General Manager – Luxury Italian Restaurant (Abu Dhabi)

About the role

We are seeking an experienced General Manager to lead the launch and ongoing success of a new contemporary Italian dining concept in Abu Dhabi. The role combines a passion for authentic Italian cuisine with the ability to deliver luxury hospitality and a vibrant guest experience.

Key responsibilities

• Lead pre‑opening and opening phases, ensuring operational readiness across all areas.
• Oversee day‑to‑day operations, maintaining high standards of service, food quality, and guest satisfaction.
• Drive revenue growth, profitability, and overall business performance.
• Manage budgets, labour costs, forecasting, P&L, inventory and operational expenses.
• Recruit, coach and develop front‑ and back‑of‑house teams, fostering a culture of teamwork and accountability.
• Maintain a strong floor presence, building relationships with guests, VIP clientele and key stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Events on launch activities, activations and partnerships.
• Monitor guest feedback and performance metrics, implementing improvements as needed.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, health and safety, licensing and legal standards.

Required profile

• Minimum 3 years’ experience as a General Manager in a luxury or fine‑dining restaurant.
• Proven track record of driving revenue, profitability and operational excellence.
• Experience with pre‑opening projects, preferably in Italian concepts.
• Strong understanding of luxury hospitality, guest engagement and VIP service standards.
• Excellent leadership, communication and decision‑making abilities.
• Passion for hospitality and delivering memorable guest experiences.

Required skills

• Budgeting, forecasting and P&L management.
• Recruiting, leading and developing multicultural teams.
• Cost control and inventory management.