Kitchen Managers Who Are Done Living On The Line?

If you’ve spent years running a busy line, getting promised raises and “next promotion” talks that never happen… and you’re ready to actually run a kitchen instead of just surviving it, this is for you.

About Us

Top Shooters in Columbia, IL is a high-energy, high-volume sports bar and restaurant with a loyal local crowd and 50k+ followers who show up on game day. We do the kind of volume that competes with well-known franchise restaurants, but we’ve kept the heart and feel of a locally owned business.

At Top Shooters, we’re more than a place that says we promote a positive culture. We work hard to actually live it. No role here is too small to have a voice. Our ownership and management team emphasize collaboration, accountability, and follow-through. When we make a promise to our team, we take it seriously.

We’re hiring a Kitchen / BOH Operations Manager to own the back‑of‑house systems, people, and performance. This is a leadership role first and a “jump on the line when it’s crazy” role second.

What You’ll Own

• BOH operations: prep, line, expo, and close running to standard every shift
• Training and development for line cooks and shift leads
• Ordering, inventory, and waste logs (including making sure waste is actually logged)
• Labor planning and BOH schedules, especially for game days and big events
• Health code, sanitation, and safety compliance
• Collaborating on menu tweaks, specials, and execution

What Success Looks Like In Your First 90 Days

• Efficient ticket times
• Food cost managed with waste tracked and reduced
• BOH fully staffed with a small bench
• Clean, organized kitchen that passes internal and external inspections
• A team of ~12 people that knows the standards and actually follows them

What You Get

• Salary: $46,000–$56,000 per year, based on experience
• Performance bonus tied to food cost, labor, and kitchen performance
• Health, dental, vision, PTO, employee discounts
• A high‑volume sports bar with real systems, not chaos every night
• Owners and management who actually follow through on reviews and raises, not just talk about them
• A kitchen that’s already functioning; your job is to level it up, not save a dumpster fire

This Is You

• You’ve led a BOH, line, or kitchen in a busy bar / casual concept
• You like organizing people, training, and dialing in systems
• You’re fine jumping on the line when it’s slammed, but don’t want that to be your whole job
• You care about numbers: food cost, labor, ticket times – not just “getting through the rush”
• You’re tired of broken promises and want a place that measures performance and rewards it

Top Shooters is hiring dependable Line Cooks and Restaurant Kitchen Team Members for our high-volume sports bar and restaurant in Columbia, Illinois.

This is a fast-paced, all-stations kitchen position. Our line cooks are expected to be cross-trained and able to work wherever the kitchen needs support, including grill, fryer, sauté, prep, expo, and cold line.

Top Shooters is a busy restaurant and sports bar with high-volume evenings, weekends, events, and game days. We are looking for cooks who show up on time, move with urgency during a rush, communicate well with the team, and take pride in putting out consistent, quality food.

About Top Shooters:

Top Shooters is a high-volume restaurant and sports bar in Columbia, IL. Our kitchen is team-focused, fast-moving, and built around people who are dependable, flexible, and ready to help wherever needed.

We are not a slow kitchen. During busy shifts, everyone needs to be able to stay focused, keep their station stocked and clean, communicate clearly, and help the team keep ticket times moving.

If you enjoy restaurant work, take pride in your food, and want to be part of a solid kitchen team, we want to meet you.

What You’ll Do:

• Prepare and cook menu items accurately, consistently, and according to Top Shooters recipes and food presentation standards
• Work all kitchen stations as needed, including grill, fryer, prep, expo, cold line, and other assigned stations
• Stay on pace with ticket times and food quality during busy, high-volume service periods
• Complete food prep, portioning, labeling, stocking, rotation, and basic kitchen preparation tasks
• Keep your station clean, organized, stocked, and ready for service throughout the shift
• Follow food safety, sanitation, temperature-control, and workplace safety procedures
• Communicate with kitchen staff, bartenders, and managers to keep service running smoothly
• Assist with opening duties, closing duties, cleaning, dish support, stocking, and other back-of-house responsibilities as needed
• Help maintain a positive, accountable, team-first kitchen environment

What We’re Looking For:

• Previous experience as a line cook, prep cook, fry cook, sauté cook, short-order cook, restaurant cook, or kitchen team member is preferred
• Willingness and ability to learn and work all kitchen stations as needed
• This is not a single-station position; cooks must be flexible, cross-trained, and ready to support the kitchen wherever needed during a shift
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume restaurant kitchen
• Reliable attendance, punctuality, and a strong work ethic
• Ability to communicate clearly and work well as part of a team
• Strong attention to food quality, consistency, cleanliness, and detail
• Comfortable standing for long periods, lifting supplies, and working in a hot kitchen environment
• Availability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, events, and busy shifts
• Food Handler certification is a plus; but will be required upon hire

Pay & Perks:

• $17–$19 per hour, based on experience, performance, and reliability
• Full-time and part-time positions available
• Health, dental, and vision insurance for eligible full-time employees
• Paid time off for eligible employees
• Employee meal discounts
• Flexible scheduling
• Opportunities for advancement into lead cook and kitchen leadership roles

Schedule:

• Full-time and part-time shifts available
• Evening, weekend, holiday, and event availability is required
• Shift times may vary based on restaurant needs and business volume

Top Shooters is looking for hardworking, dependable cooks who are ready to learn, work all stations, and take pride in being part of a busy restaurant kitchen team.

About Us

At Top Shooters, we're more than a place that says we have a positive culture — we work hard to actually live it. No role here is too small to have a voice; our team is encouraged to speak up, share ideas, and help shape how we operate. We do the kind of volume that competes with large franchise restaurants, but we've kept the feel of a locally owned business where people know each other and work as a team.

Top Shooters is a high-energy sports bar and restaurant known for our incredible service, great food, league nights and one of the busiest bars in the area. Ownership and management emphasize collaboration, accountability, and follow-through — if we say we're going to do something, we take that seriously.

The Role

We're looking for a strong floor leader ready to step into a true management position running one of the busiest bars in the area. You won't be doing it alone — you'll work alongside a second Front of House Manager, our AGM, GM, and Kitchen Manager, with real day-to-day backup rather than carrying the floor solo.

What You'll Own

• Lead shifts as Manager on Duty, keeping service running smoothly in a high-volume bar environment
• Schedule and manage a team of 20+ bartenders — coverage, swaps, staffing levels
• Coach and support the bartender team while maintaining strong guest service on the floor

What Success Looks Like (First 90 Days)

• Build and maintain a reliable bartender schedule that properly staffs busy nights without blowing labor
• Establish strong floor presence and earn the respect of the FOH and BOH team
• Keep shifts organized and service flowing during peak nights and league events

What You'll Be Doing

• Running opening and closing manager shifts
• Leading pre-shift walk-throughs and operational checks
• Counting drawers and maintaining accurate cash/tip logs
• Monitoring service flow and stepping in when needed
• Adjusting staffing levels based on events, leagues, and volume
• Addressing guest concerns and keeping service standards high
• Coordinating with kitchen and other managers during service
• Maintaining organization, inventory, and compliance standards

What We're Looking For

• Experience in a bar or restaurant environment, especially during high-volume, fast-paced shifts
• You don't need a manager title already — if you've trained new staff, run point during a rush, or been the person the team turns to when things get busy, that counts
• Comfortable handling cash, schedules, and problem-solving in the moment
• Leads by example and stays calm under pressure
• Ready to step into a true management role, not just take on more responsibility without the title

Why People Like Working Here

• Real bonus opportunity tied to metrics you control, not just sales you can't fully influence
• A true leadership role with real input on operations, backed by a full management team
• We're a growing business — recent sales momentum means real upside ahead
• Supportive ownership that actually listens