Description
We are looking for a full or part time passionate, big personality and energetic Shift Manager who can help us to lead from the front and create exceptional dining experiences at our new Guildford fresh pasta restaurant. We won’t just be cooking and serving our customers the freshest pasta in town (although that’s a big part of it!), but opening doors to one of the coolest locations in town.
Picture this: we’ll have chefs making fresh pasta in the window of the restaurant to entice the good people of Guildford in. There’ll be the hippest Italian funk and jazz on stereo, the smell of ragù in the air, fresh pasta making classes in-house, drivers buzzing about on our beautiful terracotta Vespas, and much more.
As Shift Manager, you’ll lead by example, overseeing operations during your shift and fostering a positive environment where our passion for authentic Italian cuisine shines through. We want to hear from candidates who ooze passion, are confident, charming & wear an easy smile with customers, and who want to be part of our exceptional new fresh pasta concept coming to Guildford. If that sounds like you, we wanted to hear from you yesterday. So, as our Roman ancestors might have said, carpe diem. Show us your soul.
What you'll do at Pasta Evangelists:
* To be in charge of the restaurant floor and kitchen, ensuring everything runs like clockwork.
* Uphold cleanliness, food safety, and operational procedures in both front-of-house and back-of-house areas.
* Oversee the kitchen and dining area, making sure every dish that leaves the kitchen is a masterpiece. Along with the rest of the team, you’ll also be involved in preparing amazing dishes for customers (don’t worry, we’ll teach you everything) – but we’re looking for someone who loves good food
* Be the go-to person for our amazing front and back of house staff.
* Proactively address challenges and make quick, effective decisions to ensure seamless service.
* Engage warmly with our guests, helping them to explore our menu, offering personalised recommendations and answering any questions with passion.
* Be part of the magic in the kitchen, preparing pasta dishes that look as good as they taste.
* Train new team members and keep the current crew sharp with ongoing training sessions.
* Manage the shifts and time-off requests to keep the restaurant fully staffed and ready to roll.
* Handle cash and reconcile transactions with precision and honesty.
* Be happy to help with budget planning and finding smart ways to control costs.
* Conduct regular Food and Health & Safety checks and jump into action if something needs fixing.
* Keep the vibe positive, even during busy shifts.
Who you are:
* You've got some solid experience as a Shift Manager or in a similar role in hospitality. You know the ins and outs of running a bustling restaurant.
* You're a natural leader who loves motivating and guiding a team. Your positive energy is contagious!
* You have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. You can connect with anyone, making both staff and customers feel valued.
* You handle stressful situations like a pro, keeping calm and collected no matter what comes your way.
* You have a genuine passion for great food and hospitality, and love sharing that passion with others.
* You never miss a beat and take pride in delivering perfection in every task.
* You thrive in a collaborative environment, supporting and motivating your team to achieve common goals.
* Today, we are looking for shift managers, but as we grow, we want you to be our pipeline for the future and grow with us
* Bonus point! Any experience in coffee, wine, and pasta would be advantageous, but it’s your zest for life that we are looking for.
* … If you dream in pasta shapes, you're in the right place.
What we can offer:
* Competitive salary to attract the best talent
* Join a dynamic, fast-moving & diverse team
* Discretionary service charge split based on hours worked
* Join a growing business with growing opportunities
* Regular team socials and pasta tastings
* 28 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays)
* Complementary staff food & drinks while on shift
* Performance driven Bonus scheme
Who we are:
ARA Pasta are the first Franchise partner of Pasta Evangelists who will be operating Pasta Evangelists restaurants in South London and South east of England. Our ambitious development plans to grow the business over the next few years provides exciting opportunities to develop a career with us. Given our ambitious plans, we are looking for driven individuals to lead our business through its next growth chapter.
Pasta Evangelists was born eight years ago out of a desire to become the authority in fresh pasta. We’re on a mission to reimagine and elevate pasta as a category, which is worth a staggering £3.8bn yet has seen little innovation for decades.
Since launching our original fresh pasta recipe kit service in 2016, we have built a cult following of British pasta lovers – our Evangelists – who are passionate about discovering the breadth and variety of pasta, as well as the irresistible stories behind it.
Today, Pasta Evangelists is backed by Barilla (the world’s biggest pasta company) and is proud to be the UK’s biggest pasta brand by revenues, as well as one of the UK’s fastest-growing startups. In addition to our website, our recipe kits are also available for customers to purchase through major online retailers like Ocado.
Building on this success, we are now disrupting Britain’s pizza-centric Italian dining scene with the launch of our very own Pasta Evangelists restaurants along with our high-end Harrods Pasta Bar. These are not just Italian eateries — they are vibrant destinations where guests can experience the extraordinary diversity of pasta, alongside exceptional service, bold creativity, and a true passion for great food. You can visit us at our first locations in Chiswick, Richmond, Greenwich and Farringdon, where guests can enjoy a delicious meal and also take part in our much loved pasta-making classes.
At the same time, we continue to expand our fresh pasta takeaway concept, available on and through major delivery platforms like Deliveroo, UberEats and JustEat. With more than 40 kitchens now operating across the UK — including in Scotland and Wales — we are growing our footprint rapidly and bringing fresh pasta to more customers every day.
Our state-of-the-art Pastificio in Acton, West London — the largest in the UK — enables us to produce a wide range of artisanal pasta and sauces, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in this beloved category.
Looking ahead, our key focus is on opening more restaurants and creating unique spaces that celebrate pasta in all its shapes, offering something far beyond the traditional Italian experience.
Given our ambitions, we are looking for exceptional professionals to lead our business through this next exciting chapter of growth.