Restaurant and Events Manager

The Duchy of Cornwall

The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate which funds the public, charitable and private activities of The Prince of Wales and his family. The Duchy consists of around 53,154 hectares of land in 24 counties, mostly in the South West of England.

The Duchy estate was created in 1337 by Edward III for his son and heir, Prince Edward, and its primary function was to provide him and future Princes of Wales with an income from its assets. A charter ruled that each future Duke of Cornwall would be the eldest surviving son of the Monarch and the heir to the throne.

The current Duke of Cornwall, HRH The Prince of Wales, is actively involved in running the Duchy and his philosophy is to improve the estate and pass it on to future Dukes in a stronger and better condition.

The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery

The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery is a small part of the Duchy, but it is proud of its heritage. The Nursery is located at the heart of the Duchy estate and Restormel Castle can be seen from across the valley. With gardens, walks and incredible views to delicious food, inspirational shopping and a superb range of quality indoor and outdoor plants, the nursery is very much a destination venue for so many reasons.

Our dining spaces include the main cafe, glasshouse, tipi and outdoor terrace with spectacular views all with full table service as well as a takeaway focused shepherd hut on the terrace. Nursery events and client booked spaces and functions are varied and a growing part of the business with plans for growth into the future. Our food and drink offering is of high quality local produce, prepared expertly and with care. Our service style is relaxed yet professional, smart and exacting to meet the high expectations of our customers. We are a remarkably busy and demanding operation looking after over 100,000 covers annually. We welcome applications from those who can demonstrate relevant experience and a natural capability in similar roles and environments. You will be ready to lead this growing and dynamic team and operation into an exciting new phase

The role

The leadership and management of all food and beverage areas whilst contributing through your experience to the ongoing developments, customer and sales growth and professional delivery across the operation.

• Delivery and onward development of a professional and friendly service across all areas with a desire to wow and exceed the growing expectation of our guests
• Management, scheduling, support, training, coaching and leadership of the team including pdp’s and appraisals
• Working closely with the Head Chef and team to always provide a seamless and cohesive experience for guests as well as bringing innovation, flair and an artisanal approach to our offer
• Menu and drinks list development, design and printing in liaison with the Head Chef and General Manager
• Maintenance, coordination and development of all restaurant IT systems, POS, booking processes and payments
• Development of procedures, standards and smarter ways of working to improve consistency of guest experience
• Operational health and safety of the team and customers
• Ordering and supplier relationships
• With the wider management team, input on and initiate marketing concepts, sales and event activities
• Ensuring clear channels of communication pre and during service, with other departments and to the wider management team
• To analyse, report and act on sales, trends and to manage operational, wage and food and beverage cost of sales within budgetary targets
• Ensure a fun, calm, professional and organised service every day and a focus on customer excellence always
• As a part of the senior team, this role will include occasional Duty Management responsibilities for the whole site

You will naturally provide:

• Leadership experience working within the hospitality sector and at least 2 years at a similar level
• Confidence in solving problems and a can-do attitude
• A passion for food, Cornwall and the quality of experience of our customers
• Leading by example and maintaining professionalism
• A working understanding of operational finance, budgets and targets
• An understanding of the challenges of a growing business and how you can best support this onward journey
• Possessing a positive, fun and capable approach to your work with a smile

• Direct reports are the café front of house team (approx. 15), supervisors and assistant manager
• Peers are the Head Chef and other department heads
  
• The post reports to the General Manager.

Working Hours and Reward Package