TP Hospitality Partners, LLC Kitchen Manager San Francisco, CA · Full time Company website

Apply for Kitchen Manager

Hardware Coffee Co. is a San Francisco-based coffee and hospitality company. We have cafe/retail locations in Ghirardelli Square (open) and West Portal (coming soon). We focus on providing elite-quality experiences and products... a very reliable, consistent experience... and being positive, engaged members of our community. In Ghirardelli Square, we are a small kiosk serving premium coffee, matcha, pastries and other refreshments in one of the world's most amazing atmospheres. In West Portal, we are opening a large, two-story, all-day cafe where coffee is the star of the show but we also do premium daytime food, beer and wine, events, and have a working expert florist. We sell our beans and retail merchandise online, in-store and at events.

The Kitchen Manager oversees all back-of-house operations for Hardware Coffee Co.’s West Portal location. This includes daily production, food safety compliance, inventory and ordering, labor management, and team leadership.

The menu and culinary direction are defined by Ownership and the Operations Director for a small-but-elevated breakfast and lunch, but there is ample opportunity for creative input on menu items with the owner/director. The Kitchen Manager’s primary responsibility is execution, systems implementation, and maintaining standards in a fast-paced environment. This position reports directly to our Operations Director.

Core Responsibilities

1. Kitchen Operations & Execution

• Execute the defined menu with consistency and precision
• Oversee prep, production, service flow, and plating standards
• Ensure recipes are followed exactly and yields are controlled
• Maintain par levels and production schedules
• Improve kitchen systems for efficiency and clarity

2. Team Leadership & Culture

• Hire, train, and schedule kitchen staff
• Set clear performance expectations and hold team accountable
• Build a calm, professional, high-standards kitchen culture
• Coach team members on speed, organization, and consistency
• Partner with front-of-house to ensure seamless service

3. Food Safety & Compliance

• Maintain strict adherence to health code standards
• Ensure ServSafe compliance and food handling best practices
• Oversee cleaning schedules and sanitation procedures
• Maintain organized storage and labeling systems

4. Cost Control & Financial Accountability

• Manage food cost and waste
• Conduct regular inventory and track COGS
• Oversee ordering and vendor relationships
• Optimize prep processes to improve margins
• Support labor budgeting with management

5. Systems & Scaling

• Build repeatable systems that support future growth
• Document recipes, prep procedures, and training materials
• Prepare the kitchen program for multi-location expansion

Qualifications

• 3+ years experience in a high-volume kitchen leadership role
• Strong understanding of food cost management
• Experience hiring and leading small teams
• ServSafe Manager certification (or ability to obtain quickly)
• Highly organized, process-oriented, and calm under pressure
• Aligned with Hardware’s brand: quality-focused, ego-free, resilient and reliable