Director of Culinary

Sunny Isles Beach, FL, USA|

Job Overview

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Paid Time Off

Retirement Plan

Employee Discounts

Professional Development

flexible schedule

Job Description

The hiring establishment is a luxury hospitality hotel known for its exceptional culinary offerings and commitment to delivering memorable dining experiences. This esteemed hotel operates multiple food and beverage outlets including restaurants, bars, pool and beach venues, in-room dining, banquets, catering services, and employee dining areas. With a reputation for excellence in service and quality, the hotel continually strives to maintain brand standards that uphold the luxury lodging and dining expectations of its diverse clientele. The organization values innovation, operational efficiency, and superior guest satisfaction, which are integral to its ongoing success in a competitive hospitality marketplace. It offers a dynamic work environment that balances guest interaction and back-of-house culinary operations.

The role in focus is the Director of Culinary, a senior leadership position responsible for the strategic and operational management of all culinary operations throughout the hotel. This role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, including oversight of menu development, quality assurance, food safety, financial performance, and the recruitment and development of the culinary and stewarding teams. The Director of Culinary works closely with the Director of Food & Beverage and hotel leadership teams to develop innovative dining concepts while ensuring profitability and operational excellence. By managing food and labor costs, purchasing, inventory, and productivity, the Director plays a crucial role in maintaining the establishment's reputation for culinary excellence.

This full-time position demands a high level of leadership and expertise in culinary arts, financial management, and team development. The Director of Culinary is tasked with delivering outstanding guest experiences through consistent food quality and presentation, innovative menu offerings, and efficient operational practices. The role involves ongoing collaboration with various departments including Marketing and Sales to support promotional activities and special events that drive revenue. As a key member of the hotel management team, the Director ensures compliance with health and safety standards, maintains accurate culinary documentation, and utilizes modern hotel systems for inventory, purchasing, and labor management. This position offers an enriching career opportunity for culinary professionals seeking to lead and inspire culinary teams in a high-end hospitality environment while driving operational success and guest satisfaction.

Job Requirements

Physical ability to stand, walk, use hands and fingers to handle or feel materials, objects, tools, or controls, and reach with hands and arms
occasionally able to climb, balance, stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, or crawl
able to occasionally lift up to 100 pounds
ability to communicate clearly in English
ability to provide legible communication
complete knowledge of POS and manual systems

Job Qualifications

Eight years progressive culinary and management experience
culinary degree or relevant experience
ability to budget and direct financial operations
ability to motivate, train and effectively discipline staff

Job Duties

Own and achieve all culinary financial objectives including food cost, labor cost, productivity, operating expenses, and departmental profitability
develop, manage, and monitor annual operating budgets and monthly forecasts
analyze financial statements, labor reports, productivity metrics, food cost reports, and inventory variances to identify opportunities and implement corrective action
manage staffing levels and scheduling to meet business demands while maintaining labor budgets
monitor overtime, premium pay, and contract labor to ensure labor costs remain within established targets
oversee purchasing, receiving, storage, and inventory controls to minimize waste, theft, spoilage, and overproduction
conduct regular menu engineering and recipe costing to optimize profitability while maintaining quality and guest satisfaction
review pricing and menu mix to maximize contribution margins across all outlets
direct all culinary operations across restaurants, bars, pool and beach outlets, in-room dining, banquets, catering, and special events
ensure consistent execution of recipes, presentation standards, portion control, and food quality
develop seasonal menus, promotions, banquet offerings, and specialty events that drive revenue and enhance the guest experience
establish standardized recipes and production procedures to ensure consistency and profitability
ensure all food is prepared and served in accordance with company standards and luxury hospitality expectations
maintain high standards of sanitation, cleanliness, food safety, and HACCP compliance throughout all culinary areas
oversee preventive maintenance of kitchen equipment and coordinate repairs when necessary
recruit, hire, train, coach, mentor, and develop culinary and stewarding leadership teams
foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, continuous improvement, and operational excellence
conduct performance evaluations, coaching conversations, and disciplinary actions in accordance with company policies
develop succession plans and identify high-potential team members for advancement
lead daily culinary briefings and participate in department head meetings, labor reviews, and operational planning meetings
develop purchasing specifications and maintain vendor relationships to ensure quality and competitive pricing
monitor product quality, receiving procedures, and inventory rotation
ensure compliance with purchasing standards and approved vendors
implement waste reduction initiatives and monitor yield performance
review requisitions and purchasing trends to identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality
ensure exceptional guest satisfaction through consistent food quality, presentation, and execution
respond promptly to guest concerns and implement service recovery when appropriate
stay current on culinary trends, market conditions, and competitor offerings to keep menus innovative and competitive
collaborate with marketing, sales, and food & beverage leadership on promotions, activations, and special events
ensure compliance with all health department regulations, food safety standards, OSHA requirements, and company policies
maintain accurate culinary documentation, recipes, production guides, inventory records, and cost analyses
utilize hotel systems including POS, purchasing, inventory, and labor management software
partner with accounting and finance to review invoices, expenses, budgets, and financial reporting
perform additional responsibilities as assigned to support overall hotel operations