Director of Culinary Services

The Alinea Group is looking for a Director of Culinary Services to join our teams. The Director of Culinary Services at TAG is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing and enhancing culinary operations across TAG’s Midwest portfolio. 

This position will assist Alinea Group Chefs and directors by streamlining tasks, coordinating and leading culinary teams, and supporting the function of our events division. The Director will use their intense knowledge of TAG’s operations to draft menus, proactively identify operational opportunities, and implement standardized processes across our culinary teams. 

This role will collaborate with senior managers to refine TAG’s strategic culinary plan by enriching our culinary offerings with a focus on growth and profitability. The role will also support cross-functional initiatives and improve the staff experience through enriching onboarding and learning and development (L&D) processes while fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

• Operational Leadership
  • Oversee daily culinary operations across multiple sites, ensuring consistency, quality, and compliance.
  • Aid Chef Achatz in executive task management.

• Culinary Team Development
  • Lead and mentor a team of culinary professionals, including Executive Chefs, CDCs, and Sous Chefs.
  • Proactively analyze needs for training and development to ensure TAG standards in menu quality, kitchen presentation, and COGS are met.

• Menu R&D
  • Collaborate with Executive chefs and culinary teams to develop offerings that meet customer expectations while ensuring profitability.
  • Regularly consider the TAG brand by assessing and updating menus.

• Strategic Planning
  • Lead culinary strategy development, focusing on menu innovation, operational efficiency, and cost optimization.
  • Stay current with industry trends and implement changes that enhance customer satisfaction, food quality, and operational performance.

• Budget and Cost Control
  • Analyze the financial performance of culinary teams by implementing strategies to meet financial targets.
  • Focus on maintaining cost-effective operations while ensuring Michelin-quality food production.

• Customer Satisfaction & Vendor Management
  • Develop menus and culinary initiatives that improve the guest experience through superior food offerings and service delivery.
  • Continually analyze relationships with key vendors and external stakeholders to ensure quality menus.

• Compliance
  • Ensure all operations comply with TAG policies, food safety standards, and regulatory requirements.
  • Regularly communicate the performance of culinary operations to necessary internal stakeholders.

• Travel
  • Flexibility to travel across the Midwest (especially Chicago), visiting various sites and ensuring operational excellence, particularly during new site openings, events and pop-ups.

• Best-in-class Margins
  • Develop our culinary team’s cost-effective business practices by collaborating with senior managers to set, achieve, and communicate financial targets.
  • Assist our culinary teams by identifying opportunities for improvement, including shifting resources, improving onboarding, and standardizing practices.

• Magical Experiences
  • Coordinate and lead culinary teams across the Midwest in developing and executing special events, pop-ups, and traditional services.
  • Manage large-scale R&D projects by synching resources to identify opportunities for planning menus, events, and staffing.

• Aspirational Brand
  • Continuously innovate and refine culinary offerings, aligning our dining experiences with industry trends and guest preferences.

• 5-10 years in a senior leadership role in hospitality
• Management in a Michelin Star kitchen environment
• Strong leadership and communication skills
• Adept problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Demonstrate an exceptional dedication to work

• Must be able to work on your feet for at least 8 hours
• Must be able to move, pull or lift at least 35 pounds
• Must be able to climb stairs multiple times per shift

This onsite full-time position requires 5 days/week of active engagement (40 hours/week).

• Alinea - 3 days/week | AM Service (1 day), R&D and Management (2 days)

• Fulton Market Properties - 2 days/week | AM Service (1 day) - R&D and Management (1 day)

Exact days and times are flexible to the restaurants' needs.

• Exempt salaried position
• Major holidays off and paid
• Medical, vision, dental and life benefits available on the 1st of the month following full-time employment paid by the company 100%
• Paid time off
• 401(K) with a company match up to 4% of deferred earnings
• CTA/Ventra discount available after 1 month of full-time employment
• Employee Dining Discount, 20% to any Alinea Group restaurant
• Referral Bonus Program Available

The Alinea Group is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity in gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, religion, age, veteran status, life experiences and ideas. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities and strive to provide an inclusive culture that embraces diversity.

Must be eligible to legally work in the United States. We use E-Verify.