About Us
Dos Hermanos is a family-owned, mission-driven company that's been serving Columbus for over a decade. What started as a single food truck has grown into 5 brick-and-mortar locations, 5 mobile units, a taco cart, a convention center concession stand, and a thriving catering program - with new stores opening soon in Athens, Cincinnati, and downtown Columbus. We're growing fast, but we're committed to doing it with intention : great food, strong teams, and a culture people actually want to be part of.
The Role
The Restaurant Operations Lead runs day-to-day operations with a kitchen-first mindset . You'll be responsible for food production, quality, and consistency across a high-volume environment - making sure our kitchens run like clockwork while delivering an outstanding guest experience. This isn't just about managing a shift; it's about building systems, developing people, and driving performance in a fast-casual format that's scaling quickly. We need someone who can balance hospitality with operational rigor, who leads from the line, and who's energized by solving problems in real time.
Key Responsibilities
1. Production & Operational Management
- Own and optimize kitchen production systems to ensure food is prepped, cooked, and served with speed, accuracy, and quality.
- Drive daily production meetings and prep reviews to ensure readiness and minimize downtime.
- Oversee daily operations including opening / closing, staff scheduling, and shift execution.
- Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and sanitation standards.
- Track inventory and prep levels, manage ordering, and reduce waste through effective stock rotation and portion control.
- Partner with kitchen leads to optimize throughput, line setup, and prep routines for maximum efficiency.
2. Staff Leadership & Development
Recruit, train, and coach staff across FOH and BOH, with emphasis on cross-training and kitchen productivity.Conduct performance evaluations and ongoing coaching sessions.Create clear development pathways so high performers see a future here.Build a culture where accountability and teamwork aren't in tension - they're the standard.Enforce standards consistently while also fostering initiative and problem-solving.3. Guest Service & Hospitality
Ensure every guest receives warm, memorable service while food is delivered fast and correct.Model hospitality in every interaction - your team will follow your lead.Quickly address service issues and create systems that prevent repeat problems.Train staff in both hospitality and food handling so guests receive an experience that's smooth from order to plate.4. Financial & Performance Management
Track and drive performance metrics such as labor %, COGS, prime cost, and sales per labor hour.Own your P&L and be able to explain variances week over week.Analyze daily / weekly reporting to identify opportunities to reduce costs or increase throughput.Implement initiatives to increase sales and boost profitability without compromising quality.Ensure cash handling, till accuracy, and end-of-day reconciliation are executed flawlessly.5. Community & Local Engagement
Represent Dos Hermanos in the community and support local events and promotions.Bring guest insights back to leadership to inform strategy and service improvements.Partner with leadership to test and roll out new menu items or service models.6. Compliance & Safety
Maintain food safety, health codes, and licensing compliance.Proactively address issues before they become violations.Keep accurate records of inspections, employee training, and safety checklists.7. Leadership
Lead from the front. Professionalism, urgency, and kitchen-first execution are non-negotiable.Develop staff into future leaders through training and stretch assignments.Build a team that's always asking, "How do we do this faster, cleaner, and better?"What We Value (And What We Expect)
Ownership, not excuses. If something's broken, you fix it. If you made a mistake, you own it.Collaboration without ego. Great ideas come from everywhere. Once a decision is made, we move together.Operational discipline. Consistency isn't boring - it's respect. For your team, your guests, and the food.Growth mindset. We give direct feedback because we care about development. If you're not coachable, this won't work.Mission alignment. We're building something that matters - quality ingredients, local relationships, and a place people are proud to work. If you don't care about the why , this isn't the fit.Qualifications
Minimum 3 years in restaurant management (fast-casual or production-driven preferred).Proven ability to lead in a production-driven or fast-casual environment (high-volume, scratch cooking preferred).Strong leadership, organizational, and time-management skills.Solid understanding of food production systems, labor models, and P&L management.Ability to balance hospitality with back-of-house efficiency.Experience transitioning between service formats or scaling operations is a plus.Comfortable with ambiguity and capable of building systems where none exist.Flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.Familiarity with POS and restaurant management software (Toast preferred).