General Manager

A new opportunity from BMRS Hospitality Recruitment:

General Manager for Truly Pizza – An artisanal pizzeria located in the heart of Dana Point

Truly Pizza is the brainchild of third-generation Pizzaiolo John Arena and lifelong friend Donna Baldwin. Hailing from New York City, John moved to Las Vegas in the early 1980’s to introduce his family’s famed New York-style pizza to the budding Southwest desert community. With the help of his cousin, the venture now famously known as Metro Pizza was born! It was at this first pizza shop that John gave Donna one of her first jobs in the hospitality industry – a fortuitous meeting that ultimately led to the creation of Truly Pizza as it is today.

After a successful career in the hotel and casino industry for Donna, and a highly decorated pizzeria career for John, the two finally decided to make their lifelong dream a reality. Teaming up with collaborators and teammates Chris Decker and Michael Vakneen, as well as Real Estate Developer Steve Muller – Truly Pizza made its debut to the idyllic Dana Point dining scene in the summer of 2023.

Since opening, their pizzaiolo culinary powerhouse team has garnered many accolades – with Chef Sergio Balderas winning Best Traditional Pizza, and award-winning pizzaiolo Michael Vakneen taking home the title of Southwest Regional Champion for Best Non-Traditional Pizza at last year’s International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas.

At Truly Pizza, guests can experience the team’s passion for the craft of pizza making through a thoughtfully curated menu that perfectly balances respect for tradition with the bounty of locally sourced California ingredients. In addition to whole pies, their offerings include an array of salads, sandwiches, cheese & charcuterie boards, and premium soft-serve desserts. The space itself features a serene garden and rooftop dining setting, designed to instill a sense of community and make guests feel at home. It’s no wonder that the team’s collective passion for hospitality and dedication to their craft has made Truly Pizza one of the most talked about new restaurants in town!

Truly Pizza is seeking an experienced and motivated General Manager to lead the team with a service-minded, guest facing approach. Someone who can take ownership to help build the business and develop an equally robust front of house team to complement their culinary strengths. The ideal candidate is passionate about team building and developing a strong, positive work culture focused on service standards and guest experience. An energetic attitude and strong work ethic is critical, and it is imperative that this person possess a true ownership mentality in order to vacillate between behind the scenes work and leading the team by example when engaging with guests during service. With all of the restaurant’s success thus far, the team is looking for someone who aligns with their ethos, and is excited to share in their vision while growing with a thriving company.

General Manager Responsibilities:

Oversee and positively impact all areas of the business including: sales, costs, employee retention, guest service and satisfaction, food quality, cleanliness and sanitation

Assist in hiring and training new team members and developing a strong, close-knit team

Ensure quality and consistency of all products served

Ensure all equipment is kept clean and in excellent working condition.

Maintain positive and cooperative relationships with all vendors and business partners

Managing cost control; budgeting, P&L, labor cost, etc.

Foster opportunities for the team to learn and grow

Continually strive to educate and develop of staff as it relates to food, beverage, and service

Maintain a strong floor presence and interact with guests, customer experience is paramount

Create a positive and fun working environment

Develop a positive, lasting relationship with guests

Taking ownership of the business to increase sales and profitability

Increasing brand awareness by creating marketing plans

Set an example to the team by providing excellent hospitality and service at all times

Anticipate the needs of the restaurant and act upon them

Be knowledgeable of restaurant policies regarding personnel and properly address any and all violations of company policies, rules and procedures.

Fully understand and comply with all federal, state, county and municipal regulations that pertain to health, safety and labor requirements

Candidate Qualifications:

4-5+ years’ experience as a Restaurant General Manager (GM), Food & Beverage Director (F&B), FOH General Manager, Service Director, Multi-Unit Manager/GM, or comparable management role in a full-service, upscale restaurant is required

Prior multi-unit experience a huge plus

Strong passion for outstanding food and knowledge of wine & spirits

Proven track record in leading and motivating a team

Experience in managing P&L, labor costs, budgeting, and inventory

Ownership mentality with the ability to take initiative

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to positively impact individuals across all levels of an organization

Acute attention to detail

Team player mentality with a hands-on leadership style

Effective problem-solving skills

Adaptable with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment

Exceptional standards for cleanliness, health, and safety

Flexible schedule, including weekends, and on holidays

Food Safety Certification

Able to stand/walk for long periods of time

Develops relationships with guests to create & maintain guest retention

Process driven and able to implement operating procedures that will continue to maximize efficiency

Compensation Package Includes:

Base Salary in the $120-150k range DOE

Medical Benefits

PTO Plan

Please do not reach out to Truly Pizza directly. Qualified applicants will be contacted.

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Brad Metzger Restaurant Solutions (BMRS), a Southern California based Hospitality Recruitment and Placement firm, has established relationships with and represents the most acclaimed independent fine dining restaurants in the U.S., celebrity chef restaurant groups, casual restaurant companies, luxury hotels, country clubs and distinguished private chef clients.