Chef Jobs in North Carolina

Kitchen Manager

The Garden State Grill | Lillington, NC

Salary: $52,000–$60,000 per year + Performance-Based Bonus Opportunities

Job Type: Full-Time | Management

About The Garden State Grill

The Garden State Grill is a veteran-owned, independently operated, full-service restaurant in Lillington, North Carolina. We take pride in delivering quality, scratch-made food, genuine hospitality, and a welcoming atmosphere for our guests and employees.

Our restaurant is built on four core values: Service, Quality, Unity, and Commitment. These aren't just words on a wall. They guide how we operate, how we treat people, and what we expect from our leadership team.

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Kitchen Manager who takes ownership of kitchen operations, leads by example, and understands that running a successful kitchen requires much more than preparing great food.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a leader who is organized, disciplined, professional, and accountable. Someone who maintains high standards without constant oversight, develops a strong team, and creates a clean, efficient, and respectful working environment.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working the line when needed but understands that their primary responsibility is to manage the kitchen, lead the team, maintain consistency, and deliver results.

This is a working management position requiring strong operational skills, sound judgment, and the ability to lead in a fast-paced restaurant environment.

Key Responsibilities

Kitchen Operations & Execution

• Oversee daily back-of-house operations, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and quality.
• Maintain high standards for food preparation, presentation, portioning, and recipe execution.
• Manage ticket times, kitchen workflow, and communication between the front and back of house.
• Maintain a clean, organized, sanitary, and inspection-ready kitchen at all times.
• Ensure proper food handling, storage, labeling, rotation, and temperature controls.
• Establish and enforce opening, closing, cleaning, and operational procedures.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, train, coach, and hold kitchen employees accountable to established standards.
• Build a positive, professional, respectful, and team-oriented kitchen culture.
• Create schedules and manage staffing based on business demands.
• Address performance issues promptly, fairly, and professionally.
• Set the example through personal accountability, strong communication, and a consistent work ethic.
• Work collaboratively with the General Manager and ownership to achieve restaurant goals.

Financial & Inventory Management

• Manage food costs through proper ordering, inventory control, portioning, and waste reduction.
• Monitor kitchen labor and scheduling to maintain productivity and control expenses.
• Conduct regular inventory counts and maintain accurate purchasing records.
• Manage vendor relationships, product quality, and receiving procedures.
• Identify opportunities to improve kitchen efficiency, reduce waste, and protect profitability.

What We're Looking For

• Minimum 3 years of kitchen management or comparable restaurant leadership experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of kitchen operations, food safety, inventory, and cost controls.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and retain a productive kitchen team.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Professional appearance, communication, and conduct.
• Ability to remain composed, focused, and effective under pressure.
• A hands-on leader who takes initiative, solves problems, and follows through.
• Willingness to work nights, weekends, and holidays as business demands.
• Experience in a full-service, scratch-kitchen environment strongly preferred.

Cultural Fit Matters

We believe a successful kitchen starts with strong leadership and a healthy work environment.

We're looking for someone who:

• Takes pride in cleanliness and organization and doesn't tolerate shortcuts.
• Leads with professionalism and respect, even during stressful situations.
• Holds themselves accountable before holding others accountable.
• Communicates clearly and works collaboratively with the entire restaurant team.
• Takes ownership of problems rather than making excuses.
• Values consistency and execution over ego and personal recognition.
• Wants to build something, not simply collect a paycheck.

We have high expectations, but we also believe in supporting our people, recognizing strong performance, and creating opportunities for growth.

Compensation & Opportunity

• Annual Salary: $52,000–$60,000, based on experience and qualifications.
• Performance-Based Bonus Opportunities tied to operational performance and achievement of established goals.
• Opportunity to make a meaningful impact in an established, growing independent restaurant.
• Direct collaboration with ownership and the General Manager.
• A leadership position with autonomy, accountability, and opportunities for professional growth.

Interested?

If you're an experienced kitchen leader who takes pride in running a clean, organized, efficient kitchen, develops strong teams, and believes professionalism and accountability matter, we'd like to hear from you.

Apply today and tell us why you'd be a strong fit for The Garden State Grill.

The Garden State Grill is an equal opportunity employer.

Pay: $52,000.00 - $60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Food provided
• Paid time off

Application Question(s):

• How many years of kitchen management experience do you have in a full-service restaurant?
• What food cost and kitchen labor percentages were you responsible for managing in your most recent position?
• What interests you about managing the kitchen of an independently owned restaurant versus working for a corporate restaurant group?
• Describe your approach to maintaining kitchen cleanliness, organization, and daily accountability.

Work Location: In person