Restaurant Manager

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