Position: Restaurant Manager – Bazaar Meat by José Andrés
Location: Waldorf Astoria Washington DC – Washington, DC
Department: Restaurant Operations / Front of House
Reports To: General Manager / Assistant General Manager
Employment Type: Full-Time, Salaried
Salary Range: $75,000–$80,000 per year + Performance-Based Bonus + Benefits
About José Andrés Group & Bazaar Meat
José Andrés Group (JAG), led by Chef José Andrés, is a hospitality company dedicated to creating extraordinary dining experiences through culinary innovation, exceptional hospitality, and our mission to Change the World Through the Power of Food!
Located within the historic Waldorf Astoria Washington DC, Bazaar Meat by José Andrés reimagines the traditional steakhouse through bold flavors, exceptional ingredients, theatrical presentations, and Chef José Andrés' distinctive culinary vision.
From premium cuts of beef and Japanese Wagyu to inventive small plates, signature cocktails, and curated wine experiences, Bazaar Meat combines culinary creativity with the sophistication and personalized service of a luxury dining destination.
We are looking for an experienced and passionate Restaurant Manager to join our leadership team and help bring the Bazaar Meat experience to life.
Position Summary
The Restaurant Manager is a hands-on hospitality leader responsible for supporting daily restaurant operations, developing and motivating the Front of House team, maintaining exceptional service standards, and ensuring memorable guest experiences.
Working closely with the General Manager, Assistant General Manager, Culinary Leadership, and Beverage teams, the Restaurant Manager will oversee service execution, staffing, training, guest relations, operational procedures, and financial performance.
The ideal candidate is a polished, charismatic, and highly engaged hospitality professional with a strong background in fine dining, luxury hospitality, or upscale steakhouse operations.
This individual should be equally comfortable leading a high-volume dinner service, engaging with VIP guests, coaching team members, managing service challenges, and ensuring every guest experiences the creativity, warmth, and hospitality that define José Andrés Group.
Key Responsibilities
Restaurant Operations & Service Excellence
- Support the General Manager and Assistant General Manager in overseeing daily restaurant operations.
- Maintain a highly visible, hands-on presence on the dining room floor throughout service.
- Ensure consistent execution of JAG and Bazaar Meat hospitality and operational standards.
- Oversee opening, service, and closing procedures.
- Lead daily pre-shift meetings to communicate service priorities, reservations, VIPs, menu updates, and operational expectations.
- Monitor dining room flow, reservations, table management, service pacing, and overall guest experience.
- Ensure service teams are properly prepared, staffed, and organized before each shift.
- Collaborate with Culinary and Beverage teams to maintain seamless service execution.
- Anticipate service challenges and make timely operational adjustments.
- Maintain exceptional standards for restaurant cleanliness, ambiance, presentation, and organization.
- Support the execution of special events, private dining experiences, and high-volume services.
Guest Experience & Luxury Hospitality
- Champion exceptional, personalized hospitality throughout every guest interaction.
- Engage directly with guests to ensure satisfaction and create memorable experiences.
- Recognize VIPs, regular guests, hotel guests, and special occasions.
- Handle guest concerns with professionalism, empathy, discretion, and urgency.
- Empower team members to anticipate guest needs and provide thoughtful, proactive service.
- Ensure consistent service standards across all Front of House positions.
- Maintain a strong understanding of luxury dining expectations and fine dining etiquette.
- Collaborate with hotel partners to deliver seamless experiences for hotel guests and VIP clientele.
- Build guest relationships that encourage repeat visits and long-term loyalty.
- Serve as an ambassador for the Bazaar Meat and José Andrés Group brands.
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, coach, motivate, and develop Front of House team members.
- Support recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and training of new employees.
- Establish clear expectations for hospitality, professionalism, teamwork, and performance.
- Conduct pre-shift meetings, service training, and ongoing development sessions.
- Provide consistent feedback, recognition, and performance coaching.
- Support employee development and identify opportunities for internal advancement.
- Promote accountability, collaboration, inclusion, and a positive team culture.
- Address employee concerns professionally and in partnership with People & Culture.
- Support performance evaluations and employee development plans.
- Lead by example with a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and genuine passion for hospitality.
Food, Wine & Beverage Knowledge
- Maintain comprehensive knowledge of Bazaar Meat's menus, ingredients, culinary techniques, and signature presentations.
- Develop a strong understanding of premium beef cuts, Wagyu, aging techniques, and steakhouse service standards.
- Ensure the Front of House team can confidently communicate menu offerings, ingredients, and preparation methods.
- Partner with Culinary Leadership to conduct menu tastings and ongoing food education.
- Maintain knowledge of the restaurant's wine, cocktail, spirits, and beverage programs.
- Collaborate with Beverage Leadership on beverage education, pairings, and service standards.
- Encourage thoughtful recommendations and suggestive selling that enhance the guest experience.
- Ensure accurate communication of food allergies, dietary restrictions, and special requests.
- Maintain consistency in tableside presentations and specialty service procedures.
- Support the introduction of new menus, seasonal offerings, and beverage initiatives.
Financial & Business Performance
- Support the General Manager in achieving established revenue, profitability, and operational goals.
- Monitor daily sales performance, guest counts, average check, and other key performance indicators.
- Identify opportunities to increase revenue through exceptional hospitality and effective sales techniques.
- Support labor management and operational productivity.
- Monitor controllable expenses, supplies, waste, and operational efficiency.
- Review comps, voids, discounts, and other financial controls.
- Ensure proper cash-handling and POS procedures are followed.
- Partner with leadership to identify opportunities for operational improvements.
- Participate in financial and operational meetings as required.
- Support initiatives designed to improve profitability while maintaining service excellence.
Scheduling & Labor Management
- Assist with preparing and maintaining Front of House schedules based on business volume and operational needs.
- Monitor staffing levels, labor productivity, overtime, and shift coverage.
- Ensure appropriate staffing during peak periods, special events, and high-volume services.
- Manage call-outs, shift adjustments, and daily deployment.
- Review timekeeping and payroll information for accuracy as assigned.
- Partner with leadership to maintain established labor targets.
- Support employee retention through effective communication, coaching, and scheduling practices.
- Ensure compliance with applicable labor laws and company policies.
Reservations, VIPs & Private Events
- Partner with the reservations and host teams to manage guest flow and seating strategies.
- Review reservations, VIP notes, special occasions, and guest preferences before service.
- Ensure appropriate preparation for high-profile guests and special dining experiences.
- Coordinate with Event Sales and Operations teams on private dining and special events.
- Communicate event details, guest counts, menus, and special requirements to the appropriate teams.
- Assist with event execution and ensure service meets established standards.
- Maintain professional relationships with hotel Concierge, Front Office, and other property partners.
- Support initiatives designed to increase guest satisfaction, repeat business, and event revenue.
Operational Standards & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with all applicable food safety, sanitation, and responsible alcohol service regulations.
- Maintain exceptional standards of restaurant cleanliness and organization.
- Ensure proper opening and closing procedures are consistently followed.
- Monitor equipment, furniture, fixtures, and dining room conditions.
- Communicate maintenance and repair needs promptly.
- Support health and safety inspections and operational audits.
- Ensure accurate incident reporting and adherence to company procedures.
- Maintain compliance with JAG policies and applicable employment regulations.
- Reinforce safe working practices and a respectful workplace environment.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner closely with the General Manager, Assistant General Manager, Culinary, Beverage, and Event Sales teams.
- Maintain strong communication between Front of House and Back of House departments.
- Collaborate with Waldorf Astoria hotel teams to ensure a seamless luxury hospitality experience.
- Participate in leadership meetings, operational reviews, and service planning.
- Communicate guest feedback, service challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
- Support restaurant initiatives, special programming, and brand activations.
- Represent Bazaar Meat and José Andrés Group professionally with guests, vendors, hotel partners, and team members.
What We're Looking For
- 3–5+ years of progressive restaurant or hospitality experience, including previous supervisory or management responsibility.
- Previous Restaurant Manager, Assistant Restaurant Manager, Floor Manager, or comparable leadership experience preferred.
- Fine dining, luxury hotel, upscale steakhouse, or high-volume chef-driven restaurant experience strongly preferred.
- Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop Front of House teams.
- Strong understanding of elevated service standards, dining room operations, and guest relations.
- Experience managing high-profile guests and delivering personalized hospitality.
- Strong food and beverage knowledge, particularly premium beef, wine, spirits, and fine dining service.
- Experience with restaurant scheduling, labor management, and operational cost controls.
- Strong understanding of restaurant financial performance and key operating metrics.
- Excellent communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
- Polished, confident, and professional presence.
- Ability to remain calm, decisive, and solution-oriented during demanding services.
- Experience with POS, reservation management, and scheduling systems preferred.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to operational consistency.
- Genuine passion for hospitality, culinary experiences, and team development.
- Positive, collaborative, accountable, and hands-on leadership style.
- Flexible availability, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak business periods.
Key Performance Indicators
Success as Restaurant Manager will be demonstrated through:
- Guest satisfaction and overall dining experience
- Consistent execution of hospitality and service standards
- Restaurant sales and revenue performance
- Labor productivity and scheduling efficiency
- Average check and beverage sales performance
- Employee engagement, development, and retention
- Service efficiency and dining room flow
- Guest recovery and repeat-guest relationships
- Food and beverage knowledge and team training
- Operational cleanliness, safety, and compliance
- Successful execution of VIP experiences and private events
- Effective collaboration between FOH, BOH, Beverage, and hotel partners
Working Conditions & Physical Requirements
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods throughout service.
- Ability to lift and carry up to approximately 40 pounds.
- Frequent bending, reaching, and movement throughout the restaurant.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume hospitality environment.
- Ability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended hours based on operational needs.
- Ability to perform responsibilities throughout multiple dining and service areas.
In Return, We Offer You
- Competitive base salary of $75,000–$80,000 per year
- Performance-based bonus eligibility
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
- Retirement savings opportunities
- Paid time off
- Employee dining and partner discounts
- Hospitality training and professional development
- Leadership development and mentorship
- Career advancement opportunities throughout José Andrés Group
- The opportunity to work within a distinctive, chef-driven luxury dining environment
- The opportunity to learn from experienced Culinary, Beverage, and Operations leaders
- A dynamic, collaborative, and hospitality-focused workplace
Equal Opportunity Employer
José Andrés Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in the federal E-Verify Program.
Pay: $75,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Paid training
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
