Café Manager/Lead Barista - Mindful Baking Cafe

Starting Salary: $18/hr + tips, room to grow

Job Location: Mindful Baking Cafe - 1942 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60613

Job Description:

Mindful Baking Cafe is seeking a dependable, organized, and outgoing individual to join our team as Cafe Manager/Lead Barista. In this role, you will be responsible for organizing all aspects of the daily operations of our 100% gluten-free and vegan cafe, including staff supervision, FOH & BOH responsibilities such as preparing food and drinks, inventory management, and providing stellar customer service. The ideal candidate has previous cafe management or supervisory experience and is interested in supporting vegan companies and small, independent businesses.

Cafe Operations Tasks:

-Provide exceptional customer service and cultivate a warm and inviting atmosphere to build loyalty among both regular patrons and new visitors.

-Prepare/serve a variety of baked goods, desserts, savory foods, and specialty drinks according to our recipes and high standards, while staying up to date on menu changes and seasonal specials.

-Train and manage a small part-time team to provide all of the above.

-Stay in close contact with the Owner, Bakery Staff, and Operations Manager regarding inventory needs, customer feedback, vendor events at the cafe, etc.

-Stay up-to-date on weekly offerings, new products, and cafe events so you can keep customers informed.

-Become an expert on Mindful Baking’s offerings and be a knowledgeable and helpful resource for customers in need of suggestions or ingredient details.

-Manage custom cake order schedule and handle customer phone orders.

-Schedule FOH and BOH daily and weekly cleaning tasks as assigned.

-Perform all other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

- Previous cafe experience is required (including food preparation and cash handling); management/supervisory experience is preferred.

- Must be available to work weekdays and weekends (the cafe is open 10 am - 5 pm, 7 days a week).

- Must have excellent organizational and time-management skills.

- Must be able to work independently and have the ability to lead and help develop a high-performing team.

- Must be customer-service-oriented and sales-driven.

- Must be proficient in food safety standards and regulations.

- Current certifications (Food Handler’s or ServSafe) are a plus.

- Basic knowledge of vegan and gluten-free products is a plus, and the desire to learn about our menu is a must.

Salary:

The salary for this position is $18 per hour (plus tips) to start, and includes the following benefits:

- 1 free meal and beverage per shift worked, plus a 20% employee discount on all cafe food, drinks, and merchandise. Everything we make is vegan & gluten-free!

Hours & Trial Period :

This role is approximately 30 hours/week to start, with room to grow, pending a one-month trial period.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please reply with your resume and a brief cover letter including two professional references. Thank you for your interest in joining our team.