Position: Food and Beverage Manager
Location: Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Are you ready to take the next step in growing your culinary career?
The Wisconsin Café inside Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center brings the farm-to-table experience of the facility full circle by serving locally produced food in fresh breakfast and lunch dishes within a family-friendly environment. Farm Wisconsin’s conference center provides an additional in-house opportunity to cater to groups of all sizes. The café complements the mission of Farm Wisconsin, and the catering is an important part of the organization’s financial picture.
We are seeking a passionate and experienced Food and Beverage Manager to lead the café and catering functions at Farm Wisconsin. The ideal candidate will have a strong culinary background, an understanding of and accountability for basic restaurant business profit and loss, and a commitment to high-quality food preparation.
As a non-profit organization, we are fortunate to have a supportive volunteer corps that loves the mission, provides helping hands, and contributes to the welcoming atmosphere. The Food and Beverage Manager is charged with balancing staffing needs, volunteer resources and food costs to produce delicious food and meet budget expectations.
This unique position also can contribute to food-focused programming, such as facilitated food pairings.
The ideal candidate will be passionate about farm-to-table food, fostering a positive work environment, and driving business growth.
Key Responsibilities:
- Prepare and present a variety of dishes to high standards, ensuring consistency in flavor and presentation.
- Develop and maintain recipes and standardized portion sizes using seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients.
- Lead and mentor kitchen and café staff and volunteers, ensuring teamwork and maintaining a positive work environment.
- Maintain a high standard of food quality and ensure dishes are prepared on time.
- Maintain relationships with producers and food service providers to source items appropriately, monitoring inventory levels and ordering supplies needed.
- Manage kitchen operations, including food inventory, budget, cleanliness, and health and safety compliance.
- Cater banquet events, overseeing foodservice set-up, staffing, volunteers and bartenders when needed.
- Implement cost control measures to minimize waste and maximize profitability.
- Maximize the reporting of the point-of-sale (POS) system to evaluate sales and make adjustments based on data.
Qualifications:
- Proven experience as a chef in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
- Excellent knowledge of culinary techniques and food preparation.
- Ability to work under pressure and handle high-volume service.
- Strong leadership and team management skills.
- Knowledge of food safety regulations and kitchen hygiene.
- Understanding of point-of-sale and food-based accounting preferred.
- Culinary degree or equivalent experience preferred but not required.
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary based on experience, and opportunity for performance bonuses.
- Family-friendly work schedule and supportive team environment.
- Access to fresh, local ingredients for creative cooking.
- Employee discounts.
Interested Applicants: If you’re a dedicated chef looking for a new challenge in a dynamic family-friendly environment, we want to hear from you! Please submit your resume and cover letter detailing your experience and culinary background to [email protected].