F&B Team Leader

What’s the purpose of the job?

This is a generic operational role managing the successful and efficient day to day operation of a restaurant, bars, speciality Events ‘space’, weddings and meetings. While effectively taking on the F&B Team Leader / management of this iconic estate in West Cork, you’ll ensure our paying guests and local patrons alike receive an excellent experience daily. Work activities can be rotated from time to time to encourage multi-skilling and development eg a delimited short winter week strategy; menu development; staff training; tactical SOP’s.

THE JOB

Regularly acting as a Team Leader. Taking accountability for ensuring the smooth operation of the Restaurants and Bars.
Leading our small team cognizant of the need to have full adherence to the completion of prime safety systems, crisis management policies, compliance and health and safety audits and following Ireland’s Restaurant Association guidelines.
Leading guest ‘obsessed service’ through inspirational up-tempo leadership as we are a bonefide Relais & Chateaux member.
Ensuring the ‘team’ are trained in the product we sell, confident to Up-Sell to increase the average cheque.
Maximising the ‘paying guest’ experience and staff participation through great facility standards and management.
Monitoring both Front and Back of House F&B related areas. etc. Ensure a clean, safe, tidy, efficient and consistent working environment for all, at all times (most especially the cellar, the rest-rooms).
Taking ownership of the Guest Feedback (Relais & Chateaux; TripAdvisor). Celebrating our Feedback scores with the Team, giving recognition to team members being recognised and taking appropriate actions to further improve the guest experience when the comments are not flattering.
Lead the team communications to ensure that all team members understand the changes upcoming (theme evenings; private parties; ling-staying guests needs; menu variations (children’s menu’s included); a better terrace dining experience; greater use of the lawns in summer; potential commissioning of the Gallery as our refined dining venue; new F&B ‘coffee & small bakery’ at the Lake House; better us of our Open Table Digital Restaurant Booking system.
Knowing the magnificent West Cork area complete with Fine and Casual Dining experiences to engage guests re their activities/plans and seeking ways to improve their experience at every opportunity.
Taking ownership of and utilising channels of communication such as OTA feedback, Social Media (FB, Quintelis – Relais & Chateaux); LinkedIn; Instagram; Pinterest and Tic Tok. When ‘ready’ a tactical Murder Mystery Theme Dinner to begin our winter season.
Taking ownership to resolve guest’s queries or complaints.
Assist re the professional recruitment of ‘great people’ by inducting, managing and developing high performance hotel school trainee’s to ensure excellent feedback from the school tutors and thus improve our staffing options in peak season.
Checking rosters (digital) on Alkamii to ensure staff are rested and focused.
Working with the General Manager to create and implement weekly Action and Improvement Plans against key metrics based on a monthly cycle and managing own service team to deliver.
Checking weekly updates and discussing with all team members to ensure they are continuously abreast of our hotel and company activities.
Leading our F&B Team to ensure that profit margin and financial targets are achieved and that costs are minimised contributing to the hotel’s profit and loss performance in this post-pandemic era.
Managing stock (aware of new par stock levels recently afixed), repairs and ordering systems (wary of the current challenge re securing produce, products on time). Following our finance procedures re F&B.
Gently setting – challenging, achievable targets for the team and reviewing them on a regular basis.
Working with General Manager, the Head Chef, the Events & Meetings Coorindator, the DOS to ensure consistent delivery of the services as per our Relais & Chateaux expectation.
Building good relationships with Suppliers to utilise resources for the benefit of all.
Participating and sharing knowledge and expertise with peers and other team members.
Leading the restaurant, the Loung Bar, the events space (Alchemy) opening and closing procedures when on shift.
Creating and implementing department action and improvement plans where required. Tactical use of SOP’s are necessary.
Delivering ad hoc activities as required by the General Manager.

Additional Responsibilities

F&B (only)

Take the lead in the re-commissioning of the Gallery as a Fine Dining Restaurant (to include a signature wine and cocktail list; customised Coffee-Tea blends).
Full knowledge of Irish food hygiene and health & safety standards. Making sure team members, guests and staff are safe at all times.
Completing a weekly FB audit and assist the Head Chef re food safety, ensuring that all health and safety checks are completed and documented using our control system books/software.
Play a central role in delivering a range of social events and activities, looking for opportunities to improve revenue generation, deliver ‘a cosy vibe’ (we are an exceptional independent heritage estate not a branded city centre marble palace) increase profit and generate new income streams for the F&B division.
Instructing the team re menu changes, consider ‘wellness & health benefits’, food provenance (pivotal – most especially seafood and vegetables) offering advice and encouraging our team to absorb and commit to the new initiatives.
Supporting the entire hotel team in delivering the Restaurant roster to drive labour optimisation (accurately forecasting revenue to maximise margins and guest experience). We are a unique heritage hotel (lateral communications are critical) not a stand-alone restaurant.
Leading by example, with an entrepreneurial mindset re F&B revenue targets. Ensure that all profit margins on Food and Beverage are achieved by completing stocks in line with hotel expectations and review the stock weekly with our Bar team, Head Chef and General Manager.
Managing stock, cash control and ordering systems, following our operating and finance procedures as agreed with the Financial Controller.
Working with partners and contractors to ensure safe and consistent delivery of the Service Level Agreements eg outsourced Cleaning Services should they be affordable and should we need them to maintain our standards.

How will you be measured?

Feedback from Qualitelis (Relais & Chateaux), from TripAdvisor (peer to peer analysis) other OTA’s and of course directly via guest comments.
Quality of your Briefings (sales initiatives included) and when time permits Debriefings.
Speed re ensuring orders are promptly attended to (use of the iPads at breakfast to delimit frequent to and fro’ from kitchen and keep a presences in the dining room) and that dinners are not kept waiting.
What guests, team members or mystery guests tell us about our team, our synergy, our body language (eyes on the customer) and our facilities.
How well can our team interpret the owner’s vision (business metrics).
Key KPI’s to include % of irregular guests, usage % penetration of monthly guests in relation to the locale, Customer Satisfaction, In-Hotel Income per Guests, labour costs (man hours) and EBITDARR.
Compliance against all legislative and company audits.
Monthly competitor visits and bi-monthly distillery visits (new product) Keen ‘eye’ on competitors (meaning local award winning Michelin guide restaurants) to compare prices, product, services.

What qualifications, skills and experience do we seek?

The position requires working a delimited number of straight shifts in accordance with the demand of the business. We guestimate 5 shifts per week is a minimum.
Educated to at least Leaving standard (Ireland) or equivalent with additional degree qualification from a recognized hotel management school- desirable.
Literate / Numerate – excellence in English and competence in Maths.
Experience in managing a team in a busy hotel restaurant – highly desirable as is exposure to West Cork life.
Experience of duty management responsibilities – highly desirable (exposure to Opera Cloud – desirable; Open Table – essential).
Experience of financial planning and management.
Passionate about customer service.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills keen to celebrate cultural differences as your team is multi-cultured.
Team player with a kind disposition and an appreciation of lateral communications.
Full understanding of the need to be quietly theatrical re services. We don’t do ‘ho hum’, indentikit.