Assistant Manager – Kitchen Operations

Location: Inner Sunset, San Francisco, CA

Compensation

• $55,000–$75,000 Base Salary
• Performance-Based Growth Opportunities
• Paid Training
• Career Advancement with a Growing Restaurant Concept

About the Opportunity

A growing Korean BBQ and all-you-can-eat restaurant concept is seeking a hands-on Assistant Manager – Kitchen Operations to join its leadership team in San Francisco's Inner Sunset neighborhood.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced restaurant leader who thrives in a kitchen-focused environment and enjoys building structure, developing teams, and improving day-to-day operations. Working closely with ownership, you'll help drive operational excellence while supporting the company's long-term growth plans.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily restaurant operations to ensure efficient, high-quality service.
• Oversee kitchen execution, food preparation, quality, and consistency.
• Support prep, grill, fryer, and other kitchen stations during peak service periods.
• Train, coach, and develop kitchen team members.
• Assist with hiring, onboarding, and employee development.
• Monitor inventory, food cost, and kitchen organization.
• Ensure food safety, cleanliness, and operational standards are consistently met.
• Help develop and improve standard operating procedures and training systems.
• Partner with ownership to strengthen operations and improve overall restaurant performance.

Qualifications

• Previous restaurant management experience required.
• Experience in Korean BBQ, Asian cuisine, or other high-volume kitchen-driven concepts strongly preferred.
• Strong leadership and team development skills.
• Hands-on management style with the ability to lead by example.
• Experience managing kitchen operations, labor, inventory, and food quality.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese) language skills are a plus, but not required.

What We're Looking For

• A proactive leader who takes initiative.
• Someone who enjoys building systems and improving restaurant operations.
• A manager who is comfortable jumping into kitchen operations when needed.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to lead diverse teams.
• A long-term leader who wants to grow with an expanding restaurant concept.

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary of $55,000–$75,000.
• Opportunity to make a direct impact on a growing restaurant concept.
• Work closely with ownership and help shape future operations.
• Long-term career growth as the company continues to expand.
• Collaborative, hands-on leadership environment.

If you're passionate about restaurant operations and are looking for an opportunity to help build and grow a successful concept, we'd love to hear from you!

The Restaurant Zone is a leading hospitality recruitment agency specializing in connecting top-tier talent with restaurants, hotels, and hospitality groups across the United States. We partner with growing brands and established operators to deliver high-quality candidates for management, executive, and specialized roles. Our team combines industry expertise, a vast candidate network, and a results-driven approach to help businesses build strong, reliable teams. At The Restaurant Zone, we focus on speed, quality, and long-term fit—ensuring both clients and candidates succeed.