General Manager

Role: General Manager

Reports To: Director of Operations

Direct Reports: Assistant General Manager, Managers, Chef, and Sous Chef

Key Relationships: Bookkeepers, Respect Hospitality Management team, Hourly Team Members

The General Manager is responsible for leading the daily operations of the restaurant.  They direct and coach the salaried management team in the operation ensuring the team member experience, guest experience and financial health of the business are in line with the standards, vision and goals of Respect Hospitality, and that their restaurant and its team embodies the Respect Hospitality values.  The General Manager actively leads by example, inspires, and teaches skills that will elevate the guest experience, their teams, their restaurant, and ultimately Respect Hospitality as a company

Along with these responsibilities, the General Manager leads the delivery of great food, great service and the Respect Hospitality experience to all guests. The General Manager must have a full understanding of each area of the business.  As such you will be responsible for the weekly reporting of sales, labor, food and beverage COGS, social media and overall guest engagement in the restaurant.

The General Manager will need to build a strong management and hourly team. They will be responsible for sourcing, interviewing, onboarding, training hourly team members and growing great talent from within.  

About Restaurant Forgione 

In his eponymous restaurant, Chef Marc Forgione showcases his innovative yet approachable New American cuisine using the best seasonal and local ingredients. Opened in 2008 in TriBeCa Restaurant Marc Forgione attracts an eclectic mix of locals and visitors who come for the contemporary food and drink with friendly service in a comfortable setting.

In the spring of 2024 Marc Forgione moved his TriBeca staple to a new location right across the street from the one originally opened in 2008 and shortened the name to Forgione. 

As the son of renowned chef Larry Forgione, Chef Marc Forgione has been developing his skills in the kitchen since he was 16 years old, first at his father’s restaurant An American Place and then with notable chefs Kazuto Matsusaka, Patricia Yeo, Michel Guerard and Laurent Tourondel.  

From these varied experiences, Forgione has created a straightforward American style with bold flavors and playful touches. Menus change frequently to showcase fresh ingredients, local farmers and purveyors, and new twists on seasonal American favorites.

Leadership: 

Bring to life the Respect Hospitality values. Engage and inspire the management and line staff. 

• Work with the Director of Operations to develop and execute strategies to achieve operational goals at the restaurant level.
• Serve as the ambassador of Respect Hospitality to their team, the community.
• Is a leader for  the entire team and unites both FOH and BOH towards a common goal of continually raising the bar.
• Conduct weekly manager meetings and create the weekly pre shift template
• Leads with an “If you see something, say something” approach to providing feedback to all team members.
• Actively participate in service and the day-to-day operations.
• Delegate key areas of responsibility to managers and lead team members and hold them accountable for following through.

Guest Engagement:
Ensure we are actively engaging with guests, before, during and after their experience. 

• Is acutely aware of the atmosphere of the restaurant and works to constantly monitor and adjust it throughout the day.
• Work with the Director of Operations on PR and marketing to activate company wide and bespoke strategic initiatives.
• Ensure the restaurant management team is delivering on our FHG service standards and 100% table touches are non-negotiable at every service.
• Work the floor during guest hours to create hospitality legends and cultivate regulars.
• Ensure consistent execution of Food, Beverage, Service, and Hospitality that aligns with the Respect Hospitality values.
• Actively listens and engages on all social media channels. Responds to guest comments, both written and verbal, with the ability to creatively solve problems and develop robust solutions that result in fans for life.
• Leads the restaurant team to deliver a great guest experience in order to build lifelong repeat guests.

Business Acumen and Compliance:
Operate smarter, play offense with sales, build trust with guests and investors.

• Research local sales building opportunities specific to the neighborhood, i.e., lunch to-go sales, delivery, events, and large-party bookings.
• Work with the Director of Operations to implement, monitor, and fine tune clear strategic initiatives to ensure that top and bottom line targets are achieved.
• Focus on a proactive approach to managing prime costs, with an eye on the daily, weekly, monthly and annual projections and budgets.
• Deliver correct staffing levels, schedules, and systems that allow the restaurant to achieve excellence in operations while taking care of the bottom line.
• Submit weekly schedules that deliver a great Respect Hospitality experience while remaining fiscally responsible to budgeted targets.
• Forecast and monitor weekly sales and labor numbers and adjust in the moment to ensure hospitality and financial  targets are achieved.
• Communicate targets, goals, and data to the management team in order to achieve financial targets in real time.
• Lead daily and weekly walk through’s to ensure facilities are up to our standard.
• Ensure that HR practices are consistent with Respect Hospitality values and compliant with all local, state and federal laws.
• Lead a best-in-class approach to cleanliness, safety, sanitation, and food safety.
• Exhibit a mastery of all Respect Hospitality operational systems. Including the ability to train and delegate to direct reports.

Employee Development: 

Identify/hire great people and develop them into great FHG leaders.

• Create a talent pipeline of lead FOH and BOH team members.
• Interview and approve the hiring of all hourly team members.
• Ensure that operational and training standards are consistently followed and executed by the entire restaurant team.
• Lead the behavior that creates a safe and enriching workplace for all employees.
• Conduct talent reviews and performance evaluations on a timely basis; recommend promotions or corrective actions where appropriate. 
• Provide feedback and hold all salary and hourly team members accountable to
  FHG values, goals, and standards.
• Ensure new company initiatives are supported and communicated clearly to all managers and team members.
• Lead and foster a restaurant culture that promotes employee development and coaching on a daily basis.
• Hold monthly one-on-one meetings with all salary employees in order to present clear goals and objectives for each manager to work on.

Additional Skills and Responsibilities:

• Exude excellence in hospitality for all employees and guests.
• Possess excellent strategic planning skills, with an emphasis on delivering, executing and assessing action plans.
• Proactively communicates to ownership, Director of Operations.
• Excellent time management, organizational, strategic thinker and multi-tasker
• Ability to adapt and lead change.  
• Analytical and organizational skills, as well the ability to define and effectively solve and deal with a variety of changing situations under stress.
• Must possess strong interpersonal skills and the ability to resolve conflicting interests with the goal of obtaining cooperation.
• Passion for exceptional hospitality, food, and beverages.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.  
• Self-driven, results-oriented, and possesses a solid track-record of leading high-caliber, upscale restaurants.
• Flexible work schedules, including nights and weekends
• May be required to lift, carry, push, or pull heavy objects up to 50 lbs.
• Kneel, bend, or stoop, ascend or descend stairs; be on feet for extended amounts of time

Preferred Experience:

• 3 years in a senior leadership level overseeing a full-service restaurant.
• Proven Track record overseeing $10 million+ in revenue.
• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• Strong foundation of beverage knowledge
• Well versed in restaurant industry specific labor laws.
• Proficient in a variety of technology systems, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), Payroll, POS, and COGS Systems.
• Strong communication and organizational skills are essential, as well as the ability to effectively train, coach, evaluate, and discipline employees.