Culinary Director, Hospitality Consulting

Description

We are seeking a dynamic Culinary Director to join our Hospitality Consulting Team. Our team develops operational and conceptual food + beverage strategies for restaurants and hotels, and supports their launch and implementation. This position will support our conceptual project work by turning these strategies into operationally viable menus, recipes, use records, operating procedures, client consultative support, and on-site training. This position will also support a team of hospitality creative strategists and consultants on initial concept development phases, supporting our current licensed concepts around the world. The Culinary Director will also expertly manage a network of service providers in both culinary and beverage while maintaining regular communications with both on and above property teams for hotel and restaurant projects.

The ideal candidate is a culinary expert both in the kitchen and outside of it. They are organized, curious, creative, and disciplined. They are a flexible, collaborative team member and value the collective win while also being able to take ownership and autonomy on certain projects. We are looking for a team member who is adaptable and solutions-focused as we learn and grow this area of the business.

KEY TASKS + RESPONSIBILITIES

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

It all starts with the idea – working in conjunction with the rest of the Hospitality Consulting team, Concept Development builds the creative vision for a space and ensures that this vision is protected (once approved by the client team) during the implementation process. In conjunction with property/client operations teams, this position will contribute to concept development in the following ways:

• Operational Design : Assist in providing annotated feedback and participate in design charettes with Interior Architects, Kitchen Equipment Consultants, and Operating Teams to ensure form and function in the design development process.
• Menu Development : Write cohesive, operationally feasible menus for various day parts and service styles for both food and beverage concept directions that are on trend and on concept.
• Recipe Management : Manage and grow the proprietary digital recipe bank, execute client tastings, and deliver comprehensive use records for recipes ready for on-property training and implementation.
• Training Manuals : Leverage and expand upon training manual templates for service, culinary, and beverage training that is adapted for each concept and forms the baseline for on-site training activities.
• Operating Supplies & Equipment : Work with external vendors to support property and operations teams selection for BOH, FOH, Bar, and Tabletop to execute the concept.
• Kitchen Equipment and Plan Review: Review plans and drawings to ensure that concepts are being designed and executed by sub-consultants, KECs to ensure concept operability.

OPERATIONS SUPPORT

The team prides itself in coming up with creative, operationally sound, and financially viable ideas for our clients to bring to life into the real world. This position will support these operations in the following ways:

• Leadership Support : Lead operations calls, review performance, and provide direction to operations teams on property to be the liaison and main point of contact between Streetsense and their clients or licensed concepts.
• Menu Engineering : Provide consultative advice on menu performance, food cost, and ongoing menu development in partnership with the operations teams on properties or in restaurants.
• Menu Development : Develop seasonal recipes, special menus, and provide direction and framework for non-menu’d offerings like buffet, banquets, and events packages for clients or licensed concepts.
• Management Onboarding & Training : Develop tools and techniques to expertly onboard and train key leaders for client or licensed operations including but not limited to concept immersions, staff training programs, inventory/food cost training, checklists & SOPs, Forbes standards training, management software training, etc.

ON-SITE TRAINING

This position will develop and lead the on-site training activities for key projects and licensees for FOH, BOH, Bar, and Management training. Through a rigorous management of a pre-opening critical path, this position will be the liaison between property teams and client operations teams through the duration of the opening process and into post-opening operations support.

Requirements

• 3-5 years as Executive Chef, Executive-Sous Chef, or Culinary Department Leader.
• Deep knowledge of training, operations, and culinary management and development.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Project Management platforms.
• Experience leading an opening team in restaurant, bar, or hotel outlets required.
• Proven project management experience in the hospitality sector.
• Financial management skills including P&L analysis, budget development, pro formas, outlet forecasts, and labor modelling.
• Experience developing and implementing progressive menus in both food & beverage.
• Deep understanding of current food & beverage, restaurant design, and tabletop trends.
• Strong verbal, written, and visual communication skills.

PREFERRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED

• Spanish language skills.
• Strong beverage experience a plus.
• Strong service or outlet management skills a plus.
• Competency in Adobe Creative Suite.

Streetsense is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Base salary is just one component of Streetsense's total rewards philosophy. We offer a wide range of benefits and perks that appeal to the variety of needs across our diverse employee base. This may include Medical Dental & Vision Insurance, paid time off, 401k match, wellbeing resources, and more.