$80,000–$90,000 + Bonus Opportunity | Full-Time
Dear Charlotte is a new Mediterranean-inspired rooftop restaurant, bar, and event destination coming to the top floor of the Hilton Garden Inn Charlotte Steele Creek.
Designed as a high-energy destination with a sophisticated but approachable atmosphere, Dear Charlotte will feature Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, a cocktail-forward beverage program, and approximately 120 seats across indoor and outdoor spaces.
This is an opportunity to join the concept during its opening phase and help build the restaurant from the ground up.
We're looking for a General Manager who is energized by opening restaurants, building teams, creating systems, and delivering an elevated guest experience.
As General Manager, you will have significant ownership over the restaurant's pre-opening, launch, and ongoing operations.
You will work closely with ownership and key operational partners to build the team, establish standards, create a strong culture, and position Dear Charlotte for long-term success.
This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys being in the operation and understands that successful openings require preparation, flexibility, and a willingness to solve problems as they arise.
Lead Dear Charlotte through pre-opening, opening, and ongoing operations
Recruit, hire, train, and develop FOH and BOH leadership teams
Build and establish service standards, operating procedures, and training systems
Create a strong culture centered around hospitality, accountability, and teamwork
Own restaurant P&L performance, including labor, food cost, beverage cost, and profitability
Oversee a projected $3–4M+ annual revenue operation across dinner, brunch, private events, and other revenue opportunities
Partner with culinary leadership to ensure consistent food quality, execution, and menu standards
Lead and develop a strong beverage program with a focus on cocktail execution and bar performance
Oversee scheduling, labor management, inventory, purchasing, and daily operational controls
Drive guest satisfaction, retention, VIP relationships, and service recovery
Lead private events and other revenue-generating opportunities
Establish systems for accountability, communication, and continuous improvement
Navigate the unique operational requirements of a rooftop restaurant, including a downstairs prep kitchen and rooftop finishing line
Partner with hotel leadership, ownership, culinary teams, vendors, and other stakeholders
Be visible and hands-on during service, especially throughout the opening period
We're looking for an experienced restaurant leader who has successfully operated in high-volume environments and understands what it takes to build something from the ground up.
Required:
5+ years of progressive restaurant management experience
Previous new restaurant opening experience
Experience with full restaurant P&L ownership
Proven ability to recruit, build, train, and lead high-performing teams
Strong understanding of labor, food cost, beverage cost, and operational controls
Experience leading elevated, high-volume, or beverage-forward restaurant operations
Strong guest recovery and hospitality mindset
Hands-on leadership style with a willingness to be deeply involved in the operation
Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills
Ideal experience includes:
Rooftop restaurant or bar operations
Hotel food & beverage
Fine dining or elevated casual dining
Cocktail-forward beverage programs
Private dining and event operations
Multi-outlet or multi-revenue-stream environments
The right person for Dear Charlotte will be someone who runs toward the challenge of an opening rather than away from it.
You should be comfortable building systems that don't exist yet, hiring people you've never worked with before, solving problems in real time, and creating a culture that will ultimately define the restaurant.
We're looking for a leader who:
Gets excited about food, beverage, and hospitality
Thinks in both people and numbers
Can talk comfortably about P&L, labor, costs, and revenue
Builds teams rather than simply managing schedules
Understands that great hospitality goes beyond good service
Takes ownership when things go wrong
Is comfortable working in a fast-moving, evolving environment
Has the energy and resilience required to open a brand-new restaurant
Opportunity to build a restaurant from the ground up
Significant ownership and visibility with the ownership group
Opportunity to shape the team, culture, systems, and service standards
High-profile rooftop location in the Steele Creek market
Mediterranean-inspired food and cocktail-forward beverage program
Opportunity to create a destination restaurant and event space
Competitive salary of $80,000–$90,000 + bonus opportunity
Health benefits
PTO
Dining perks
Opportunity for long-term growth with a growing hospitality company
Dear Charlotte is part of Maya Hotels, a growing hospitality company focused on developing and operating hotels, restaurants, and hospitality experiences.
This is an opportunity to join the team at the beginning of something new and have a direct impact on what Dear Charlotte becomes.
If you're an experienced restaurant leader who loves openings, building teams, developing hospitality cultures, and creating memorable guest experiences, we'd love to hear from you.
Job details are sourced from the employer's original posting.
Open job postingAbout the company
Maya is a company that provides services related to its core business.