THE OPPORTUNITY

Café Mars, located in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn, is seeking cooks to join our opening team. We are looking for kind, curious, and organized professionals to join our kitchen. At Café Mars, instead of refining our focus to a particular region or time period, we explore the entire universe of Italian food—a telescope, not a microscope. With our feet planted in a deep respect for traditional technique, we are open to new and unexpected ways of making Italian food. To do this, we need cooks that see as much value in folding 1,000 tortellini as in discovering new flavor combinations and techniques. We need cooks that want to get a little bit better every day. We want cooks who want to learn all facets of the restaurant experience. As we value teamwork that spans all of the positions in our space, we will share some FOH responsibilities with the kitchen, and visa versa. No experience is necessary for this component of the work, but an open mind and willingness to learn is! Cooks will be working directly with chefs Paul D’Avino and Jorge Olarte during both prep and service for 5 days a week of dinner service.

WHO WE ARE

Opening in May 2023, Café Mars is a weird Italian restaurant in Gowanus. We aim to be the neighborhood place that makes locals proud and makes visitors want to become locals. The restaurant will open in a corner space on Third Avenue, across the street from where Paul’s great grandfather first settled in Brooklyn from Campania, Italy. When joining Cafe ́ Mars, you will become part of a small, tight‐knit team that gives the best we have to offer our guests and each other. 

Fun, seasonal and inventive, the menu pays homage to the traditional Italian roots of the neighborhood, while celebrating the chefs’ eclectic backgrounds in the food world. Co-Chef Paul D’Avino’s past includes NYC spots wd~50 and aska as well as long and short stints in Iceland, Denmark, and Japan. Co-Chef Jorge Olarte will bring his many years of experience in NYC (Ssam Bar, Ma Peche, Café Boulud), as well as his time in Miami and Nashville. GM Madalyn Summers, a NYC veteran of places like Estela, M. Wells, and the original Torrisi Italian Specialties, will be leading our front of house and beverage teams. Together, they will bring a menu with a fun, thoughtful, and modern take on Italian cuisine. 

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Arrive in a timely manner for the start of your shift with a positive attitude

• Complete all tasks in a clean, organized, and quality-focused manner

• Work service with consistent effort, attention, communication, and performance

• Actively engage in efforts to improve, both individually and as part of the team

• Communicate kindly and clearly with all team members 

• Interact with guests at dining counter and at tables, running and presenting dishes to guests with supplied and pre-existing knowledge, free of pretension

• Work closely with coworkers to ensure that the entire restaurant delivers a maximum level of service and satisfaction

• Ensure excellent service & hospitality is provided to all guests, our community, vendors and staff. We are committed to maintaining a kind and positive environment to every person who enters our space.

REQUIREMENTS

• Previous experience in high-level kitchens is preferred but not required

• Must demonstrate a desire for knowledge and passion for cooking

• Willing and able to do some FOH (running food, learning about wine, etc)

• Basic knife skills

• An outgoing team player with a positive attitude and problem-solving skills, willing to adapt and learn every day 

• Outstanding organizational and interpersonal skills

• Excellent attention to detail

• Love of learning and commitment to improvement 

• Open to take direction and receive critique in a straightforward manner

• Respect for ingredients and the people that made them possible

• Attention and commitment to food safety

As an important member of our team, you’ll have access to:

• Monthly $500 Healthcare contribution

• FSA/HSCA/DCSA/COBRA/Commuter Benefits

• Paid Time Off to support you having an active life outside work

• Closed on ALL Major Holidays for you to spend quality time with loved ones

We offer a supportive working and learning environment that fosters growth and promotes career advancement, believing that one should always be learning. This is a great opportunity for industry professionals looking to advance their career and have the opportunity to be a part of an opening team. If you are interested in joining a restaurant that values creativity, uniqueness, dedication, hard work and a commitment to genuine hospitality then come and get it!