Overview

ANIML Steakhouse is seeking an experienced General Manager to act as a senior operational leader within the restaurant and to work directly with the Regional Manager and Executive Chef.

The successful candidate must have substantial experience managing upscale, fine-dining, luxury steakhouse or similarly sophisticated restaurant operations. This is not a general supervisory position. The General Manager is expected to possess the product knowledge, service expertise, leadership ability and financial understanding necessary to maintain the standards of a premium dining operation.

The GM will be responsible for leading restaurant service during operating periods, maintaining exceptional guest-service standards, supervising front-of-house personnel, coordinating with culinary and beverage leadership, controlling labour and operating costs, overseeing inventory and assisting with the restaurant’s financial performance.

The successful candidate must be capable of remaining highly attentive to detail during busy service periods while simultaneously managing staff, guest expectations, service timing, reservations, VIP requirements, beverage and food standards and operational issues.

Key Responsibilities

1. Restaurant Operations and Service Leadership

Take control of in the overall planning, organization, direction and control of restaurant operations.
Take senior operational responsibility for the restaurant during assigned shifts and ensure that all aspects of service are executed to the restaurant’s established standards.
Lead front-of-house operations during peak service periods, maintaining control over service flow, table pacing, staffing levels and guest experience.
Ensure coordinated and appropriately timed service between hosts, servers, bartenders, runners, bussers and the culinary team.
Monitor the restaurant floor continuously and identify potential service issues before they affect the guest experience.
Ensure that service standards are maintained consistently from guest arrival through seating, ordering, food and beverage service, dessert and departure.
Maintain appropriate table pacing and turn times while ensuring that service is never rushed and that the restaurant maintains a premium guest experience.
Ensure staff properly execute sophisticated fine-dining service techniques, including tableside presentation, carving or butchery service where applicable, wine presentation, decanting and other specialized guest-service procedures.
Coordinate special events, private dining, large parties and high-profile guest visits.
Ensure that opening, service and closing procedures are completed accurately and consistently.
2. Fine-Dining Guest Experience and VIP Hospitality

Maintain an exceptional level of personalized hospitality appropriate to a high-end dining establishment.
Personally monitor the experience of VIP guests, regular clientele, corporate clients and other priority reservations.
Review reservations and guest notes before service and ensure that relevant preferences, dietary requirements, celebrations and special requests are communicated to the service team.
Develop strong relationships with regular guests and contribute to the restaurant’s long-term client retention and guest loyalty.
Handle guest complaints, service failures and other concerns promptly and professionally, exercising appropriate judgment regarding service recovery.
Ensure that all guest interactions reflect the restaurant’s standards for professionalism, discretion, attentiveness and hospitality.
Work with the reservation and host team to optimize seating plans while balancing guest preferences, service capacity and table availability.
Ensure that guest information and preferences are properly recorded and communicated through reservation-management systems.
3. Premium Steakhouse Product Knowledge

Maintain detailed knowledge of the restaurant’s premium beef program, including USDA Prime and Wagyu products, cuts, grades, characteristics, preparation methods and appropriate cooking and presentation.
Ensure front-of-house staff can accurately describe menu items, premium cuts, preparation methods, sauces, accompaniments and seasonal offerings to guests.
Train staff on steak temperatures, cooking terminology, portioning, presentation and appropriate recommendations.
Maintain knowledge of dry-aging procedures, where applicable, and understand the relationship between aging, yield, product quality and cost.
Work with the Executive Chef and culinary team to communicate changes to menu items, preparation techniques, availability and specials.
Ensure employees are capable of making informed recommendations and appropriate premium-product upsells without compromising the guest experience.
4. Wine, Spirits and Beverage Service

Work closely with the beverage and culinary teams to ensure a sophisticated and consistent beverage-service program.
Maintain working knowledge of premium wines, spirits, cocktails and appropriate food pairings.
Ensure proper service procedures for wine presentation, opening, decanting, temperature and glassware.
Assist with training staff regarding wine and spirits, including premium and limited-allocation products.
Support beverage sales by ensuring that staff understand appropriate pairing recommendations and responsible upselling techniques.
Assist in monitoring wine and beverage inventory, product rotation, storage and wastage.
Maintain awareness of responsible alcohol-service requirements and ensure compliance with applicable Ontario regulations.
5. Staff Leadership, Training and Performance

Participate in recruitment, interviewing, selection, onboarding and training of front-of-house employees.
Provide direct leadership to servers, bartenders, hosts, bussers, food runners and other service personnel.
Prepare and implement staff schedules in conjunction with the General Manager based on projected reservations, covers, events and business levels.
Adjust staffing deployment during service to respond to changing business volumes.
Conduct structured pre-service meetings covering reservations, VIP guests, menu changes, premium products, wine and beverage information, service standards and operational priorities.
Provide continuous coaching during service and conduct follow-up training where standards are not met.
Monitor employee performance and provide constructive feedback and corrective direction where required.
Assist the HR team with disciplinary matters, performance management and conflict resolution.
Promote a professional, respectful and accountable workplace culture.
Mentor high-performing employees and assist in developing staff for increased responsibilities within the organization.
Ensure effective communication between front-of-house, culinary, beverage and management teams.
6. Labour and Financial Management

Manage labour costs in accordance with projected business volumes and financial objectives.
Review reservations, historical business levels, events and anticipated covers to assist with staffing forecasts.
Monitor employee productivity and ensure appropriate deployment of staff throughout service.
Review daily sales and operating reports and identify significant variances or trends.
Assist with monitoring food and beverage cost performance, waste and product loss.
Assist with preparation and review of restaurant financial information, including revenue, labour, operating expenses and profitability metrics.
Monitor average guest spend and identify opportunities to improve revenue through appropriate premium-product recommendations and service strategies.
Ensure that cost-control procedures are followed without compromising the quality of the guest experience.
7. Inventory, Purchasing and Premium Product Controls

Assist with monitoring food, beverage and operating-supply inventories.
Work with management, culinary and beverage teams to maintain appropriate stock levels.
Assist with receiving, checking and documenting deliveries of food, wine, spirits and other products.
Monitor high-value inventory, including premium beef and valuable wine and spirits.
Assist with maintaining appropriate storage, rotation and product-handling procedures.
Monitor wastage, spoilage, breakage and product loss and report discrepancies to management.
Assist with vendor communication and resolve delivery or product-quality issues.
Support regular inventory counts and reconciliation procedures.
8. POS, Reservation and Restaurant Technology

Operate and supervise the effective use of the restaurant’s POS and reservation systems.
Use restaurant technology to monitor sales, reservations, table status, guest information and shift performance.
Review shift reports and identify discrepancies or unusual transactions.
Ensure accurate processing of guest checks, discounts, complimentary items, voids and other adjustments in accordance with company procedures.
Maintain accurate guest information and reservation notes.
Use reservation data and business forecasts to assist with staffing and service planning.
9. Health, Safety and Regulatory Compliance

Ensure compliance with all applicable Ontario health, food-safety, workplace-safety and alcohol-service requirements.
Ensure staff maintain appropriate food handling, sanitation and personal-hygiene standards.
Monitor cleanliness and organization of dining, bar, service and guest areas.
Ensure workplace health and safety policies and procedures are followed.
Address safety concerns immediately and report incidents through the appropriate management channels.
Ensure responsible service of alcohol and compliance with Smart Serve and AGCO requirements.
Assist management with maintaining appropriate records relating to health, safety and regulatory compliance.
10. Management Support and Business Development

Work closely with Executive Chef to maintain consistency between the restaurant’s culinary, service and financial objectives.
Assist with implementing new menus, service procedures, promotional initiatives and operational improvements.
Participate in management meetings and contribute operational recommendations.
Assist with special events, media events, private functions and other promotional activities.
Maintain professional relationships with suppliers, hospitality partners, concierge contacts, corporate clients and other business partners.
Assist with initiatives designed to increase repeat business, guest loyalty and the restaurant’s reputation within Toronto’s premium dining market.
Qualifications and Requirements

Education

Completion of secondary school is required.
Post-secondary education or formal training in hospitality, restaurant management, food and beverage management or a related field is considered an asset.
Professional Experience

Due to the premium nature of the operation and the level of responsibility associated with the position, the successful candidate must have:

At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in the hospitality or restaurant industry;
At least 3 years of management or senior supervisory experience in a high-end, fine-dining, luxury restaurant, premium steakhouse, hotel restaurant or similarly sophisticated food-service operation;
Demonstrated experience leading front-of-house operations in a high-volume and detail-oriented restaurant environment;
Proven experience managing professional service teams and maintaining consistently high service standards;
Experience working with discerning clientele, VIP guests and high-value reservations;
Demonstrated knowledge of premium beef, fine-dining service and sophisticated food and beverage programs;
Demonstrated experience with labour scheduling, inventory controls, cost management and restaurant financial reporting.
Experience specifically in a high-end steakhouse, fine-dining restaurant, luxury hotel restaurant or comparable premium hospitality environment is strongly preferred.

Technical and Product Knowledge

The successful candidate must demonstrate:

Strong knowledge of premium beef products, including Prime and Wagyu cuts and their characteristics;
Knowledge of steak preparation, cooking temperatures, presentation and tableside service;
Working knowledge of fine wine, spirits and cocktail programs;
Understanding of wine service, including presentation, opening and decanting;
Experience with POS and restaurant-management systems;
Experience with computerized reservation systems such as OpenTable, SevenRooms or equivalent platforms;
Understanding of restaurant labour, food-cost, beverage-cost and inventory controls.
WSET, Sommelier or comparable wine/beverage education is considered an asset.

Management and Communication Skills

Excellent English communication skills, both oral and written;
Strong interpersonal and guest-relations skills;
Ability to communicate professionally with VIP guests, employees, suppliers and business partners;
Strong organizational and multitasking abilities;
Excellent attention to detail;
Ability to make sound operational decisions under pressure;
Calm, professional and decisive leadership style;
Ability to resolve guest and employee issues discreetly and effectively;
Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop hospitality professionals.
Certification

Valid Smart Serve certification is required.
Additional recognized food-safety, responsible beverage service, hospitality or wine certification is an asset.
Availability

The successful candidate must be available to work a flexible schedule based on restaurant operations, including:

Days and evenings;
Late-night shifts;
Weekends;
Statutory holidays;
Special events and private functions; and
Additional hours or schedule adjustments when required by operational demands.
Why Extensive Fine-Dining Experience Is Required

ANIML Steakhouse operates at a level of service and product complexity that requires substantially more than general restaurant supervisory experience. The General Manager is responsible for maintaining a highly detailed guest experience involving premium beef products, sophisticated wine and cocktail service, VIP clientele, specialized service techniques, reservation management, premium-product inventory and significant labour and cost-control responsibilities.

The successful candidate must therefore be capable of simultaneously managing service execution, guest relations, staff performance, premium product knowledge, operational controls and financial considerations during busy service periods. Extensive experience in high-end or fine-dining hospitality is required to ensure that the individual can immediately understand and maintain the restaurant’s expected standards of service, presentation, professionalism and guest experience.

Physical and Work Environment Requirements

Ability to remain active on the restaurant floor for extended periods;
Ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods during service;
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with frequent changes in priorities;
Ability to work effectively during peak service periods and under time pressure;
Ability to occasionally lift or move supplies and restaurant materials within normal workplace requirements;
Ability to work late evenings, weekends and holidays as required.
To Apply please send your resume to hr@inkentertainment.com