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Discipline, meticulousness, extreme asepsis, attention to detail, elegance, protocol and good service, accompany the capacity and the kitchens of the best restaurants.
All this level of demand requires that the organizational structure or administrative structure of a restaurant be clearly defined and with precise and fully executed functions by each of its members, from the owner to the noblest of assistants. It is played with nothing less than the palate of a demanding clientele!
The restaurants are structured to have a balance in a chain of command organized and synchronized with the goals and objectives of the gastronomic center.
Three or four hierarchical levels in a clear organization chart are enough to provide a restaurant with formality and efficiency.
The head of the business belongs to the owners and they will make all the important decisions of the restaurant. They hire a general manager and executive chef in a managerial or background level to control operations.
A manager or head of the counter and the shift managers are on a supervisory level, or at a third level, are in charge of the restaurant and have direct communication with the general manager. Supervisory heads are chosen by the CEO or Executive Chef for their leadership qualities and experience.
On an operational level or fourth level are the assistant chefs, kitchen assistants, cleaners, waiters and waiters.
It may interest you: Average salary of a professional Chef in the United States.
The owners
The corporate owners are in control of the restaurant in the first instance. They are the ones who can win or lose everything due to the success or failure of the restaurant.
The owners are usually responsible for hiring the general manager and can also select the executive chef. They are also responsible for the corporate image of the business, the strategic lines and ensuring consistent results.
There is an expectation that the property policy information will pass through the entire chain of command to the last workers.
General Manager
The general manager is responsible for the day-to-day decision making of the restaurant. The owners may be temporarily absent, but the general manager cannot easily leave his duties.
On the general manager and his staff, falls the administrative work behind the restaurant service. They are responsible for enforcing the owners’ guidelines as well as the administrative burdens of documentation, payroll, as well as cash and accounting.
The general manager does most of the hiring and firing in a restaurant. The general manager should also be in regular contact with the owner to offer information and request tactical guidance regarding important decisions.
The general managers often work longer hours in the restaurant because they are the linchpin in decisions since the restaurant is open until after closing.
Executive chef
Another key position in a restaurant is the executive chef. He is the one who runs the entire kitchen. They are responsible for all the decisions that are made in the kitchen, in relation to everything! from quality control to the specials of the day.
According to the restaurantowner.com portal, the executive chef reaches this name through years of training and learning in the culinary arts. Not only are they responsible for preparing hundreds of dishes a day, but they must manage all the work and the professional team under their charge.
They are responsible for the products that enter the kitchen from vendors and suppliers. The executive chefs report directly to the general manager about the inventory and orders.
The executive chef is also responsible for all dishes that come out of the kitchen. The executive chefs are often asked in the interview process and selection of all staff who help in the kitchen.
If the restaurant is to be profitable and consistent, it needs a competent kitchen manager, dedicated to “systems and procedures” when it comes to cooking, rigorously and thoroughly.
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Counter bosses
The bosses or counter managers or floor managers are an important level in the chain of command of the restaurant. The term “counter” refers not only to the Bar area, but also to all parts of the restaurant excluding the kitchen.
The job of the counter manager is to assist the general manager and executive chef in customer relations and managing staff.
They are in charge of monitoring the performance of shift leaders and base personnel. They are also responsible for the appearance of the staff and the restaurant.
Shift leaders
The shift leaders are the last level of supervision of the restaurants. They are usually the people at each service station with the most experience.
A shift leader is commonly chosen to be the one to greet customers, tend the bar, supervise the waiters, and ensure neatness. These functions can also be carried out by a host or a head waiter.
Your job is to take care of minor issues and decisions that need to be made throughout the service. They should be in regular contact with the floor manager to resolve problems with clients or conflicts between employees.