Mecha Noodle Bar

Regional Culinary Manager

Stamford, CT (will have the opportunity to relocate)

Inspired by a vision for elevated Asian comfort food, Mecha Noodle Bar is a forward-thinking concept that combines traditional Vietnamese & Japanese dishes, warm hospitality, and an edgy vibe to provide a unique experience to CT clientele. 

Description of Position

As a business leader, the Regional Culinary Manager (RCM) is responsible for achieving
the company's vision on a daily basis. Together with the Culinary Director and Ownership, the RCM is charged with creating a business unit culture consistent with our guiding principles while developing and leading high performing hospitality teams, improving restaurant systems for efficiency, increasing operating margins and improving productivity as a back-of-house leader. More specifically, the RCM will be responsible for:

Operational Excellence: 

  • Monitor restaurant kitchen systems to ensure proper execution and efficiency.

  • Inspect back-of-the-house cleanliness levels at each location to ensure compliance with company standards.

  • Work closely with floating Chefs and KM’s to enforce adherence to Mecha specs and recipes.

  • Ensure store maintains proper staffing levels for all back-of-house positions including Chefs and Sous.

  • Support Kitchen leadership in time of need

  • Track and enforce QFO trainings and certifications

  • Quarterly site evaluations that reflect a point system that is quantifiable when it comes to chef reviews and raises

Financial Performance: 

  • Responsible for store labor and purchasing budgets from above.

  • Approve weekly Chefs schedules and budgets

  • Send bi-weekly budget information to Chefs per location

  • Monitor weekly invoices and price changes at the vendor level

Training & Education: 

  • Implement Mecha back-of-house training policies and procedures.

  • Develop and coach Chefs for effective use of the hourly employee training

    process.

  • Create and maintain weekly food re-training program for floating Chefs to execute at store level

  • Work closely with floating and store Chefs to develop proficiency in all functions of their positions and focuses on leadership skills for their continued growth.

  • Provide Chefs with quarterly tasks / projects to inspire and empower

  • Assist Chefs in the performance evaluations of Sous Chefs

  • Performance evaluations of floating Chefs and KMs

  • Execute Chef training days / workshops for continued inspiration and development quarterly

  • Continue growth in Mecha Chef community and family atmosphere

Menu Strategy: 

  • Maintain positive relationships with various vendors to guarantee quality of food products and improve existing product line.

  • Inspect food quality on a consistent basis to ensure proper ordering and receiving procedures at the unit level.

  • Provides creativity and innovation in menu development for seasonal menu changes and specials.

  • Create and deliver seasonal menu change training information and all aspects of menu rollouts

Hiring & Recruiting

  • Ensure all locations have a pipeline to fill in BOH roles: Floaters, Head chefs and Sous.

  • Works closely with Exec Team to assist in the initial new hire training of hourly employees in the kitchen prior to and during first few weeks of store opening.

  • Monitors training process and adherence Mecha company standards to ensure successful opening.

  • Support store level management and functions

Why work with Mecha noodle bar?

  • Join an extremely accomplished/driven yet humble ownership team that has a great relationship and values their employees first. Richard is an ex-banker and Tony is a restauranteur, an ultimate combination of business savvy and hospitality DNA.

  • Be a part of an already successful, organized and profitable growing restaurant group. No mess to clean up.

  • Be a pivotal player in growing the brand across CT and into other markets.

  • Share in the financial upside/profit of the organization in a leadership role.

  • Have fun while working with a rare work / life balance!

 ABOUT the talent

Mecha Noodle Bar has attracted top talent across the board, most of whom have been promoted into roles as soon as they were ready for them. This speaks to the culture of the company and they way it treats employees as family - early employees have remained loyal from the start.

qualifications

  • Passion for the concept, cuisine and success of the brand.

  • 5+ years in a similar Regional Culinary leadership position

  • The successful candidate will be a natural leader whose strengths and style complement the existing team. S/he will be a respected employee of the highest integrity and a leader who can positively affect the culture, external image, and inspire performance.

  • Skilled at managing multiple priorities and projects, with a hands on, lead by example approach.

  • Ability to produce a high volume of work in a timely manner, which is accurate, complete, and of high quality.

Interested in learning more or know the right person? Email mandeep@hhcsearch.com

about Mecha Noodle Bar

Mecha Noodle Bar is the brainchild of Tony Pham and Richard Reyes, two young restaurateurs who grew up together, the sons of Vietnamese and Latino immigrants. Mecha, which is Vietnamese for “mom and pop,” specializes in the richly, broth-based noodle dishes of Vietnamese pho and Japanese-style ramen.

"From Vietnamese Pho to Japanese Ramen -- we serve some of Asia's most comforting dishes. Among other things, we do riffs on food that can be found in the streets of Southeast Asia. Don't call us "fusion" or a sushi restaurant, there are plenty of those in Connecticut. We are American-Vietnamese-Japanese-Thai-Chinese-Korean-New England-Momofuku-Totto-and-Ippudo-inspired." 

The restaurant also serves other street foods from those cuisine traditions like bao, egg rolls, and dumplings. You can even get bubble tea spiked with tequila and mezcal, bourbon, or cognac.

Notable Press

Pho the Culture: New Haven Independent

The Best Restaurants in Connecticut: Thrillist

Editors Pick: Zip06

Best Chefs Food & Wine: Greenwich Press

2018 Best Restaurants: Connecticut Magazine

Mecha Expansion: ctpost

Eat Justice: CTBites

 

Up to $500 for referrals!

If you are not interested in this particular role but have people in your network that could be a good fit, we would love to help them. For any person we place at any of our clients that you refer to us, we send you a check for $500.

Each person is limited to only 3 referrals maximum so please only refer your best and help continue to build the best culinary network.