Bistro Team Lead

Huntsville Botanical Garden•Huntsville, AL

11d•$15 - $18•Onsite

About The Position

The Bistro Team Lead guides daily floor operations at Fern & Feast Bistro, located inside the Huntsville Botanical Garden. This hands-on leadership role combines guest experience, staff supervision, food preparation, and daily administrative duties. The Team Lead coordinates shift operations, motivates staff to provide exceptional hospitality, ensures consistent and timely food service, and works to ensure guests leave satisfied while reflecting the Garden’s Core Values. The role includes coordinating stations and food preparation, managing inventory and weekly orders, receiving and organizing deliveries, maintaining clean service and kitchen spaces, and overseeing opening and closing tasks across the Bistro, food trailer, and concession locations. The Team Lead engages with guests, handles complaints and special requests, trains and mentors front-of-house staff, and leads pre-shift meetings. The position also supports food safety and sanitation, register reconciliations, internal transfers, inventory checks, and sales goals. The position requires a flexible schedule that includes nights, weekends, and holidays. Work takes place in indoor and outdoor café and concession environments, sometimes in all weather conditions during special events.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
2–3 years of experience in a high-volume restaurant or hospitality environment.
Ability to obtain Serve Safe Certification within the first 90 days of employment.
Strong problem-solving, conflict-resolution, team-management, and communication skills.
Positive attitude, strong work ethic, and professional demeanor under pressure.
Team-oriented and coachable mindset, with good work habits and a desire to develop knowledge of food safety, food handling, and Bistro procedures.
Ability to provide welcoming, enthusiastic, and professional guest service.
Self-motivated and organized, with good math and calculation skills.
Ability to move readily between different job demands.
Ability to lift and carry 10–50 pounds occasionally and to stand or walk continuously.
Ability to bend, climb, balance, reach, stoop, or kneel frequently in small spaces.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience leading or supervising staff.
Age 21 or older.

Responsibilities

Coordinate station assignments and daily food preparation to run smooth, efficient shifts.
Manage inventory and weekly ordering to keep the Bistro stocked and prevent menu items from running out.
Receive, organize, and put away deliveries.
Maintain clean workstations and service spaces.
Oversee opening and closing duties, including trash removal, restocking, and cleaning appliances, surfaces, floors, walls, dish areas, tables, and storage areas, including the Carriage House kitchen.
Restock the Bistro, food trailer, and concession locations.
Engage with guests, promote high satisfaction, and promptly resolve complaints and special requests.
Train, onboard, and mentor new front-of-house staff.
Lead pre-shift meetings to communicate daily specials, goals, and menu updates.
Ensure compliance with health, safety, and sanitation standards, including FIFO procedures, and maintain a strong food-safety record.
Enforce company policies and procedures and behaviors aligned with the Garden’s Core Values.
Manage internal transfers, register reconciliations, and inventory checks.
Encourage upselling, promote daily specials, and motivate the team to meet shift sales targets.
Perform other duties as assigned.