Kitchen Farm is at a turning point: evolving from our brunch-style roots into a vibrant farm-to-table destination. Seasonal sharing plates, local wines, and relaxed dining are taking centre stage, alongside our 1.2-acre market garden and partnerships with local growers who share our values of sustainability and community. Together, we're building more than a café. We're creating a food and farm movement that celebrates flavour, farming, and wellbeing in the Adelaide Hills.
This is more than a 'set and forget' manager role. This is an opportunity to shape the future of a growing venue. Working alongside our Head Chef, Owner, and Marketing & Brand Executive, you'll play a defining role in leading our front-of-house, strengthening our financial sustainability, our brand, and bringing our vision to life.
The Role
As our Restaurant Manager, you'll take ownership of the guest experience and FOH operations, ensuring the venue runs with excellence, energy, and consistency. This is a hands-on, floor-based leadership role, not just an administrative position. On the busiest days of service, especially weekends (in particular Sundays), you'll be leading from the front. You'll also be closely involved in planning for our future goals of opening a new evening trade (Fridays and potentially Saturday nights).
Your responsibilities will include:
· Employing, leading, training and mentoring a dynamic FOH team.
· Improving seating plans, table turns, service flow and systems to maximise guest experience.
· Driving a culture of professionalism, salesmanship, inclusivity and warmth on the floor.
· Overseeing rosters, recruitment, and shaping a team culture that values compassion, respect and modern leadership.
· Managing bookings and events, with experience in systems such as Now Book It (preferred, not essential).
· Using Square POS (or similar), with the scope to recommend and influence future systems.
· Working with ownership on financials and budgets to ensure the venue operates profitably and sustainably within its resource constraints.
· Monitoring wage costs, sales, and budgets while finding clever, resourceful ways to elevate service on a small business budget.
· Supporting the growth of new dining experiences, including the growth into weekend evening dining, and seasonal events.
· Collaborating closely with the Head Chef, Owner and Marketing & Brand Executive to deliver seamless service and a strong, evolving brand experience.
About You
· You have proven experience in restaurant, café, or venue management and are ready for a career role, not just a stepping stone.
· You thrive in a lively, sometimes loud environment and love the buzz of service.
· You are confident in seating plans, table turns, and maintaining steps of service.
· You're a strong, compassionate leader who can employ, train, motivate and mentor with modern values — inclusivity, respect, and fairness.
· You're commercially aware, financially literate, and comfortable working with budgets.
· You are skilled at improving systems (bookings, service flow, POS, FOH–kitchen communication).
· You collaborate confidently with the Head Chef and leadership team to ensure the business can run seamlessly and independently.
· You are flexible with hours and available on weekends, especially Sundays.
· You're passionate about food, wine, community connection, and creating memorable guest experiences.
· You are able to work autonomously, with strong professional references to back your leadership.
· You are patient and understand the complexities of the hospitality industry and the balance of growth, budgets and community-mindedness.
The Offer
· A career-defining opportunity to shape the FOH direction and culture of a farm-to-table destination.
· The autonomy to influence systems, budgets, and the guest experience — while fostering an inclusive, compassionate and community-focused culture.
· A platform to build your leadership profile in one of the Adelaide Hills' emerging and fastest growing dynamic regional venues.
· Competitive remuneration, with recognition of the responsibility and impact of the role.
· The chance to grow with a business that values sustainability, innovation, inclusivity, and community.
If you're a hospitality leader ready to take the next step — to shape, grow and lead a venue that's redefining dining in the Adelaide Hills — we'd love to hear from you.