Job Description

We’re looking for an ambitious General Manager with a real passion for food, wine and people.

After the success of Lupa, a recent addition to the 2026 MICHELIN Guide and Identità Golose, our dream is to create another enduring neighbourhood classic that’s known throughout the city as a destination for some of the best Italian cooking in town.

Experience running busy restaurant services is a must, as is a good knowledge of food and wine, but we’re also open to candidates looking to make the step up from an assistant manager role.

We would like to meet talented hospitality people who will fit with our culture while helping us to elevate what we do to the next level.

In a Nutshell

Leading the team: Train, motivate, and support the FOH team, setting high standards while fostering pride, confidence, and fun
Building consistency: Establish clear service rituals and standards - from uniforms to table setups - so every shift feels smooth, sharp, and professional
Keeping the floor seamless: Oversee daily operations, ensuring tables flow, service is slick, and guests never feel like an afterthought.
Setting the vibe: Lead the room with energy, making sure service is polished but never stiff, and that the restaurant always feels alive
Hosting with warmth: Welcome guests like old friends, with an easy balance of professionalism and genuine hospitality.
Growing revenue naturally: Inspire the team to sell naturally – from getting the guest to order the correct amount of food to getting the aperitif and post-dinner drinks – creating a richer guest experience.

Job Requirements

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Presentation

Inspire, train, and motivate the front-of-house team to deliver exceptional hospitality
Uphold grooming and presentation standards, ensuring the team always reflects the friendly professionalism of what we do at Ornella
Build a strong team culture based on pride, accountability, and positive energy

Service Standards & Consistency

Establish and maintain clear service rituals and standards that ensure consistency across every shift.
Lead pre-service briefings and ongoing training sessions to align the team on standards, presentation, and guestlist.

Guest Experience

Deliver a warm, polished, and personal dining experience for every guest.
Resolve guest issues smoothly and professionally, ensuring service always feels effortless
Build and nurture established relationships with our VIPs, ensuring that key information is up to date and keeping the team in the loop
Handle guest feedback and complaints
Oversee (and optimise) daily reservations via booking platform OpenTable and the ciao@ email account, ensuring a consistent flow of bookings

Revenue Growth

Increase spend per-head by encouraging guests to tackle the menu properly, including pre-dinner cocktails and post-dinner digestivi
Collaborate with the kitchen team to design upselling opportunities
Monitor sales trends and develop strategies to grow both food and beverage revenue

Operations, Administration & KPIs

Manage rotas, staffing levels, and operational planning (holidays, sickness etc.) to balance service excellence with cost control
Send out post-service reports daily (including net takings and cover totals)
Update the KPIs weekly, including staff hours and theoretical F&B COGS
Report to the founders on service performance, revenue patterns, and opportunities for improvement
Place beverage orders and ensure prep is done for the pre-batched apéritif cocktail list.
Manage cash and credit card tips, liaising with HR Manager to give monthly totals for payroll