Kitchen Manager

Milwaukee's German Beer Hall on the East Side is seeking an experienced kitchen manager to join our awesome team. If you love history, German food, and hospitality this may be the job for you! Von Trier has been an East Side institution since 1978 and continues to draw guests from all over the world. Our unique atmosphere and expansive selection of German and Belgian beers has been voted best import beer selection by Shepherd Express readers. Our focus has always been on providing a memorable beer hall (and beer garden) experience to a diverse clientele. We value this diversity and the special place Von Trier has in the memories of our guests. What this role is about As kitchen manager you will be a part of creating something wonderful. Von Trier's food program is in a growth phase. We took over last year, have been making equipment and system upgrades, and our plan for 2026 is to nearly double our food sales. That growth depends on a Kitchen Manager who truly wants to build something great and is ready to face the challenges of a growing business head on. You'll steer the ship: the team, the menu execution, the costs, the standards, and the daily experience your line cooks and your guests have. You'll work alongside our GM and Bar Manager, and a strong management team that has each other's backs. Ownership is engaged and supportive, not absent and not micromanaging. We see our role as providing the support our managers need to build a better team. What we're building toward A kitchen where the food matches the room. Where a guest who came in for the space and the beer stays for the schnitzel and tells two friends. Where the line is tight, the costs are healthy, the team is proud, and the standards are clear enough that everyone knows what "right" looks like. Where a small mistake becomes a moment of great hospitality, not a complaint. If that's the kind of food program you want to lead, keep reading. You'll thrive here if you Love hospitality and show it to our guests and your team Lead by setting a clear standard and coaching your team to it Are genuinely interested in food cost, COGS, prime cost, and menu engineering Care about craft and place. German cuisine, Milwaukee history, the difference between a pretzel and a real pretzel Want to grow a food program, not just run one Respond to stressful situations with calmness and empathy, not with anger or blame Experience we're looking for 3+ years leading a kitchen team 4+ years professional cooking experience Experience with catering and private party management a plus Comfort with food costing and menu COGS ServSafe certified, or willing to get certified quickly German cuisine experience is a bonus, but we'll teach the right person Available days, evenings, weekends, and holidays - because we're a bar What we offer Full-time salary, $48,000 to $52,000 depending on experience Quarterly performance bonuses tied to prime cost, food revenue, and operational milestones. Real upside for real results. Total pay potential pay range with bonus is $52,000 to $60,000. Employee discount Health care bonus Paid training First-time home buyer bonus PTO Learning and professional development opportunities Other Requirements Physically able to lift 50 pounds, 30 pounds overhead Ability to have pay direct deposited and accept electronic delivery of documents Reliable transportation and ability to occasionally run errands for the kitchen About Von Trier Von Trier has been pouring imports, serving schnitzel, and giving Milwaukee a piece of Bavaria since 1978. We sit in a 1949 building filled with German antiques, Stoettner stained glass, and a chandelier that once hung in the Pabst Mansion. Our biergarten is ivy-covered and full all summer. Our regulars span families, UWM students, Oriental Theater moviegoers, neighbors, and travelers who came in just because they heard we are a genuine piece of Milwaukee's history. Shepherd Express readers voted us Best Import Beer Selection, and we're working hard to earn the food side of that reputation too. We're owned by Nitelite Hospitality, the same group behind At Random and James Beard Semi-Finalist Bryant's Cocktail Lounge. Restoring and running historic Milwaukee bars is what we do. Before you apply — please read this We're not a fine dining restaurant, even though we serve great food. We're not a dive bar, even though the room is warm and the regulars are real. We're a German barl that takes craft, history, and hospitality seriously, and we expect the same of the people who lead our kitchen. If you want to put your stamp on the food program at one of Milwaukee's most loved historic bars, and you're excited about doing that alongside a team that's invested in your success, we'd love to hear from you.

Job type:

Full-time Shift:

Evenings, weekends, holidays

Location:

2235 N. Farwell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202 (in person; must reliably commute or relocate before start date) Not management-ready yet but love what we're building? Reach out anyway. We promote from within.

Job Type:

Full-time Base Pay:

$48,000.00 - $52,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Employee discount Flexible schedule Health insurance Paid time off Paid training

Work Location:

In person