Kitchen Manager/ Culinary Operations Manager Sweet Heart Winery |

Windsor Restaurant & Event Center RainDance, Windsor, Colorado Compensation:

$50,000-$65,000 annually + performance incentive Create Experiences Through Food, Hospitality, and Leadership Sweet Heart Winery is a destination hospitality company built around creating experiences where people connect. Known as one of the most celebrated wineries in the United States, Sweet Heart has built its reputation through exceptional wine, handcrafted beverages, memorable events, and genuine hospitality. Our Windsor Restaurant & Event Center at RainDance represents an exciting next chapter. We are building a full-service culinary experience that supports daily dining, weddings, corporate events, private celebrations, and unforgettable guest experiences. We are looking for a Kitchen Manager who shares our passion for excellence and understands that food is a critical part of the story we tell. This is an opportunity to build something from the ground up. You will help establish kitchen systems, develop a talented team, create exceptional food, and set the standard for culinary execution at one of Northern Colorado's premier hospitality destinations. The Opportunity The Kitchen Manager is the culinary leader responsible for the daily operation of the Windsor kitchen. This role oversees restaurant service, event execution, kitchen staffing, food quality, financial performance, and the development of a high-performing culinary team. This is not an assembly-line kitchen role. We are looking for a leader who believes in scratch cooking, attention to detail, consistency, and creating food experiences that guests remember. You will work closely with hospitality, events, and property leadership to ensure the kitchen and front-of-house teams operate as one team with one goal: creating exceptional guest experiences. Key ResponsibilitiesCulinary Leadership Lead daily kitchen operations for restaurant service and events. Maintain a high standard of scratch cooking and culinary execution. Develop menu ideas that complement Sweet Heart wines and ciders. Ensure quality, consistency, presentation, and timing throughout service. Lead by example during busy service periods. Events & Banquet Execution Plan and execute weddings, corporate events, private gatherings, and special events. Partner with the Weddings & Events team to create seamless guest experiences. Coordinate staffing, preparation, timing, and execution for every event. Maintain the same culinary standards whether serving two guests or two hundred. Team Leadership & Development Recruit, train, coach, and develop kitchen team members. Create a positive, accountable, team-first culture. Establish clear expectations and hold team members accountable to standards. Develop cooks who can confidently own their stations. Support Sweet Heart's H.E.L.P.

values:

Hospitality Efficiency Love (Time) Product Kitchen Operations Own opening and closing procedures. Maintain food safety, sanitation, cleanliness, and organization standards. Manage ticket times, workflow, and service execution. Ensure kitchen readiness for daily operations and special events. Maintain equipment, organization, and operational systems. Financial Management Manage food cost, waste, inventory, ordering, and vendor relationships. Maintain accurate inventory practices. Schedule labor effectively while meeting business needs. Understand financial performance and make decisions that protect quality and profitability. Cross-Department Partnership Collaborate with hospitality, events, and leadership teams. Support a culture where every department works together. Contribute ideas that improve guest experience and operational excellence. What Success Looks Like A successful Kitchen Manager will consistently deliver: Exceptional food quality and consistency Strong food cost and waste management Accurate inventory systems Efficient kitchen labor management Successful event execution High guest satisfaction A trained and engaged culinary team A clean, organized, and professional kitchen A culture built on ownership, accountability, and pride Qualifications The ideal candidate will have: Progressive kitchen leadership experience in full-service restaurants Experience managing teams in a high-volume environment Scratch cooking experience Banquet, catering, wedding, or event-center experience preferred Experience hiring, training, and developing culinary teams Strong understanding of food cost, inventory, and labor management Knowledge of food safety standards and regulations ServSafe certification required Ability to work evenings, weekends, and event-driven schedules Experience in wineries, restaurants, resorts, hotels, country clubs, or destination hospitality environments is a plus. The Ideal Candidate You are a servant leader who develops people and takes pride in building teams. You stay calm when the kitchen is busy, make decisions quickly, and hold yourself and others to a high standard. You believe "good enough" is not the goal. You understand that every plate represents the guest experience and the Sweet Heart brand. You are excited by the opportunity to open a new kitchen, establish systems, and grow with a company that is expanding throughout Northern Colorado. Why Join Sweet Heart Brands? This is an opportunity to lead the culinary operation for a brand-new restaurant and event center while being part of a growing hospitality company. At Sweet Heart, we believe great experiences are created by great people. We invest in our team members, provide opportunities for growth, and believe strong leaders can build meaningful careers within our organization.

Our mission is simple:

Create experiences for people to connect. The food is a major part of that experience—and we are looking for the leader who will help us deliver it. Compensation & Benefits $50,000-$65,000 annual salary Performance incentive opportunities Health insurance Vision insurance Dental insurance

Location:

In-person — Windsor, Colorado (RainDance)

Pay:

$50,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance Health insurance Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person