General Manager

Location: Abergavenny

Reports To: Head of Retail Operations / Directors

Company: The Garden Kitchen by Pugh’s

Salary: Up to £36k

Job Summary:

The General Manager at The Garden Kitchen is responsible for leading all aspects of both restaurant and retail operations. This role ensures a consistently high-quality experience for guests and customers, aligning with our values of sustainability, fresh seasonal offerings, and community engagement. The GM will oversee staffing, service, product quality, merchandising, and financial performance, while fostering a culture of excellence across kitchen, front-of-house, and retail teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Restaurant & Café Operations:

• Manage daily restaurant operations, including scheduling, service standards, and cleanliness.

• Ensure compliance with health and food safety regulations.

• Coordinate closely with kitchen leadership to maintain food quality and menu execution.

• Drive service consistency and guest satisfaction across dine-in and takeout experiences.
  

Retail Operations:

• Oversee retail space including product selection, inventory, merchandising, and layout.

• Collaborate with local suppliers and vendors to source high-quality, seasonal, and sustainable goods.

• Monitor retail stock levels and implement systems for ordering, receiving, and rotation.

• Train staff in product knowledge, visual merchandising, and sales techniques.
  

Team Leadership:

• Hire, train, schedule, and manage all restaurant and retail staff.

• Build a positive, team-oriented workplace culture focused on excellence and accountability.

• Conduct regular staff meetings, provide ongoing coaching, and handle performance management.
  

Customer Experience:

• Ensure guests and retail customers receive warm, knowledgeable, and attentive service.

• Resolve issues with professionalism and a solution-oriented approach.

• Promote customer loyalty through community events, feedback initiatives, and membership programs.
  

Financial Management:

• Develop and manage budgets for both food service and retail departments.

• Monitor sales, margins, and costs (labour, food, and product inventory).

• Identify growth opportunities, reduce waste, and improve profitability.
  

Marketing & Community Engagement:

• Work with the owner or marketing partners to execute campaigns for seasonal products, promotions, or events.

• Oversee in-store signage and digital communications to reflect brand identity.

• Represent The Garden Kitchen in community outreach, partnerships, and events.
  

Qualifications:

• Proven experience managing both restaurant and retail environments.

• Strong knowledge of food service operations, merchandising, and customer service best practices.

• Financial literacy with ability to manage P&L, budgets, and KPIs.

• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

• Passion for fresh food, sustainability, and community-driven retail.
  

Work Environment & Schedule:

• Full-time leadership role requiring availability during evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.

• Hands-on position in a fast-paced, guest-focused environment with a blend of service and administrative responsibilities.

TO APPLY PLEASE SEND YOUR CV & COVERLETTER TO - abergavenny@pughsgardenkitchen.co.uk