Restaurant Manager - Full-Time Salaried Position at Cafe Malabar Restaurant & Bar – Victoria, BC
We're a chef-led restaurant inspired by the food, culture, and hospitality traditions of Kerala's Malabar Coast in South India. Sharing those traditions through food, beverage, storytelling, and genuine hospitality is at the heart of what we do. Led by Chefs Kiran and Karma, Victoria's 2025 Chefs of the Year, Cafe Malabar was also named Air Canada's 5th Best New Restaurant in Canada in 2024. As we continue to grow, we're looking for the right person to grow with us.
We're looking for someone who loves restaurants. Someone who enjoys being on the floor, coaching people, building a strong team, and helping a restaurant get better every week. The right person will already have a strong foundation in hospitality and leadership. We are committed to supporting your growth and development, but we're looking for someone who can step into the role with confidence, take ownership of their responsibilities, and operate with a high degree of independence.
We believe beverage knowledge is an important part of hospitality leadership. We're looking for someone with a genuine passion for food, wine, cocktails, and hospitality who is committed to continuous learning and professional development.
This role reports directly to the General Manager and works closely with ownership and kitchen leadership. It is a hands-on leadership role. You should be equally comfortable leading a busy dinner service, coaching a server, reviewing labour costs, looking at sales reports, and identifying opportunities to improve performance.
To apply, please email us directly at [email protected] with your resume and a personal introduction. We'd love to hear why Cafe Malabar interests you, what excites you about joining our team, and what you feel you could bring to the role.
What You'll Be Doing:
- Leading front-of-house operations and service
- Training, coaching, and developing team members
- Reviewing sales, labour, and operational reports
- Supporting scheduling, hiring, and day-to-day operations
- Working closely with kitchen leadership and ownership
- Helping grow beverage knowledge and service standards across the team
- Maintaining a strong culture of hospitality, accountability, and teamwork
You Will Be a Great Fit If You:
- Have several years of restaurant experience, including leadership or supervisory experience
- Enjoy being on the floor and leading by example
- Have experience training and developing staff
- Have a genuine passion for food, wine, cocktails, and hospitality
- WSET Level 2 (Wine or Spirits) is considered a strong asset
- Are committed to ongoing beverage and hospitality education
- Understand labour, sales, and restaurant performance metrics
- Are comfortable taking ownership, making decisions, and operating independently
- Are organized, reliable, and calm under pressure
- Are open to feedback and committed to continuous growth
- Have a valid Serving It Right certification
Compensation:
- $55,000–$60,000 annually (Compensation based on experience)
- Monthly performance bonus opportunities tied to restaurant growth & success
What We Offer:
- Staff Meals + Discount Dining
- Paid Vacation + Stat Days + 5 Personal Wellness Days per year
- A supportive and respectful work environment
- Opportunity to work closely with ownership and leadership
- Professional growth and development
- The chance to help shape the future of a growing restaurant
We're much more interested in finding the right person than simply filling a position. We're looking for thoughtful applications from people who genuinely connect with what we're building.
Pay: $55,000.00-$60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Discounted or free food
- Paid time off
- Store discount
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Victoria, BC V8W 1S2: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Application question(s):
- Have you emailed us a personal introduction explaining why you're interested in Cafe Malabar and what you would bring to our team?
Experience:
- Leadership Restaurant: 1 year (required)
Licence/Certification:
- Serving It Right (preferred)
Work Location: In person
