Assistant manager at Jitomato Maastricht
32 to 40 hours, Wednesday to Sunday. Monthly training bonus and paid trial shift.
Jitomato is an authentic Mexican fast-casual restaurant in the centre of Maastricht. Everything from scratch, open kitchen, high standards. We're looking for the shift coach: the assistant manager who runs the shift when the manager isn't there, trains the team, and keeps the standard high.
Apply NowWhy Jitomato
- Everything made from scratch: tortillas, salsas, slow-cooked fillings. Guests come here for the food, and it shows.
- Our goal: food, service and vibe that could live in Mexico City, not "Dutch Mexican".
- A small, respectful team where everyone (including the owner) has done every job in the building.
- A serious role with real ownership: we value independence and initiative, and your input actually changes how we run things.
- Humane shifts: normal days are 7 to 9 hours and finish by 22:00. Very occasionally (2 to 4 times per year when the schedule gets tight) we'll do an open-to-close day, and you'll always know about those in advance.
- Staff meal on shift, plus taste-everything training so you know every dish inside out.
The Role
You are the shift coach
When the manager isn't there, you run the shift. That means you:
- Run a 2 to 3 person team on the line (cook and cashier roles)
- Cook, plate and serve during rush: this is not an office job
- Take orders at the counter, guide guests through the menu, and make sure every table feels looked after
- Train students and part-timers so they can open and close without a manager
- Keep our digital checklists enforced and the store clean and calm
- Fix small issues on the spot and flag bigger ones to the manager
- Handle guest issues directly and keep the vibe warm and friendly
What winning looks like: within 2 weeks you can run the core stations solo to Jitomato standard, within 1 month you can lead busy shifts while the manager is off the line, and by 3 months the restaurant feels the same quality for guests whether you or the manager is running the shift.
How you work with the manager
- On the floor you and the manager do almost the same work: you both run shifts, cook on the line, and coach the team. When the manager is off, you take over their on-shift responsibilities and run the show.
- The manager still carries final responsibility and more of the admin, but the goal is that if they disappeared for a day, Jitomato would run exactly the same on your shift.
- The owner is not in the day-to-day, so we run on independence, initiative and ownership, and on structured feedback in both directions, so we all keep improving and frustrations get talked out instead of building up.
Own the kitchen standard
This role has a strong kitchen emphasis. You:
- Lead prep days and cook on the line
- Make sure what leaves the pass matches what you promised guests at the counter
- Guard quality and hygiene, and make sure the big preparations (cochinita, tinga, the stews) are done right
- Teach the standard instead of just holding it
What you get
- Stable hours: 32 to 40 hours per week, Wednesday to Sunday, a mix of opens and closes, planned weeks ahead
- Competitive horeca salary plus a monthly bonus for training the team and making them independent. The bonus is tied to how fast new people become independent and how clean your closes are, not vague "good performance"
- Real responsibility: you run shifts, you don't just work them
- Independence and trust: you get the room to run things, not someone looking over your shoulder
- A paid trial shift so we both know it's a match before committing
- A small, tight team that actually cares about doing things right, plus staff meal on shift
Who you are
- 1.5+ years in hospitality, with at least 6 months front of house and 6 months in the kitchen
- Comfortable cooking, serving, and talking to guests in a warm, direct way
- You actually like helping guests choose what to eat and noticing when someone looks lost or unsure
- You've trained new people before (not just "helped out once")
- You give direct feedback and don't avoid conflict, and you're not shy about receiving it either
- You work independently and take initiative: you see what's needed and do it
- You live within about 25 minutes of Maastricht centre
- You can legally work in the Netherlands
- You take hygiene seriously and notice details like a messy station
- You speak clear English; Dutch or Spanish is a plus
Who this is not for
- People who want to sit in an office: on your shifts you cook, plate and serve
- People who want to be liked more than they want to keep standards
- People who avoid responsibility or blame others when things go wrong
How We Work at Jitomato
Read this before you apply. These are non-negotiable for everyone on the team, and you will be the one protecting them.
Authentic over easy
We're here to bring a real Mexican experience, not "Tex-Mex with fries". If you want to add burgers or water things down to please everyone, this won't be your place.
Make guests feel at home
Service here is warm, not cold. We read body language, remember faces, and treat people like guests in our house, not transactions.
Own it & grow
We'd rather you make a mistake, own it, and learn, than hide it. We give direct feedback and expect you to want it.
Keep it real
We speak honestly and directly with each other. No gossip, no passive-aggressive stuff. If something's wrong, we say it to your face, respectfully.
How It Works
Apply
Fill out the form below. About 5 minutes, no cover letter.
Video call
If it's a match, we plan a call of about 30 minutes. We've read your application, so we go deeper into your stories instead of repeating the form.
Paid trial shift
A paid 3-hour shift where you work the line with us and do a bit of light leading and training, so we both see how it feels.
Decision
You hear back within a few days with a clear yes or no.