THE ROLE
This is a hands-on operations role for someone who does not need to be told what needs doing — they have already done it. You will be the backbone of the floor: making sure service runs tightly, guests feel genuinely welcomed, and every inch of the venue is something we are proud of. On the nights Nico is not there, you are the one holding it together — including leading the kitchen pass when needed.
You will work directly with Nico on the stuff that makes a business actually function: compliance, ordering, rotas, paperwork. The unglamorous bits. The bits that matter.
If you want to manage from a distance, this is not your role. If you want to actually run a venue, it probably is.
WHAT YOU WILL ACTUALLY DO
Hosting & the guest experience
Set the tone from the moment someone walks in — because the first 30 seconds is everything
Hold the room together during busy service, managing covers, pacing and the energy of the floor
Handle complaints the right way: calm, quick, with genuine care — and escalate when it actually warrants it
Manage reservations and walk-ins across TheFork, SevenRooms and whoever comes through the door
Service & operations
Open and close to standard, every time
Keep the team briefed, in position, and performing to what Kuhaku is — not just what any bar is
Step in where needed during service, bar or floor, without being asked
Lead the kitchen pass in Nico's absence — keeping communication tight between kitchen and floor and making sure every dish lands right
Venue standards & cleanliness
Maintain a high cleanliness standard across front of house, bar, toilets and back of house at all times
Run daily checks, own the standards, and hold the team to them — without being a jobsworth about it
Flag maintenance issues early and coordinate fixes before they become a problem
Consumables & ordering
Manage and order all consumables — cleaning supplies, packaging, sundries, small kit — so we never run out of anything embarrassing
Keep storage organised, maintain par levels, and track spend
Flag any discrepancies or odd costs to Nico without being chased
Compliance & paperwork
Hold a valid personal licence — or be actively working towards one (essential within six months)
Ensure we operate within our premises licence at all times: challenge policies, age verification, hours
Maintain food safety records, temperature logs, cleaning schedules and COSHH documentation
Support DPS compliance and handle any council or local authority communications with appropriate seriousness
Assist with rota collation, payroll admin and basic HR paperwork as needed
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
You do not have to love cocktails (although it helps). You do have to love running a room well.
Experience
At least two years in a supervisory or management role in hospitality — floor, not desk
Comfortable hosting, directing a team, and dealing with difficult moments without losing your cool
Experience with compliance, licensing and the paperwork that comes with running a licensed venue
The person
Organised. You do not let things slip through the cracks and you do not need reminding twice
A natural host — you genuinely enjoy people, and it shows
Calm under pressure. Saturday at 9pm should make you sharper, not slower
Proactive. If something needs doing, you do it. If something is wrong, you say so
Honest and reliable. Small team, high trust. That is the deal.
Comfortable with admin and paperwork — it is not glamorous, but neither is a compliance fail
Useful but not required
Personal Licence holder
Experience with SevenRooms or Square POS
Any genuine interest in Japanese food and drink culture
Food Safety Level 2 or above
WHAT WE OFFER
A real leadership role in a venue with a real identity. You will have a direct relationship with the owner, genuine input into how the venue runs, and room to grow as the business does.
£30,000+ per annum, dependent on experience
Plus tronc
Direct access to Nico — decisions get made, not deferred
A team with more personality than most bars in London have combined
A venue with an identity worth protecting — and a community growing around it
Room to develop as we do
Staff food on shift
50% off food and drinks (Discount policy will apply)
