Why Join MadTree as a Kitchen Manager

As the Kitchen Manager at Alcove by MadTree — OTR, you'll own every aspect of kitchen operations before a single guest walks through the door. This is a high-expectation role with real financial accountability. You'll manage food costs, labor, inventory, and vendor relationships while staying close enough to your team to develop them and close enough to the food to ensure it's right every single time. The operational and the people sides of this role are equally non-negotiable.

Total Rewards & Benefits:

 ✓ Transparent compensation — Base Salary: $50,000 - $68,000
✓ 401(k) — save for what’s next and help build your future
✓ FREE mental health support — 8 in-person/video sessions + unlimited text-based therapy
✓ Paid volunteer time annually + company-wide Community Impact Day
✓ Enjoy what we create — Team member discounts plus regular gift cards for MadTree food, beverages, and merch
✓ Continued growth — Cross-training opportunities across hospitality operations
✓ Nature-inspired workspaces — Designed to connect people to nature and each other
✓ Face-to-face humanity — Real human connection, not screen isolation
✓ A team that gives a f*ck — People who are passionate and genuinely care

About MadTree

Founded in 2013, MadTree is an award-winning brewery that’s rooted in Cincinnati and planted in purpose. Driven to craft great beer - but more importantly - build a business dedicated to doing good, MadTree protects and celebrates nature while reducing impact on the environment. MadTree is a B Corp certified company and proud member of 1% for the Planet with a commitment to donate 1% of sales to local, sustainable nonprofits. MadTree strives to create warm and welcoming experiences, exceed expectations, and most importantly, plant a better community. They put purpose in every pour, and raise a glass to doing things differently.

About Alcove OTR

Alcove - OTR is the first evolution of the MadTree hospitality experience; a space intentionally designed to connect people to nature and each other in the heart of Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.

Located in one of Cincinnati’s most historic and storied German beer halls, Alcove - OTR lives inside a building that was beautifully restored in 2022 and thoughtfully reimagined for a new generation of gathering and hospitality. The LEED-certified space blends approachable dining with warm hospitality, thoughtful design, and a nature-inspired atmosphere that feels both elevated and inviting. Complete with more than 2,500 live plants, stunning living walls, patio space, and our signature greenhouse bar, the space blurs the lines between indoors and outdoors while creating a nook of nature in the middle of the city. 

As the foundation of the Alcove concept, the space carries forward our commitment to crafted food and beverage offerings, immersive hospitality, and experiences that feel memorable without feeling pretentious. Alcove - OTR is a living expression of who we are as a company and the experiences we aspire to create every single day.

We are MadTree. Rooted in Cincy. Planted in Purpose.

MadTree is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce that is rooted in Cincy and planted in purpose. We offer a competitive compensation package plus great benefits like subsidized health insurance, free mental health support, a retirement plan with a match, paid time off, and many other great perks.

POSITION SUMMARY: As the Kitchen Manager at Alcove, you'll be the heartbeat of our kitchen, leading a team of 15+ in a high-energy operation with $40k+ in weekly food sales. You're not just managing – you're connecting with your team, growing future leaders, and giving a f*ck about every plate that leaves the kitchen. From ensuring our food quality is consistently amazing to mentoring your Assistant Kitchen Manager and team, into their next chapter, you'll wear many hats while keeping things rooted in connection and purpose. 

LOCATION: Cincinnati, OH
REPORTS TO: General Manager, Alcove
STATUS: Full-Time (Exempt - Salaried)
COMPENSATION RANGE: $50,830 - $59,800 - $68,770
VARIABLE COMPENSATION: Up to $10,000/year for achieving specific performance metrics

SCHEDULE: Full-Time | Availability including some nights, weekends, and holidays

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead and develop the Kitchen team through training, coaching, and performance management in accordance with company goals, policy and food safety standards, with special focus on mentoring the Assistant Kitchen Manager and key employees through growth opportunities and leadership training to prepare them for future management roles.
• Maintain exceptional food quality and consistency through active oversight, regular quality checks, and hands-on leadership.
• Manage and maintain food costs, inventory (including ordering, receiving & storage), and vendor relationships, and report weekly on food cost, labor, waste, and quality metrics.
• Create and optimize team member schedules with labor budgeting, based on business forecasts and staffing needs.
• Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and sanitation standards & regulations while directing/executing maintenance, repairs, and upkeep of kitchen equipment, tools, and work areas.
• Collaborate with the Private Events team on catering planning and execution, including menu development, cost analysis, staffing coordination, timeline management, and on-site supervision to ensure seamless delivery of high-quality food service for all private events.
• Build and maintain a positive kitchen culture by resolving conflicts effectively, implementing retention strategies to keep great team members engaged and motivated, and partnering with Alcove leadership to deliver our PODs (Points of Differentiation): We are Warm & Welcoming, We Craft to Exceed Expectations, and Together, We Plant a Better Community.
• Develop and implement standard operating procedures and comprehensive training programs for menu execution, opening & closing operations, etc.
• Monitor and respond to guest feedback in a timely and effective manner.
• Partner to execute recruitment strategy, performance reviews, and follow up on annual engagement and pulse surveys, ensuring proper documentation oversight and timely follow-through on all people-related initiatives, action plans, and policy or behavior infractions.
• Manage food cost, labor budgeting, and inventory with a financial lens — tracking performance against targets, adjusting in real time, and building ordering and receiving systems that keep the kitchen running efficiently and profitably from day one
• Lead the full lifecycle of your kitchen crew — recruiting, onboarding, training, and coaching with intention, creating an environment where people grow, hold each other accountable, and genuinely want to show up
• Work the floor as an active, hands-on leader — executing quality checks, modeling the behaviors you expect, and ensuring that food quality, consistency, safety, and sanitation are never an afterthought, never a compromise
• Spend at least 16 hours a year volunteering (paid) for MadTree Impact initiatives with excitement, encouraging your teammates to do the same.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform essential duties, accountabilities, and responsibilities satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Must be at least 21 years of age or older.

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent education preferred.
• 2+ years of kitchen leadership, people management, and kitchen staff training & development in a high-volume restaurant required.
• ServSafe PIC/Manager certified.
• Available to work evening hours, weekends, and holidays. Management work week averages 45-50 hours per week, and more is deemed necessary at various times.

• Experience managing teams of 15+ employees and weekly food sales volume of $40k+ preferred.
• Proficiency with restaurant management platforms including R365, Toast, Google Suite, etc required.

SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Leadership Excellence: Develops talent, drives engagement, and ensures accountability of their team through setting expectations and leading by example.
• Operations Management: Strong financial acumen and ability to optimize & adjust kitchen operations in line company budget.
• Works Well Under Pressure: can handle the fast pace of a busy kitchen environment without losing focus.
• Attention to Detail: recognizes the importance of quality, making sure that even the smallest of details are not overlooked.
• Passion for Food: Demonstrates genuine enthusiasm for cuisine and the culinary arts.
• Problem Solver: Identifies and resolves issues quickly and effectively, while not being afraid to “think outside the box”.
• Team Builder: Creates a strong and positive work environment for their team and thrives in building strong cross-functional relationships across the organization.
• Communication Expert: Clear and effective communicator with all levels of staff and leadership, always both explaining and owning the “why”.
• Guest-Focused: Committed to delivering exceptional dining experiences for their guests.
• Multi-Tasker: Manages multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, pivoting and prioritizing where needed.
• Tech-Savvy: Comfortable with various restaurant management & scheduling systems, and has the ability to teach others.
• Safety Champion: Ensures compliance with all safety and sanitation standards, and champions the education of their team around this.
• Community Builder: Actively participates in and promotes volunteer initiatives
• Hospitality Professional: Solid and experienced understanding of restaurant operations and service excellence.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to regularly sit, stand, and walk.
• Ability to frequently talk and hear.
• Ability to frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to frequently reach with hands and arms. Use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• The work environment is usually that of a bar, restaurant, and kitchen.
• The employee occasionally works near hazardous materials.
• The employee frequently works on wet floors.