Company description

Hilltown (formerly Hilltown Hot Pies) is a celebration of naturally leavened, wood-fired pizza and Southern Italian cuisine, rooted deeply in the Berkshires and New England landscape. Founded by pizzaiolo and chef Rafi Bildner, Hilltown uses pizza as a canvas to showcase regional agricultural systems, foodways, and community connection. With roots in pop-ups and nomadic collaborations across the Hudson Valley and Berkshires (and earlier, the Bay Area), Hilltown opened its brick-and-mortar home in October 2025 on a historic farmhouse property in the Southern Berkshire Hills. Since its opening, the restaurant has already received critical acclaim across the Berkshires, Hudson Valley, and beyond. Renowned food writers and critics have shared their excitement, and the restaurant has operated at near full capacity since opening day. Following over two years of thoughtful architectural planning and a monumental renovation of a 1790s farmhouse, Hilltown is now an immersive culinary destination—featuring a bustling open-kitchen pizza line, a seasonal outdoor pizza garden, on-site gardens, workshops, private events, and experiential programming. Since opening, Hilltown has been consistently busy—even through the traditionally slower winter months in the Berkshires—and continues to build momentum as a year-round destination restaurant that guests far and wide seek out and return to time and again. The restaurant sees dinner service cover counts regularly in the 160s, with weekday dinner services averaging near 100, week after week. As we move through the spring and into our first full summer season, the restaurant will expand to nearly double capacity, with increased outdoor dining, events, and service. With over 700 Resy reviews to date, and a 4.9 average guest rating, and 130 Google reviews with a 4.8 average rating, Hilltown has established itself as one of the most in-demand restaurants in the entire region, and we’re just getting started! At its core, Hilltown is a place for nourishment, warmth, and joy. A gathering space for people who love great food, hospitality, and the relentless pursuit of craft. We value kindness, generosity, and a welcoming spirit as deeply as technical culinary excellence.

Job description

Who We’re Looking For

Hilltown seeks an experienced General Manager to oversee all daily operations, lead front of house, and be at the helm of our guest experience. The ideal candidate will bring warm, inviting, generous and joyful hospitality to guests while mentoring our service team and upholding excellent standards. We're looking for a passionate, committed, hands-on leader who will guide the team from open to close, deeply invested in daily operations and the overall guest experience. The right person will master our service style, demonstrate hustle, lead by example, and maintain a positive attitude, even in stressful situations. They should excel at problem-solving, attention to detail, and creating a supportive team culture through kind mentorship and constant teaching. As the General Manager, this individual will also have the unique and critical role of helping shape Hilltown’s operational systems and infrastructure: this person must be willing to jump in and identify areas of operational growth, and always look for ways to make Hilltown an efficient, professional, and positive restaurant environment, for our team and guests alike. With no General Manager on board to date (the chef/owner has run the full operation since opening), this individual has an extraordinary opportunity to help shape the future of this restaurant - and build on its incredible foundation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all front-of-house operations, including hiring, training, scheduling, and managing FOH team through daily service.
• Lead service excellence by setting and maintaining high standards, actively engaging with guests during service, and collaborating with kitchen leadership to ensure an optimal dining experience.
• Foster a positive, accountable, and performance-driven culture, while providing ongoing coaching, feedback, and professional development.
• Build and maintain team culture through training sessions, service education, performance reviews, and implementation of appropriate disciplinary measures while ensuring HR compliance.
• Manage HR documentation, weekly payroll processing in collaboration with bookkeepers/accountants, and track performance against key metrics established with ownership.
• In collaboration with chef/owner and bar team, oversee bar and beverage operations, purchasing, inventory tracking and monitor performance and key financial metrics.
• Maintain inventory of, and lead procurement on all FOH-related supplies and purchasing needs.
• Liaise with BOH leadership (chef/owner and lead line/prep cooks) to ensure operational flow and efficiencies, help establish and maintain service systems that lead to the most positive guest experience possible.
• Provide detailed daily management reports and respond to financial performance data by adjusting staffing, reservations, systems, and other cost factors.
• Manage labor costs, and respond to productivity targets, in collaboration with chef/owner. Monitor key performance indicators and implement improvements as needed.
• Lead planning and execution of on-site events (private events/buy-outs, workshops and ticketed experiences) and build strong community relationships.
• Handle private event/off-site catering/buy-out event inquiries, and help drive and grow private event business.
• Oversee facility maintenance needs, help manage the restaurant’s physical infrastructure, and coordinate with service providers and ownership as needed.
• Manage and maintain POS systems (Toast).
• Be the point person on all things related to Resy, the reservation/restaurant service operations platform Hilltown uses.
• Other related assignments as necessary.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in an equivalent service or restaurant management role.
• Prior experience with at least one restaurant and/or bar opening is preferred.
• Outstanding leadership, mentorship, and training abilities.
• Passion and unwavering standards in delivering product, service, and a positive guest experience.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented with the ability to multi-task.
• High-energy, enthusiastic, hands-on, service-oriented personality.
• Passion for providing destination-grade food and beverage experiences.
• Ability to project manage, and be a calm problem-solver in a fast-paced environment, and be gracious, warm, and adaptable under stress.
• Proficient with set-up, use, management, and troubleshooting of POS systems (preferably Toast) and inventory management.
• Proficient with set-up, use, management and troubleshooting of Resy or similar reservation management platform.
• Consistent and accurate cash and credit card transaction management skills, including daily batching, drawer reconciliation, bank deposits.
• Experience in oversight of administrative responsibilities, HR implementation, payroll filing and general maintenance supervision.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to be a facilitator, mentor, and mediator.
• Must be flexible in working on holidays and weekends, during both daytime/nighttime business hours.
• Must hold valid food handlers + all health & safety certificate(s) that meet local requirements.

Compensation: in the range of $80,000 annually; compensation commensurate with experience.

Start Date: On or around May 1st, 2026.

Perks & Benefits: Hilltown provides accrued paid vacation time for management, complimentary staff meals prepared daily and dining discounts.

Qualified candidates will be contacted directly.

Hilltown is committed to a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace in which everyone is welcomed, valued, and supported. Hilltown recruits, employs, compensates, and promotes without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic or family medical history, marital, parental, veteran or military status, unfavorable military discharge, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

Compensation

this position is: salaried, $75,000 - $100,000

Application instructions

Deadline

April 30, 2026