Assistant Restaurant Manager - Independent Restaurant

We are searching for an Assistant Restaurant Manager to join a chef-owned, independent all-day dining restaurant in Dubai. This is a hands-on deputy role in a busy, walk-in-only venue, where the welcome at the door matters as much as the food on the plate.

Our client is one of Dubai's most talked-about recent openings: a casual, personal, community-led restaurant built around a communal table and an open kitchen, with a small retail offer alongside. The menu is elevated comfort food and the team is small, so the role offers real management development and the chance to help shape service in a growing, chef-owned concept.

Reporting to the Restaurant Manager, you will own the front door, including the walk-in queue and waitlist, lead the front-of-house team on shift, and take full charge of the venue in the Restaurant Manager's absence. We are looking for a confident, vibrant and genuinely warm senior supervisor or assistant manager who stays calm and decisive when the restaurant is at its busiest.

Responsibilities

• Deputise for the Restaurant Manager during days off, leave and absence, with full responsibility for opening, running and closing the venue.
• Lead pre-shift briefings covering the covers forecast, menu changes, unavailable items, VIPs and the service focus.
• Oversee the floor throughout service, deploying staff to sections and adjusting cover as volumes change.
• Keep the kitchen and front of house in step, managing pacing between the open kitchen and the dining room.
• Run the host stand during peak periods: greet guests, quote accurate wait times and manage the walk-in queue and waitlist using a manual seating system.
• Manage the floor plan and seating to balance demand, table turns and guest comfort, including the communal table.
• Keep waiting guests informed and comfortable, and offer alternatives while they wait where appropriate.
• Monitor table status and turn times, and coordinate with servers and bussers to reset tables quickly.
• Handle complaints and special requests calmly, resolving them on the floor wherever possible.
• Recognise regulars and VIPs, record guest preferences and feedback, and respond to online reviews in line with company guidelines.
• Lead, coach and motivate the front-of-house team, and take part in recruitment, onboarding and on-the-job training.
• Prepare staff rotas for the Restaurant Manager's approval, and manage attendance, leave and break schedules.
• Uphold grooming, conduct and service standards, handle first-line performance issues and contribute to staff appraisals.
• Carry out opening and closing checklists, including cash-up, float and POS reconciliation.
• Support stock control across the restaurant and its retail offer: ordering, receiving, stock counts and wastage logs.
• Monitor labour, consumables and breakage costs against budget, and support sales and cost reporting.
• Ensure compliance with Dubai Municipality food safety and hygiene regulations and HACCP procedures, and keep health, safety and fire records up to date.
• Complete shift handovers and daily, weekly and incident reports.

Requirements

• 3 to 5 years of front-of-house experience, including at least 2 years as a supervisor or assistant manager.
• Background in busy, chef-led, independent or award-recognised restaurants preferred.
• Proven experience running a host stand and walk-in waitlist in a high-demand, no-reservations venue, including manual seating and waitlist management.
• Calm, decisive leadership under pressure during peak service.
• A confident, warm and genuine hospitality style suited to a personal, community-led venue.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and clear communication with guests, kitchen and team.
• Food safety certification (for example PIC or HACCP Level 2 or 3), or willingness to obtain it.
• Experience with POS systems, and with Microsoft Office or Google Workspace.
• A real interest in food, cookbooks and produce, and the ability to talk about a menu with confidence.
• Fluent English; Arabic or other languages are an advantage.
• Flexibility to work weekends, evenings and public holidays.
• A hospitality or business qualification is an advantage.
• Must already hold the right to work in the United Arab Emirates.

Benefits

• Salary: AED 12,000 per month, all-inclusive (basic salary plus housing and transport allowances), depending on experience.
• Medical insurance provided.
• 30 days of annual leave, with a flight ticket every 12 months.
• Duty meal provided.
• Uniform provided.
• Further benefits to be confirmed during the recruitment process.

Additional Information

This is a permanent, full-time, on-site position working a 5-day week on a shift basis, including weekends and evenings. The role reports to the Restaurant Manager, and the target start date is 8 November 2026, so candidates who are available at short notice will be prioritised.

Candidates must already hold the right to work in the United Arab Emirates and be based in the country; the client will sponsor the work visa for the successful candidate. The role is based on site in Dubai.

Disclaimer

We appreciate your interest in this vacancy. Due to the high number of applications we receive, only candidates selected to move to the next stage of the recruitment process can be contacted. Radiant does not charge any fee to candidates; all costs are always covered by the client.