About Makina Café
Makina Café is a woman-owned Ethiopian-Eritrean hospitality company with a food truck, catering kitchen, and a seasonal food stall on Governors Island. In spring 2025, Makina will open its first full-service restaurant in Sunnyside/Long Island City — the first Ethiopian-Eritrean restaurant in Queens, one of the world’s most diverse boroughs.
Our mission is to share the flavors of East Africa while honoring tradition and embracing creativity, and to educate our community about the rich culture and history behind this celebrated cuisine. We believe in creating a welcoming, hospitable environment for every guest.
The Opportunity
We are seeking a dedicated Restaurant Manager to lead the opening and day-to-day operations of this exciting new location. This is an opportunity to join a growing company, work closely with ownership, and play a key role in shaping a unique addition to Queens’ restaurant landscape.
The ideal candidate is an experienced leader with a passion for hospitality, strong organizational skills, and a commitment to cultivating an exceptional guest and staff experience.
Key Responsibilities
-
Hire, train, and manage all front-of-house staff
-
Oversee daily service and ensure smooth operations during peak hours
-
Create and manage weekly staff schedules, maintaining labor budgets
-
Implement and uphold company policies, procedures, and service standards
-
Foster a collaborative, professional, and positive work environment
-
Educate staff and patrons about East African cuisine and the Makina story
-
Provide coaching and performance feedback; lead by example
-
Serve as liaison between front-of-house and back-of-house teams
-
Manage POS and reservations systems; troubleshoot and update as needed
-
Coordinate with vendors, manage ordering, and oversee inventory control
-
Prepare monthly inventory reports and recommend adjustments to ownership
-
Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and sanitation regulations
-
Prepare the restaurant for NYC Department of Health inspections
-
Act as first point of contact for restaurant repairs and maintenance
-
Oversee payroll, cash handling, and invoice tracking/submission
-
Share customer feedback with staff and ownership to enhance service
-
Work in partnership with ownership to achieve operational and financial goals
Qualifications
-
2+ years of management experience in a full-service restaurant
-
Proficiency with POS systems, reservations platforms, 3rd-party delivery apps, and Google Suite
-
Knowledge of wine, beer, and cocktails
-
Strong organizational and multitasking skills with attention to detail
-
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
-
Passion for warm, professional customer service
-
Positive, team-oriented leadership style
-
Availability to work nights and weekends
-
Valid NYC Food Handler’s Certification
-
Knowledge of MarginEdge is a plus
Why Join Makina Café?
-
Be part of the launch of the first Ethiopian-Eritrean restaurant in Queens
-
Join a mission-driven, woman-owned company with deep cultural roots
-
Opportunity to grow professionally alongside an expanding hospitality group
-
Play a key role in shaping a vibrant new dining destination
