Cafe General Manager - ammatka Kitchen
About Berkeley
Departmental Overview
Located in the hills above the UC Berkeley campus, The Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley's public science center, inspires and engages millions each year through science discovery and learning in ways that advance equity and opportunity. Located in the hills above the UC Berkeley campus, The Lawrence welcomes over 100,000 visitors per year to programs and events onsite and hundreds of thousands more in schools and community settings across Northern California. Our programs, products, and research impact youth, communities, educators, leaders and partners locally, nationally and globally. The Lawrence Hall of Science is the home of UC Berkeley's ‘ottoy Initiative. The ‘ottoy Initiative aims to foster understanding of and respect for Ohlone people and culture and to repair and improve UC Berkeley's relationship with the Ohlone community.
Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is: 2026-07-10
Position Summary
As the home of UC Berkeley's ‘ottoy Initiative, The Lawrence Hall of Science offers multiple culinary experiences at The Lawrence and across the UC Berkeley campus designed to foster understanding of and respect for Ohlone people and culture. These experiences are all serviced by the ‘ammatka Kitchen, located at The Lawrence Hall of Science.
Under the culinary direction of ‘ottoy Initiative leaders (Cafe Ohlone co-founders Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino), the ‘ammatka Kitchen prepares, cooks, and serves a combination of made-to-order and grab-and-go food for sale in the onsite cafe and other culinary offerings that may be served in other campus venues.
The general manager is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the ‘ammatka Kitchen and related culinary experiences. This includes supervising all aspects of food service operations, including preparation, serving and presentation of food and beverages; dining and serving area set up; cleaning of the facilities, equipment and tableware; greeting customers, and executing transactions. It also includes working in partnership with the ‘ottoy Initiative leaders and Lawrence Hall of Science staff to ensure that food service operations run smoothly and efficiently while adhering to the goals and budget of this unique operation. Because the clientele served across these experiences varies by venue and season and differs depending on the audience, the Manager needs to pay particular attention to meeting customer demands while stewarding resources and minimizing waste.
We are committed to attracting and retaining talented leaders who demonstrate cultural competence, foster inclusive environments, and effectively serve and engage people from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Given the particular goals of the ‘ottoy culinary experiences, we seek applicants who are interested in advancing the goals of the ‘ottoy initiative and have a passion for connecting food and culture.
Responsibilities
- Food Production. Spend a portion of time performing individual tasks related to food service operations such as set-up/break-down, cleaning, and serving. Prepare and assist in the production of menu items following department recipes in accordance with departmental policies and procedures. Audit, train, and ensure staff adherence to: quality control; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points principles of food preparation, safety, and sanitation; all food service health, safety, nutritional, recipe policies, and guidelines to ensure the highest quality product is served to the customer. Manage the maintenance and cleanliness of the food production areas, including the kitchen, service areas, storage areas, receiving, dock, and trash areas. Identify and resolve a wide range of quality assurance issues in creative and imaginative ways. Merchandise food as required for the location. Practice good stewardship with university and customer resources. Assist functional units as needed; operate a campus vehicle for deliveries or other tasks.
- Customer Service. Maintain exceptional customer service standards; ensure superior service during all on-site and off-site catered events. Meet and exceed customer service expectations by anticipating needs and addressing issues. Participate in ongoing customer service programs, including personal interaction with customers and responding to customer comments. Maintain positive client relationships and exhibit a cheerful and helpful attitude. Plan, organize, and manage a variety of special events from set-up to clean-up, both on-site and off-site as needed. Transport, deliver and serve prepared food to multiple campus locations. Accommodate last-minute requests efficiently and courteously. Ensure deadlines are met for service and event schedules.
- Human Resource and Fiscal Management. Develop schedules and set staffing levels to meet business needs while managing labor costs effectively. Closely oversee the day-to-day activities of employees who operate and maintain food production and service areas; adjust labor schedules and work assignments to match production volume. Train and direct employees in the preparation and service of meals using established food safety guidelines, procedures, and quality control; assign tasks and check work areas at frequent intervals. Ensure staff have knowledge and understanding of event details, specifications, and client expectations. Maintain and follow appropriate personnel actions within the organization. Perform ongoing performance management and staff development, including: timely feedback, setting clear expectations, recognizing outstanding performance, supporting career development, training, and writing annual performance evaluations. Ensure compliance with collective bargaining agreements and personnel policies. Supervise and follow approved cash and payment handling policies and procedures. Purchase food products and supplies as needed for special events and catering. Conduct weekly inventories, making adjustments as necessary to maintain accurate budget information and precise accounting of food and non-food items. Maintain and oversee the repair of food production equipment. Keep food, labor, and supply costs within budgetary requirements. Ensure compliance with cash and payment handling policies and procedures.
- Other Duties as Assigned and Professional Development. Perform additional tasks as required, participate in organizational activities that advance the well-being of The Lawrence Hall of Science and the ‘ottoy Initiative, and engage in opportunities for professional growth.
Required Qualifications
- Lead/supervisory experience, preferably in the foodservice industry.
- Solid knowledge in food service and sanitation regulations.
- Experience ensuring healthy, safe, and sanitary food service environments.
- Strong verbal and written communication in the English language, including active listening and dynamic flexibility.
- Knowledge and experience responding to customer service requests.
- Ability to multitask, ensure effective time management, and delegate.
- Experience coordinating multiple events at one time.
- Strong decision-making and reasoning skills, and the ability to develop original ideas to solve problems, and perform operations analysis and quality control analysis.
- Solid and effective interpersonal and work supervision skills to provide guidance to other personnel and work effectively with partners on joint projects.
- Experience working with and serving a wide variety of customers and clients from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.
- Strong computer application skills to include food service applications such as point of sale and inventory control software.
- Experienced with cash handling and operating point of sales systems in a retail or restaurant environment.
- Experience overseeing procurement of ingredients and supplies needed for food service enterprises.
AVAILABILITY - Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.
LICENSE/CERTIFICATION - Required to hold valid driver's license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies/procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program. ServSafe Certification or equivalent certification. TIPS Training
EDUCATION - High school diploma and/or equivalent experience/training.
Preferred Qualifications
- Knowledge and/or experience related to using indigenous ingredients in food preparation.
- Knowledge and/or experience related to cultivating cultural appreciation through culinary experiences.
- Knowledge related to advancing food sustainability and security.
- Experience in a foodservice operation in a public-facing, cultural organization.
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