Kitchen Manager

Job Overview

ROSEMARIE'S BUNS & BREWS
Chef-Driven Sliders | Elevated Comfort Food | Craft Brews
Mission Beach | Ocean Beach | Encinitas
Kitchen Manager
Full-Time | Encinitas, CA | Immediate Opening
Competitive Base Salary | Performance-Based Compensation Reviewed at 90 Days
WHO WE ARE
Rosemarie's Buns & Brews was founded by U.S. Army veteran and Executive Chef Nick Balsamo, who brings 15+ years of culinary experience to every location. What started as a series of San Diego pop-ups has grown into three thriving locations in under three years. Along the way, we have been named Best Burger by San Diego Magazine, recognized on Yelp's Top 100 Restaurants in the U.S. for two consecutive years, and honored with a California State Senate Certificate of Recognition. We are proud of what the team has built, and we do not take it for granted.
We take pride in turning patrons into regulars and regulars into family. The standards here are high because the guests expect it and the team demands it.
THE ROLE
You will run the Encinitas kitchen. That means owning food quality, ticket times, labor, food cost, and the team that executes it all. You will work directly alongside a veteran-founded, chef-driven leadership team and be held to clear, measurable targets.
This role is bilingual. You will lead a Spanish-speaking kitchen team and communicate daily with our English-speaking front of house staff. Fluency in both Spanish and English is required.
Do this well and the path forward is clear. As we continue to grow beyond our three existing San Diego locations, high performers will have the opportunity to step into a Director of Kitchen Operations role overseeing all locations, kitchen teams, and cost targets across the portfolio. The goal is not just to manage a kitchen. The goal is to make yourself promotable out of it.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Kitchen Standards

• Hold ticket times, food quality, and plate presentation to a non-negotiable standard on every shift
• Coach and correct in real time. Do not wait for a weekly meeting.
• Ensure consistency from the first plate of the day to the last
• Jump in during rushes. Support prep. Lead from the line when it counts.

Team Leadership

• Hire, train, and develop a kitchen staff team
• Build a kitchen culture that is high energy, calm under pressure, and built on teamwork
• Identify team members with potential and develop them into leads
• You are responsible for who is on your team and how they perform

Operations and Cost Management

• Hit food cost and labor cost targets consistently, not occasionally
• Use Toast POS for order management, ticket tracking, and food cost reporting
• Use 7shifts for scheduling and labor management
• Work with leadership to refine SOPs and raise the operational standard across all locations

Monthly Specials

• Create and execute at least one monthly special rooted in our slider and elevated comfort food identity
• Draw from customer favorites, seasonal ingredients, or happy hour concepts
• Own the rollout from concept to execution

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• 3 to 5 years of kitchen management experience
• Fast casual background preferred. Strong operators from other backgrounds are welcome.
• Demonstrated stability and growth within a role
• Bilingual in Spanish and English, required
• Proficient in Toast POS and 7shifts, or able to get there quickly
• A consistent track record of hitting food cost and labor targets
• Someone who thinks like an operator, not just a cook
• Ability to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 lbs
• ServSafe certification or willingness to obtain

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Base Salary
$72,000 per year
Compensation Growth
Base salary with performance-based increases starting at 90 days
Schedule
Full-time, approximately 55 to 60 hours per week
Paid Time Off
2 weeks
401(k)
Available
Meal Discount
50% off for you and your family
Growth Opportunity
Director of Kitchen Operations as we expand
HOW TO APPLY
Submit your resume. If you have experience managing food and labor costs or have worked with Toast POS or 7shifts, we would love to hear about it.
We will ask you in our first conversation about a kitchen team you built or a standard you raised.
We are chef-driven and community-built. We take this seriously, and we expect you to as well.
Pay: From $72,000.00 per year
Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Employee discount
• Paid time off
• Paid training

Application Question(s):

• Are you proficient in Toast POS, 7shifts, or similar restaurant management technology?
• Do you have experience managing food cost and labor cost targets?

Work Location: In person