Restaurant And Bar Manager

About the Company

KAISO is a Japanese dining and bar venue in DIFC, Emirates Towers, with views of the Museum of the Future. It is positioned as the UAE’s first Mazemen Bar, built around mazemen bowls, izakaya-style dishes, sake, Japanese spirits, cocktails, and an energetic bar atmosphere. The concept is casual, social, welcoming, and designed to make guests feel looked after from arrival to departure.

Role Overview

The business is seeking a Restaurant & Bar Manager who can lead the venue with strong hospitality standards, creative thinking, discipline, and enthusiasm. This role goes far beyond routine operations and requires a solid understanding of Japanese food culture, bar service, cocktails, sake, guest experience, promotions, events, and sales growth.

The selected candidate will oversee the floor and bar, coach the team, shape the venue’s atmosphere, improve footfall, grow revenue, and turn first-time visitors into repeat guests. The role involves close collaboration with the kitchen, bar, marketing, and ownership teams to strengthen KAISO’s presence as a standout Japanese restaurant and bar in Dubai.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct day-to-day restaurant and bar operations at KAISO DIFC.
• Build awareness of KAISO as the UAE’s first Mazemen Bar.
• Train staff to confidently describe mazemen, izakaya items, sake, Japanese spirits, cocktails, and the style of Japanese hospitality expected.
• Maintain excellent standards in service, speed, cleanliness, consistency, and guest care.
• Set the tone on the floor and at the bar by creating an engaging and lively environment.
• Encourage repeat business and develop a loyal customer base.
• Improve footfall, sales, upselling, guest engagement, and event-led revenue.
• Support marketing campaigns, social media activity, promotions, launches, and brand events.
• Plan and deliver events such as sake nights, cocktail nights, corporate bookings, and after-work gatherings.
• Help design, refine, and expand the cocktail and beverage offering.
• Manage stock levels, beverage costs, wastage, ordering, inventory, and supplier coordination.
• Lead the team with energy, ownership, discipline, and a strong sense of care.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate should have prior experience in a Japanese restaurant, izakaya, sushi, ramen, robata, or Japanese bar environment. Strong knowledge of sake, Japanese whisky, Japanese spirits, cocktails, and bar operations is important, along with the ability to contribute to a profitable beverage program.

Applicants should bring proven experience in sales growth, guest engagement, promotions, events, and managing bar activations or group bookings. The role also requires strong leadership, the ability to train and motivate a team, and the confidence to host guests while maintaining a polished floor presence.

A commercial mindset is essential, including comfort with revenue targets, beverage cost control, inventory management, wastage reduction, and upselling. The role is hands-on and requires someone who is organized, energetic, and available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.

What the Role Requires

• Previous work experience in Japanese dining or bar concepts is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of sake, Japanese whisky, spirits, cocktails, and bar service is important.
• Ability to create cocktails and support beverage menu development.
• Experience improving sales, guest traffic, promotions, and event performance.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• High hospitality standards and a deep understanding of guest experience.
• Confident guest-facing presence with the ability to build regular clientele.
• Commercial awareness around revenue, cost control, stock, wastage, and upselling.
• Experience handling events, group reservations, activations, and special promotions.
• Clear communication skills across guests, kitchen, bar, and ownership teams.
• Hands-on approach with the ability to work flexible hospitality hours.
• Passion for Japanese food, drinks, culture, music, and memorable guest experiences.

Additional Information

This position is focused on bringing the venue to life every day through atmosphere, service, drinks, sales, fun, and discipline. The right person should be able to lead from the front, build a strong bar culture, and contribute to making KAISO one of Dubai’s most exciting Japanese dining and nightlife destinations.