85 Bar West is a Chicago-themed sports bar and restaurant in Waukee, Iowa, built around game-day energy and high-volume execution.
Whether you come from a structured corporate environment or a fast-moving independent kitchen, this is a hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives in the rush and knows how to build systems that keep a kitchen efficient and consistent.
You’ll lead from the line, maintain food quality and flow during peak hours, and confidently manage key numbers like food cost, labor, and inventory. If you take pride in running a tight operation, building a reliable team, and owning your results, we’d love to connect.
What You’ll Own
- Kitchen Operations
- Lead daily kitchen execution in a high-volume, fast-paced environment
- Set the standard for food quality, consistency, and ticket times
- Manage prep, line execution, and service flow during peak volume
- Keep the kitchen clean, organized, and built for efficiency
- Financial & Inventory Performance
- Own food cost, labor cost, and waste control
- Manage inventory, ordering, and vendor relationships
- Track and respond to COGS, labor %, and performance trends
- Identify inefficiencies and optimize results
- Team Leadership
- Hire, train, and develop a reliable kitchen team
- Hands-on cooking skills, and willingness and ability to work the line
- Create accountability, consistency, and a strong team culture
- Work directly with the General Manager and local ownership team
- Food Safety & Systems
- Maintain strict food safety and sanitation standards (ServSafe preferred)
- Ensure compliance with all health regulations
- Build systems for consistency, prep standards, and portion control
- Continuously improve kitchen workflow and performance
What You Bring
- 3–5+ years of kitchen management experience in a high-volume environment
- Strong understanding of food cost, labor, and P&L impact
- Experience managing inventory, vendors, and ordering
- Proven ability to lead teams in fast-paced, high-pressure settings
- Solid cooking skills and willingness to jump on the line
- Strong attention to detail and problem-solving ability
- Comfort working with numbers, reporting, and operational metrics
- Flexible availability including nights, weekends, and game days
What You Can Expect From Us
- A well-supported kitchen with the structure to succeed
- Hands-on ownership that is visible and invested
- Ownership of your kitchen and the ability to impact results
- A team culture that works hard, moves fast, and shows up for each other
- Performance-based bonuses tied to cost control and kitchen results
Game day isn’t a moment, it’s the standard we operate at every shift. If you’re ready to lead a kitchen that runs with purpose and pace, we’d love to connect.
No requirement to be a Chicago Bears fan, just bring your leadership, your energy, and your pride in running a great team!
Pay: From $55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Paid time off
- Paid training
Experience:
- Kitchen management: 2 years (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Waukee, IA 50263 (Required)
Work Location: In person
