee administrative operations. To do so, they need to have administrative skills, a hard work ethic, creativity, and adaptability. They need to be able to get along with others and have leadership skills. Depending on the size of your operation, you may also need several assistant managers to assist the general manager with executing their tasks and overseeing operations when the general manager is not there. 

Tip # 2

Once you know what you are looking for, it is a good idea to involve your executive chef in the hiring process. These two will work closely together to ensure that your establishment runs smoothly and that your customers are happy. They must be able to forge a good working relationship and get along. Sometimes they will compliment one another, where ones weakness are the others strengths, and this complimentary relationship will help your kitchen run smoothly. 

Tip # 3

The past experiences of any candidate for general manager is of great importance. Since they must be able to handle multiple managerial and administrative tasks, they need to have a varied background of experiences that combines all of their skills into the general manager position. They have to enjoy being in a managerial role, know how to lead others, have a creative spark, be calm under pressure, be a quick learner and be a good teacher. The places they worked in the past and how those experiences added to their repitoire of skills, will be of great importance.

Tip # 4

Checking the references of your general manager candidates can greatly assist you in determining if the person sitting across from you has the skills that you are looking for.  By contacting past employers, coworkers, and going online, you can find out valuable information about your candidates. Positive past work references are the key to future positive relationships. However, even if the candidate left their previous position because of subpar reasons, the way they handled any differences and/or conflicts, and moved on, may say more about them than a positive experience may have said. Needless to say, if they left of trail of negative experiences behind them, then that is something to consider.

Finding a general manager, or kitchen manager, is an integral part of running your commercial kitchen. Taking the time to hire the most qualified applicant is well worth the effort. With the right management staff you can relax knowing that your business is in the right hands to propel your success forward.