Which roles a restaurant org chart shows, and why
New staff in a restaurant need to know one thing fast: who do I ask? The chart answers it for both sides of the pass and shows where the owner's job ends and the managers' begins.
- Owner
- Sets the concept, signs the lease and the payroll. In an owner-operated place the owner often works a station or the floor as well; note that in the title so the chart stays honest.
- Head chef and sous chef
- The head chef owns the menu, food cost and kitchen staff. The sous chef runs service when the chef is off and handles the schedule for the line.
- Line cook, prep cook and dishwasher
- The brigade below the sous chef. The dishwasher works 0.6 FTE in this example, which is typical for a role covered across several shifts.
- Front-of-house manager, servers, host and bar
- The front-of-house manager runs the floor, reservations and service standards. Servers and the bartender report here; the host position is open in the template to show a vacancy.
- Bookkeeper
- A staff position beside the owner, part-time at 0.4 FTE. If an outside accountant does the books, keep the box and write the firm's name in it.
Variations: café or full-service restaurant
Café or counter-service spot
Owner, a shift lead and a few crew members who do everything. Remove the split between kitchen and floor and use one department, with shift leads as the only middle layer.
Full-service restaurant or small group
Add a general manager between the owner and the two teams, chefs de partie per station, and a bar manager. For a second location, copy the chart and keep the owner as the shared top box.
Tips for a restaurant org chart
Enter part-time hours as FTE
Most restaurants run on part-time staff. Enter each person's FTE and the headcount overview shows how many full-time equivalents each team really has.
Show seasonal openings
Mark summer or holiday roles as open positions so the team sees the plan before the busy season.
Print a clean copy for the back office
Export a PDF or PNG and pin it next to the rota. Change a name in the editor and print again when someone leaves.
Questions about this template
Does the head chef report to the general manager?
In many restaurants the head chef and the general manager are peers who both report to the owner, as in this template. In hotel restaurants or larger groups the chef sometimes reports to the general manager; move the box if that is your setup.
Should I list every server by name?
For a small team, yes, it helps new hires. With high turnover, a box per role with a count in the title ("Servers, 6 people") is easier to keep current.
Can I use the chart for a new opening?
Yes. Build the full team with open positions, then replace them with names as you hire. Exports show the plan for investors or landlords.
Ready to put in your own names?
The template opens in the editor with the example people. Replace them by hand, or import your staff list and keep the structure.