Kitchen Manager - Alcove OTR

JOIN ALCOVE AS KITCHEN MANAGER

As the Kitchen Manager at Alcove by MadTree — OTR, you'll own every aspect of kitchen operations before a single guest walks through the door. This is a high-expectation role with real financial accountability. You'll manage food costs, labor, inventory, and vendor relationships while staying close enough to your team to develop them and close enough to the food to ensure it's right every single time. The operational and the people sides of this role are equally non-negotiable.

You'll partner with the General Manager, Corporate Chef, and FOH leadership to deliver a seamless guest experience and bring MadTree's behaviors of Connect, Grow, and Give a F*ck to life in a kitchen that runs with both precision and heart.

At MadTree, Kitchen Managers don't just run kitchens — they build culture from the back of the house out.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Own the numbers: Manage food cost, labor budgeting, and inventory with a financial lens — tracking performance against targets, adjusting in real time, and building ordering and receiving systems that keep the kitchen running efficiently and profitably from day one
• Develop your team: Lead the full lifecycle of your kitchen crew — recruiting, onboarding, training, and coaching with intention, creating an environment where people grow, hold each other accountable, and genuinely want to show up
• Be the standard: Work the floor as an active, hands-on leader — executing quality checks, modeling the behaviors you expect, and ensuring that food quality, consistency, safety, and sanitation are never an afterthought, never a compromise

Total Rewards & Benefits:

✓ Transparent compensation – Base salary $50,000 - $68,000 plus annual variable bonus

✓ 401(k) with company match – 100% on first 3%, 50% on 3-5%

✓ Comprehensive health benefits – Medical, dental, vision 

✓ Paid Time Off – that increases with tenure

✓ 6 paid holidays annually

✓ 16 hours paid volunteer time + Community Impact Day

✓ Quarterly gift cards for MadTree food, beverages, and merch

✓ Employee Assistance Program – 24/7 confidential support at no cost (your PT’ers get it as well!)

✓ Leadership development within a growing hospitality company

✓ Nature-inspired workspace at MadTree’s newest location

✓ Face-to-face humanity – Real human connection, not screens

✓ A team that gives a f*ck about our purpose

ABOUT ALCOVE BY MADTREE
Located at 1400-1410 Vine Street in Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine district, Alcove Kitchen + Bar features a selection of award-winning beers, house-made cocktails, and upscale offerings. Our unpretentious, yet curated, approach to hospitality makes us a destination for everyday guests. Approachable dining that celebrates beauty, simplicity, locality, and nostalgia takes center stage in our lush, cozy, and inviting OTR space.

The brasserie inspired menus offer options that resonate with all palates; we execute dishes that are uncomplicated and irresistible. Our food is not only perfect every time, but also incredibly easy to understand and enjoy. Sourcing the finest local ingredients, each plate is a nod to classic flavors, elevated with a touch of creativity. 

Alcove is a nook of nature in the heart of the city, with a series of unique spaces for guests to explore. The main space features a large bar, dining areas, and an intimate private dining room for small groups. Connected by expansive windows and doors that run the length of the building, the main space opens to one of the city center’s rare outdoor spaces. Alcove also features a lush outdoor patio space for lounging and dining, which connects to a lively greenhouse bar filled with vibrant plants. To create an immersive, warm space, MadTree partners with Urban Blooms, a local social enterprise, who maintains the spaces with living walls, chandeliers, and hanging plants.

More About MadTree

When MadTree sprouted in 2013, we were driven to craft great beer - but more importantly - to build something bigger than ourselves and the high-quality beer we produce. Since the beginning, we have cared deeply about creating meaningful connections with our communities. We embrace our name MadTree and work to celebrate and protect nature, while reducing our impact on the environment. MadTree is a B Corp certified company and proud member of 1% for the Planet with a commitment to donate 1% of sales to local, sustainable nonprofits. The craftspeople at MadTree wake up every day to connect people to nature and each other.

We are MadTree. Inspiring Madness. Rooted in Purpose.

MadTree is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce that inspires madness while being rooted in purpose. We offer a competitive compensation package plus great benefits like subsidized health insurance, a retirement plan with a match, paid time off, and many other great perks.

Kitchen Manager Alcove--OTR

LOCATION: Cincinnati, OH
REPORTS TO: General Manager, Alcove
STATUS: Full-Time (Exempt - Salaried)
COMPENSATION RANGE: $50,830 - $59,800 - $68,770
VARIABLE COMPENSATION: Up to $10,000/year for achieving specific performance metrics

SCHEDULE: Full-Time | Availability including some nights, weekends, and holidays

ALCOVE KITCHEN MANAGER POSITION SUMMARY: 

As the Kitchen Manager at Alcove, you'll be the heartbeat of our kitchen, leading a team of 15+ in a high-energy operation with $40k+ in weekly food sales. You're not just managing – you're connecting with your team, growing future leaders, and giving a f*ck about every plate that leaves the kitchen. From ensuring our food quality is consistently amazing to mentoring your Assistant Kitchen Manager and team, into their next chapter, you'll wear many hats while keeping things rooted in connection and purpose. 

You'll collaborate with our Private Events team to create memorable moments, partner with Alcove leadership to bring our Points of Difference to life, and handle the essential operational pieces like timekeeping, inventory management, payroll, and vendor relationships. You'll be building a kitchen culture where our behaviors of Connect, Grow, and Give a F*ck aren't just words on the wall – they're how your team approaches every service, every challenge, and every opportunity to develop. That means resolving conflicts with genuine care, investing in your people's growth, and making sure everyone feels valued while maintaining the highest standards of safety and cleanliness. 

As a true MadTree ambassador, you'll bring these behaviors to life daily in the kitchen, champion our community impact initiatives, and help create the warm, welcoming environment that makes Alcove special. This role is about leading with purpose and making every shift meaningful for your team and our guests.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead and develop the Kitchen team through training, coaching, and performance management in accordance with company goals, policy and food safety standards, with special focus on mentoring the Assistant Kitchen Manager and key employees through growth opportunities and leadership training to prepare them for future management roles.
• Maintain exceptional food quality and consistency through active oversight, regular quality checks, and hands-on leadership.
• Manage and maintain food costs, inventory (including ordering, receiving & storage), and vendor relationships, and report weekly on food cost, labor, waste, and quality metrics.
• Create and optimize team member schedules with labor budgeting, based on business forecasts and staffing needs.
• Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and sanitation standards & regulations while directing/executing maintenance, repairs, and upkeep of kitchen equipment, tools, and work areas.
• Collaborate with the Private Events team on catering planning and execution, including menu development, cost analysis, staffing coordination, timeline management, and on-site supervision to ensure seamless delivery of high-quality food service for all private events.
• Build and maintain a positive kitchen culture by resolving conflicts effectively, implementing retention strategies to keep great team members engaged and motivated, and partnering with Alcove leadership to deliver our PODs (Points of Differentiation): We are Warm & Welcoming, We Craft to Exceed Expectations, and Together, We Plant a Better Community.
• Develop and implement standard operating procedures and comprehensive training programs for menu execution, opening & closing operations, etc.
• Monitor and respond to guest feedback in a timely and effective manner.
• Partner with People Strategy to execute recruitment strategy, performance reviews, and follow up on annual engagement and pulse surveys, ensuring proper documentation oversight and timely follow-through on all people-related initiatives, action plans, and policy or behavior infractions.
• Spend at least 16 hours a year volunteering (paid) for MadTree Impact initiatives with excitement, encouraging your teammates to do the same.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform essential duties, accountabilities, and responsibilities satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Must be at least 21 years of age or older.

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent education preferred.
• 2+ years of kitchen leadership, people management, and kitchen staff training & development in a high-volume restaurant required.
• ServSafe PIC/Manager certified.
• Available to work evening hours, weekends, and holidays. Management work week averages 45-50 hours per week, and more is deemed necessary at various times.

• Experience managing teams of 15+ employees and weekly food sales volume of $40k+ preferred.
• Proficiency with restaurant management platforms including R365, Toast, Google Suite, etc required.

SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Leadership Excellence: Develops talent, drives engagement, and ensures accountability of their team through setting expectations and leading by example.
• Operations Management: Strong financial acumen and ability to optimize & adjust kitchen operations in line company budget.
• Works Well Under Pressure: can handle the fast pace of a busy kitchen environment without losing focus.
• Attention to Detail: recognizes the importance of quality, making sure that even the smallest of details are not overlooked.
• Passion for Food: Demonstrates genuine enthusiasm for cuisine and the culinary arts.
• Problem Solver: Identifies and resolves issues quickly and effectively, while not being afraid to “think outside the box”.
• Team Builder: Creates a strong and positive work environment for their team and thrives in building strong cross-functional relationships across the organization.
• Communication Expert: Clear and effective communicator with all levels of staff and leadership, always both explaining and owning the “why”.
• Guest-Focused: Committed to delivering exceptional dining experiences for their guests.
• Multi-Tasker: Manages multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, pivoting and prioritizing where needed.
• Tech-Savvy: Comfortable with various restaurant management & scheduling systems, and has the ability to teach others.
• Safety Champion: Ensures compliance with all safety and sanitation standards, and champions the education of their team around this.
• Community Builder: Actively participates in and promotes volunteer initiatives
• Hospitality Professional: Solid and experienced understanding of restaurant operations and service excellence.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to regularly sit, stand, and walk.
• Ability to frequently talk and hear.
• Ability to frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to frequently reach with hands and arms. Use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• The work environment is usually that of a bar, restaurant, and kitchen.
• The employee occasionally works near hazardous materials.
• The employee frequently works on wet floors.

Hospitality

Cincinnati, OH

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