General Manager - NYC Fine Dining

We are seeking a polished, hands-on General Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of an independently owned fine-dining, Michelin-listed Italian restaurant in Boulder, CO.

This is a high-touch leadership opportunity for an experienced hospitality professional with a strong understanding of Italian cuisine, wine service, guest experience, and fine-dining operations. The restaurant features approximately 110 dining seats plus 20 bar seats, generates approximately $3M in annual revenue, and can serve 200+ covers on busy nights.

The owners are looking for a strong operator who can take ownership of the daily business, build a positive team culture, and elevate the guest experience. A potential equity/ownership path may be available for the right long-term leader.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee all daily front-of-house and restaurant operations
• Lead and develop a team of approximately 40 employees
• Maintain exceptional fine-dining service and hospitality standards
• Drive sales, profitability, guest satisfaction, and operational performance
• Manage labor, scheduling, purchasing, inventory, and controllable expenses
• Partner closely with the Executive Chef on culinary execution and service
• Oversee wine, beverage, and Italian-focused hospitality standards
• Maintain strong relationships with guests and build repeat business
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop managers and service staff
• Establish a strong culture of accountability, professionalism, and teamwork
• Analyze restaurant performance and implement operational improvements
• Manage high-volume dinner services while maintaining consistency and service quality
• Oversee late-night operations, including live music/DJ programming and continued food service
• Utilize Toast and R365 for restaurant operations and financial management

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive restaurant management experience
• Proven General Manager experience in fine dining, upscale dining, or chef-driven restaurants
• Strong background in Italian cuisine and/or Italian food and wine
• Experience operating a $3M+ restaurant or comparable high-volume concept preferred
• Proven ability to lead teams of 30+ employees
• Strong knowledge of labor, food cost, inventory, purchasing, and P&L management
• Exceptional wine and beverage knowledge
• Polished presence with strong guest-service and relationship-building skills
• Hands-on leadership style with strong operational discipline
• Experience with Toast and/or R365 preferred
• Ability to manage fluctuating business volumes and high-pressure dinner services
• Strong communication, organization, and team-development skills
• Comfortable working evenings, weekends, and late-night service
• Must be willing to relocate to or currently reside in the Boulder area

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.