General Manager
Dragonne
13 Barrow Street, New York, NY
635 people viewed
Required Years of Experience
5 years
Job Details
About Dragonne
Dragonne is a contemporary New York bistro opening in the West Village. Rooted in classical French technique with subtle Asian influences, the restaurant is designed to feel elegant yet deeply warm — grounded in hospitality, restraint, energy, and precision.
The food is seasonal and ingredient-driven, with a strong focus on seafood, vegetables, and thoughtful cooking that feels both refined and personal. The beverage program will center on wines from classic and emerging producers, select sake offerings, timeless cocktails, and an evolving by-the-glass selection.
We are seeking a General Manager to join our opening leadership team and help establish the culture, systems, relationships, and hospitality philosophy that will define Dragonne.
About the Role
The General Manager will lead the restaurant's daily operations, dining room culture, and overall guest experience while working closely with ownership and the culinary and beverage teams.
This role requires an uncommon balance of operational discipline, emotional intelligence, financial awareness, and genuine hospitality. The ideal candidate understands that a successful restaurant is built not only on strong systems and consistent execution, but also on trust, relationships, intuition, and the ability to make people feel genuinely welcome.
We are looking for a leader who is composed, perceptive, accountable, and self-aware. Someone who communicates with clarity, exercises sound judgment, earns the trust of their team, and understands when to lead, listen, or step back.
The General Manager should have a meaningful network within the New York hospitality community and the ability to cultivate lasting relationships with guests, industry colleagues, and neighborhood regulars.
Responsibilities
Leadership & Guest Experience
Dragonne is intended to feel timeless, intimate, and alive — a restaurant grounded in rigor without feeling rigid.
We care deeply about the subtleties of hospitality: how guests are greeted, how a room moves, how a team communicates, and how people feel when they leave. Atmosphere, rhythm, music, materiality, and emotional warmth are as important to us as technical execution.
We believe exceptional hospitality requires both confidence and humility. We value people who are thoughtful, curious, emotionally perceptive, and genuinely invested in the success of those around them.
This is an opportunity to help build more than a restaurant. It is a chance to establish a lasting culture, develop meaningful relationships, and contribute to a place that becomes part of the fabric of New York dining.
Position Details
Dragonne is a contemporary New York bistro opening in the West Village. Rooted in classical French technique with subtle Asian influences, the restaurant is designed to feel elegant yet deeply warm — grounded in hospitality, restraint, energy, and precision.
The food is seasonal and ingredient-driven, with a strong focus on seafood, vegetables, and thoughtful cooking that feels both refined and personal. The beverage program will center on wines from classic and emerging producers, select sake offerings, timeless cocktails, and an evolving by-the-glass selection.
We are seeking a General Manager to join our opening leadership team and help establish the culture, systems, relationships, and hospitality philosophy that will define Dragonne.
About the Role
The General Manager will lead the restaurant's daily operations, dining room culture, and overall guest experience while working closely with ownership and the culinary and beverage teams.
This role requires an uncommon balance of operational discipline, emotional intelligence, financial awareness, and genuine hospitality. The ideal candidate understands that a successful restaurant is built not only on strong systems and consistent execution, but also on trust, relationships, intuition, and the ability to make people feel genuinely welcome.
We are looking for a leader who is composed, perceptive, accountable, and self-aware. Someone who communicates with clarity, exercises sound judgment, earns the trust of their team, and understands when to lead, listen, or step back.
The General Manager should have a meaningful network within the New York hospitality community and the ability to cultivate lasting relationships with guests, industry colleagues, and neighborhood regulars.
Responsibilities
Leadership & Guest Experience
- Oversee all front-of-house operations with consistency, professionalism, and warmth.
- Establish a dining room culture rooted in hospitality, accountability, collaboration, and mutual respect.
- Lead service from the floor with presence, composure, and attention to detail.
- Develop meaningful relationships with guests, neighborhood regulars, and the broader hospitality community.
- Exercise discretion, emotional intelligence, and sound judgment when navigating sensitive situations.
- Foster a seamless working relationship between the dining room, bar, kitchen, and ownership.
- Understand and protect the atmosphere, pacing, and energy of the restaurant throughout service.
- Represent Dragonne thoughtfully and professionally within the industry and community.
- Recruit, hire, train, and develop the opening front-of-house team.
- Establish service standards, steps of service, and comprehensive training programs.
- Build a culture of mentorship, curiosity, accountability, and professional growth.
- Set clear expectations, provide constructive feedback, and address performance concerns directly and respectfully.
- Develop a cohesive leadership structure with clear responsibilities and effective communication.
- Lead by example while empowering team members to take ownership of their work.
- Oversee scheduling, labor management, reservations, opening and closing procedures, and daily operations.
- Develop and maintain SOPs for service, cash handling, guest relations, and floor management.
- Manage labor costs, operating expenses, and financial performance in collaboration with ownership.
- Monitor revenue, guest feedback, service performance, and operational efficiency.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen profitability without compromising hospitality.
- Oversee reservation strategy, VIP recognition, large parties, and private dining opportunities.
- Coordinate opening preparations, inspections, licensing, and operational readiness.
- Maintain organizational discipline while remaining adaptable to the demands of a growing restaurant.
- Work closely with beverage leadership to integrate wine, cocktails, sake, and non-alcoholic offerings into the guest experience.
- Support beverage education, service standards, inventory accountability, and financial performance.
- Collaborate with the culinary team to develop a deep understanding of the menu, seasonality, and restaurant identity.
- Ensure consistent communication between service, culinary, and beverage teams.
- Encourage curiosity and ongoing education across all aspects of food, wine, and hospitality.
- Build and maintain authentic relationships with guests, industry peers, neighboring businesses, and hospitality professionals.
- Develop a thoughtful approach to guest recognition, retention, and personalized hospitality.
- Serve as an ambassador for Dragonne, establishing its reputation through genuine engagement and meaningful relationships.
- Cultivate a loyal community of regulars while ensuring every guest receives the same consideration and care.
- Collaborate with ownership and public relations partners to support the restaurant's presence within the New York dining community.
- Significant management experience in high-quality, full-service New York City restaurants.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and retain strong hospitality teams.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and situational awareness.
- Established relationships within the New York restaurant and hospitality community.
- Strong operational knowledge, including labor management, budgeting, forecasting, and cost controls.
- Understanding of refined dining room service, food, wine, and beverage operations.
- Composed, organized, and solutions-oriented under pressure.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to navigate difficult conversations with professionalism and discretion.
- Strong personal accountability, humility, curiosity, and willingness to receive feedback.
- Ability to collaborate closely with a chef-founder and hands-on ownership team.
- Restaurant opening experience strongly preferred.
- Minimum five years of hospitality management experience preferred.
- Availability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required.
Dragonne is intended to feel timeless, intimate, and alive — a restaurant grounded in rigor without feeling rigid.
We care deeply about the subtleties of hospitality: how guests are greeted, how a room moves, how a team communicates, and how people feel when they leave. Atmosphere, rhythm, music, materiality, and emotional warmth are as important to us as technical execution.
We believe exceptional hospitality requires both confidence and humility. We value people who are thoughtful, curious, emotionally perceptive, and genuinely invested in the success of those around them.
This is an opportunity to help build more than a restaurant. It is a chance to establish a lasting culture, develop meaningful relationships, and contribute to a place that becomes part of the fabric of New York dining.
Position Details
- Full-time, management position
- Tuesday through Saturday schedule initially
- Dinner service only at opening
- Competitive compensation commensurate with experience
- Opportunity for long-term growth within the company
Compensation Details
Compensation: Salary ($100,000.00 - $120,000.00)
Benefits & Perks: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Paid Time Off, Commuter Benefits, Potential Bonuses, Dining Discounts, Wellness Program
Required Skills
Ability to Create a Positive Dining Atmosphere
Strong Mentoring and Coaching Abilities
Crisis Management Skills
Ability to Work Collaboratively With Diverse Teams
Strong Organizational Skills
Ability to Adapt to Changing Environments
Knowledge of Food and Beverage Pairings
Experience in Staff Training and Development
Read more
Gallery
Other jobs you might be interested in
OPENING SOON
Asian, French
Upscale Casual
Dragonne is a contemporary New York bistro rooted in classical French technique and shaped by global influences. Led by chef-owner Mark Chou (Blue Hill, Le Bernardin, Eleven Madison Park, Double Chicken Please, Frenchette), Dragonne offers a seasonal, shareable menu anchored by seafood and vegetables. Set to open in the West Village in Fall 2026, Dragonne aims to make fine dining accessible—quality without pretense, precision without formality, and always driven by warmth, restraint, and craft.
CountryLanguage
