Culinary Director

Job Type

Full-time

Description

The Culinary Director is responsible for overseeing the culinary operations across all locations within the organization, including multiple locations or units. This role requires a visionary leader with a passion for food, innovation, and excellence, who can manage culinary teams across different sites, develop and implement menu concepts, maintain the highest standards of food quality and safety, and drive operational efficiency. The Culinary Director will collaborate closely with executive leadership to ensure that all culinary efforts align with the brand's vision and customer expectations across all units.

• Lead the creation and execution of innovative menus that reflect the brand's identity and meet customer preferences across multiple locations.
• Collaborate with chefs and kitchen staff in various units to develop new recipes, seasonal specials, and signature dishes.
• Ensure all menu items are cost-effective, scalable, and of high quality, regardless of the location.
• Recruit, train, and mentor culinary staff, including executive chefs and kitchen managers across all units.
• Foster a positive and collaborative work environment that encourages creativity, professional growth, and teamwork across all locations.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide ongoing feedback to culinary team members in all units.
• Oversee daily culinary operations across multiple locations to ensure efficiency, consistency, and adherence to standards.
• Implement and maintain best practices in food preparation, presentation, and safety throughout all units.
• Monitor inventory levels, order supplies, and manage vendor relationships for all locations to ensure timely delivery and cost control.
• Establish and enforce food quality standards to ensure that all dishes are prepared to the highest level of excellence across all units.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and sanitation regulations in every kitchen operation.
• Conduct regular inspections of kitchens in all locations to ensure cleanliness, safety, and adherence to company policies.
• Develop and manage culinary budgets, including food costs, labor costs, and equipment investments, across all units.
• Analyze financial performance data from each location and implement strategies to maximize profitability.
• Work with the finance team to track and manage food and labor costs against budgets for all units.
• Negotiate contracts with food suppliers, ensuring high-quality ingredients at the best possible prices for all locations.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key vendors and suppliers across multiple units.
• Continuously evaluate and optimize supplier performance and pricing across all locations.
• Represent the brand at culinary events, media appearances, and community outreach initiatives, ensuring consistency across all locations.
• Serve as a brand ambassador, ensuring the culinary offerings align with the overall brand vision and goals across all units.
• Stay abreast of industry trends and incorporate relevant innovations into the culinary program across all locations.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to develop long-term culinary strategies that align with company goals across all units.
• Implement processes and systems to streamline operations, improve quality, and enhance the customer experience across multiple locations.
• Contribute to the overall growth and success of the company by driving culinary excellence and innovation in all units.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITES : Directly lead all Back of House (BoH) teams across multiple locations. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in alignment with company policy and applicable laws. Key responsibilities include planning, assigning, and directing culinary operations on a shift basis; interviewing, hiring, and training culinary staff; managing performance, including rewarding and disciplining employees; and addressing complaints and resolving issues within the kitchen and broader culinary teams.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS : To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required

EDUCATION and / or EXPERIENCE : Must have a minimum of five years of related experience and / or training in a high-volume culinary environment, preferably within upscale restaurants or food and beverage operations. This experience should include a strong foundation in kitchen management, food preparation, and service standards, ensuring the ability to effectively oversee and maintain the highest culinary and operational standards across all locations.

LANGUAGE SKILLS : Ability to read, write and speak fluently, in the primary language of the property location.

REASONING ABILITY : Ability to apply common sense, define problems, collect data and notify management when necessary. Ability to successfully re-prioritize tasks in a moment's notice.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS : Must be able to perform simple mathematical calculations.

CONFIDENTIALITY : Due to the sensitive nature of the information dealt with, all job-related information will be held in strictest confidence unless otherwise directed by the CEO or CHRO.

Physical Demands and Working Environment : The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment : Work is performed primarily in a restaurant setting with public contact and frequent interruptions.

Physical : Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in a restaurant setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to frequently stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and / or pull light to heavy amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.

It is the policy of Won't Stop Operations that qualified individuals with disabilities are not discriminated against because of their disabilities in regard to job application procedures, hiring, and other terms and conditions of employment. Furthermore, it is the policy of Won't Stop Operations to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in all aspects of the employment process. Won't Stop Operations is prepared to modify or adjust the job application process, the job itself, or the work environment to make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an applicant or employee. This enables the individual to be considered for the position they desire, to perform the essential functions of the position, or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by other similarly situated employees without disabilities, unless such accommodation would impose an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the HR Department by phone at (208) 412-8040 or in person at 4923 North College Ave., Ste. 25, Indianapolis, Indiana 46205.

Salary Description

110,000 DOE, Bonus Potential

Salary : $110,000