Cafe Lead

Cafe Lead

LF JUICE SHOP

Lake Forest, IL Job Details Part-time | Full-time $18 - $22 an hour 1 hour ago Benefits Paid training Paid time off Employee discount Flexible schedule Qualifications Food safety management Wine knowledge Interpersonal skills Inventory management Restaurant management Food service inventory management Hospitality industry experience Food Handler Certification Hospitality management Full Job Description Cafe Gimme — Lake Forest About Cafe Gimme Cafe Gimme is an all-day café and evening wine and liquor bar in Lake Forest. Our daytime menu features specialty coffee, house smoothies, cold-pressed juices, seasonal food items. In the evening, we shift into a relaxed wine and cocktail destination. We are committed to a high standard of hospitality, product quality, and consistency across both dayparts, and our team reflects that commitment. The Role We are hiring a Café Lead to anchor our floor across the full day — café service in the morning and afternoon, and bar service in the evening. This is a hospitality-first role, focused on guest experience, with real ownership of café-side inventory and operational consistency. You will spend most of your time on the floor — greeting guests, building relationships with regulars, leading service during busy periods, and setting the standard for how every interaction at Cafe Gimme should feel, whether that interaction is over a morning latte or an evening glass of wine. Alongside that, you will manage day-to-day café inventory, place orders for café-side supplies, receive deliveries, and ensure the café is set up to deliver consistently every shift. The Café Lead works closely with the Operations Manager and supports them in running the daily business across both dayparts. This is the bridge role between team member and management, and the most direct path to a future Operations Manager position as Cafe Gimme expands. Responsibilities Guest experience and service. Greet guests warmly and personally, by name when possible. Build and maintain relationships with regulars across both dayparts. Handle service recovery and guest concerns in the moment. Set the tone for hospitality across every shift you work, café and bar. Floor leadership — daytime. Run café shifts confidently as the senior team member on the floor. Coach café team members in real time on service, technique, and presentation. Maintain the cleanliness, organization, and atmosphere of the café throughout each shift. Floor leadership — evening. Run evening floor service when scheduled, including bar service, guest seating, table check-ins, and end-of-night close. Pour wine and beer, execute cocktails to recipe, and recommend pairings to guests with confidence. Maintain bar cleanliness and stock through service. Inventory and ordering. Conduct daily counts of high-velocity café items including espresso, milk, fruit, smoothie ingredients, bottled juices, bread, and salad components. Place orders to par levels for café-side supplies. Receive and verify deliveries, organize stock, and track inventory accuracy. Operational support. Open and close the shop with full responsibility for procedures, cash handling, and security. Track waste and report patterns to the Operations Manager. Flag equipment, supply, or staffing issues immediately. Support the Operations Manager with scheduling input, team feedback, and onboarding of new hires. Product and menu standards. Maintain expert-level knowledge of the entire menu — coffee, smoothies, juices, food, wine, beer, and cocktails. Ensure recipes and presentation are executed to standard across the team. Contribute to menu refinement and seasonal updates. Qualifications 1-2 years of café, restaurant, or hospitality experience required, including some experience as a senior team member, lead, or shift lead Comfort or experience working both café and bar environments preferred; we will train the right candidate on either side Strong interpersonal skills and a natural ability to make guests feel welcome and known Demonstrated reliability — on time, professional in conduct, consistent in performance Comfortable taking ownership of inventory, ordering, and operational details Able to lead and coach peers respectfully and effectively Strong communicator with both team and management Available for a consistent weekly schedule that includes both daytime and evening shifts, plus weekends Must be 21 or older and legally eligible to serve alcohol in Illinois BASSET certification required before first evening shift (paid for and provided by Cafe Gimme if not already held) Illinois Food Handler certification required (paid for and provided by Cafe Gimme within first 30 days if not already held)

Compensation and Benefits Location:

Lake Forest, IL Reports to:

Operations Manager Pay:

$18-$22/hour, based on experience.

Schedule:

Full-time, 30-40+ hours/week, including a mix of daytime café shifts and evening bar service shifts; mornings, evenings, and weekends required

Benefits:

Tip share, shift meals, staff discount on food and beverages, paid food handler and BASSET certification, paid lead training. Thank you!

Pay:

$18.00 - $22.00 per hour

Benefits:

Employee discount Flexible schedule Paid time off Paid training

Work Location:

In person