BWI Manager – Airport Café & Market Operations in Baltimore, Maryland at Nourish Markets Inc

Make real food the easy choice.

At Nourish Markets, we're on a mission to transform how people access fresh, delicious, thoughtfully prepared food.

We're a rapidly growing, culinary-driven food company bringing premium, chef-inspired meals to people on the go. We believe convenience shouldn't mean compromising on quality. That's why we prioritize real ingredients, organic and locally sourced products, and food that's as delicious as it is nourishing.

From fresh salads, bowls, and sandwiches to specialty coffee, overnight oats, and wholesome snacks, we're building a brand that combines exceptional food with the convenience of modern retail.

Our business spans airport cafés, automated markets, and wholesale partnerships—and we're just getting started.

We're preparing to open our newest airport café and market at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) in March 2027, and we're looking for an exceptional leader to help bring it to life.

We're hiring a BWI Manager to lead our airport café and automated market operations.

This is a unique opportunity to join a high-growth startup, help open a new location from the ground up, build and develop a talented team, and work directly with our founders and leadership team.

We're looking for someone who genuinely loves food, understands hospitality, thrives in fast-paced environments, and knows how to run an exceptional operation.

The ideal candidate brings a combination of restaurant or café management experience, strong culinary knowledge, and outstanding people leadership. Airport foodservice experience is especially valuable.

Unlike traditional management positions, this is a hands-on leadership role. We believe the best managers lead by example and aren't afraid to jump behind the counter, assist in the kitchen, or support their team during a busy rush.

Lead Daily Operations

• Oversee the daily performance of our BWI airport café and automated market.
• Deliver exceptional customer experiences through friendly, efficient service and consistently excellent food.
• Maintain high standards for cleanliness, food safety, product presentation, and operational execution.
• Ensure smooth opening and closing procedures and compliance with airport operating requirements.
• Work alongside employees during busy periods to support food preparation, beverage service, and guest experience.

Drive Culinary Excellence

• Maintain our standards for fresh, premium, chef-driven food.
• Ensure consistent execution of recipes, food preparation procedures, and presentation standards.
• Train employees on culinary techniques, food handling, quality control, and sanitation.
• Collaborate with our culinary leadership team on menu execution, customer feedback, and product improvements.
• Protect product freshness and quality while minimizing unnecessary waste.

Build and Lead a Great Team

• Help recruit, hire, onboard, and train Assistant Managers, Shift Leads, and Café Associates.
• Create employee schedules that balance guest demand, labor efficiency, and employee development.
• Coach, motivate, and hold team members accountable.
• Foster a positive, supportive, high-performance culture.
• Develop future leaders as Nourish Markets expands.

Own Business Performance

• Manage inventory, purchasing, ordering, and coordination with our central production kitchen.
• Monitor sales, labor costs, food costs, inventory accuracy, and spoilage.
• Identify opportunities to increase revenue and improve operational efficiency.
• Maintain strong product availability without compromising freshness or food safety.
• Track and report key operational and financial performance metrics.
• Coordinate airport deliveries, security procedures, and operational logistics.

This is a full-time, salaried leadership position, typically scheduled Thursday through Monday, including weekends and peak travel periods.

As the leader of our BWI operations, you'll be expected to maintain a strong, hands-on presence in the café while balancing the administrative and operational responsibilities necessary to run a successful business.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Hands-On Café Leadership: Regularly scheduled time working alongside your team, particularly during busy service periods, supporting food preparation, customer experience, and daily execution.
• Management & Operations: Overseeing hiring, training, scheduling, ordering, inventory management, financial performance, and overall business operations.

The balance between hands-on leadership and administrative responsibilities will vary based on business needs.

This position requires flexibility and a commitment beyond a traditional 40-hour workweek when operational demands require it, particularly during our initial opening, peak travel periods, and other high-volume times.

Starting Base Salary: $62,400 annually

Performance-Based Bonus Opportunities

In addition to base salary, this position is eligible for performance-based bonuses tied to the overall success and operational performance of our BWI locations.

Performance considerations may include:

• Achieving sales and revenue growth objectives.
• Effectively managing labor costs through thoughtful scheduling, productivity, and minimizing unnecessary overtime.
• Maintaining strong inventory controls and reducing food waste and spoilage.
• Improving operational efficiency while maintaining exceptional food quality, customer service, and employee satisfaction.
• Achieving other operational and financial goals established by company leadership.

Bonus eligibility, performance criteria, and payout amounts will be determined by company leadership and communicated through the applicable bonus program.

Additional opportunities include:

• Health benefits
• Paid time off.
• Employee stock-option awards
• Direct collaboration with Nourish Markets' founders and leadership team.
• Professional growth and advancement opportunities as the company expands.

Help Build Something From the Ground Up. You'll play a key role in launching our newest airport café, building its team, and shaping its culture.

Be Part of a Culinary-Driven Company. We're passionate about exceptional food, thoughtful ingredients, and creating products people genuinely love.

Make a Meaningful Impact. As part of a growing company, your ideas, leadership, and decisions will have a direct impact on our success.

Grow With Us. We're building a scalable brand across airports, retail, and wholesale. Strong leaders will have opportunities to grow as the company expands.

Share in Our Success. Performance-based bonuses and employee stock options provide opportunities to participate in the company's growth.

We're looking for a leader who thinks like an owner, leads like a coach, and genuinely loves great food.

If you're an experienced restaurant or café manager with a passion for culinary excellence, exceptional hospitality, and building high-performing teams, we'd love to hear from you.

Help us make real food the easy choice for travelers at BWI and beyond.

Anticipated Start Date: January 2027
Anticipated Café Opening: March 2027
Location: BWI Airport, Baltimore, Maryland

Learn more at www.nourishmarkets.com.

• Minimum of 3 years of management experience in a restaurant, café, commercial kitchen, or comparable foodservice operation.
• Proven ability to lead, train, motivate, and manage a team in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
• Strong understanding of culinary operations, food preparation, food safety, sanitation, and quality control.
• Experience managing employee scheduling, labor costs, purchasing, inventory, and food costs.
• Ability to maintain exceptional standards for food quality, presentation, freshness, and customer service.
• Strong organizational, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Comfortable working hands-on alongside employees during busy service periods.
• Experience using POS systems, scheduling software, and basic operational reporting tools.
• Flexibility to work a full-time management schedule, typically Thursday through Monday, including weekends, holidays, and additional hours when operational needs require.
• Ability to obtain and maintain all required BWI Airport security credentials and successfully complete applicable background screening.

• Previous airport restaurant, café, or foodservice management experience is strongly preferred.
• Professional culinary background, formal culinary training, or experience leading commercial kitchen operations.
• Experience opening a new restaurant, café, or hospitality location.
• Experience managing high-volume breakfast, coffee, grab-and-go, or premium fast-casual operations.
• Strong knowledge of perishable inventory management, food waste reduction, and demand forecasting.
• Experience developing operational procedures, training programs, and high-performing teams.
• Familiarity with organic, locally sourced, health-conscious, or clean-label food concepts.
• Experience working in a growing company or startup environment.

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods in an active café environment.
• Ability to perform routine foodservice and kitchen duties.
• Ability to lift and move supplies weighing up to 25 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to work in a secure airport environment and comply with applicable safety, security, and foodservice regulations.

Nourish Markets is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive workplace. Reasonable accommodations are available in accordance with applicable law.