Director of Culinary Operations
: Job Details :

About Four Seasons: Four Seasons is powered by our people. We are a collective of individuals who crave to become better, to push ourselves to new heights and to treat each other as we wish to be treated in return. Our team members around the world create amazing experiences for our guests, residents, and partners through a commitment to luxury with genuine heart. We know that the best way to enable our people to deliver these exceptional guest experiences is through a world-class employee experience and company culture. At Four Seasons, we believe in recognizing a familiar face, welcoming a new one and treating everyone we meet the way we would want to be treated ourselves. Whether you work with us, stay with us, live with us or discover with us, we believe our purpose is to create impressions that will stay with you for a lifetime. It comes from our belief that life is richer when we truly connect to the people and the world around us. About the location: Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is a global, luxury hotel management company. We manage over 120 hotels and resorts and 50 private residences in 47 countries around the world and growing. Central to Four Seasons employee experience and social impact programming is the companys commitment to supporting cancer research, and the advancement of diversity, inclusion, equality and belonging at Four Seasons corporate offices and properties worldwide. At Four Seasons, we are powered by people and our culture enables everything we do. Corporate Director of Culinary Operations Americas The Corporate Director of Culinary Operations Americas will be responsible for leading all aspects of culinary strategy and operations, including concept and design for kitchens, bars, room service, and catering services, ensuring the highest quality and alignment with luxury brand standards while meeting guest expectations. This role also involves collaborating with the Vice President of Food & Beverage on operations, business development, cost control, vendor relationships, and the development of food and beverage concepts across all regional properties. What Youll Be Doing: Product Drive Culinary Vision & Exceptional Product Quality: Lead and elevate culinary excellence across all existing hotels. Creative Direction for New Concepts: Partner with the VP of F&B and VP of F&B Brand to provide innovative direction on restaurant design and new culinary concepts, including interiors and thematic elements for new hotels and resorts, while enhancing the existing restaurant portfolio. Culinary Design Leadership: Serve as the primary culinary design lead, collaborating with kitchen design consultants, technical service teams, and Design & Construction and Procurement teams on new builds and renovations. Industry Insights & Innovation: Continuously analyze industry trends, business models, and emerging concepts to recommend improvements. Stay current or ahead of industry advancements by leveraging the latest culinary technology and attending at least one hospitality conference annually. Collaborate for Concept Relevancy: Work closely with the VP of F&B to consult on design and concept changes for existing restaurants, lounges, and bars, with a focus on enhancing product quality and maintaining market relevance. Guest Satisfaction Metrics: Monitor GES and Medallia scores, supporting hotels in implementing strategies for performance improvements. Lead New Openings & Renovations: Act as the culinary lead for all new hotel openings, renovations, and upgrades, ensuring the delivery of high-quality and conceptually sound culinary products. Maintain Concept Integrity: Safeguard the integrity of both new and existing culinary concepts in alignment with the masterplan and specific location requirements. Operational Reviews: Partner with the corporate director of F&B to conduct culinary-centric operational reviews of existing properties, offering strategic advice and actionable direction for improvement through an annual review calendar. Policy, Standards & Training: Provide direction for restaurant, bar, catering, and service policies, as well as training programs outlined in the Operations Manual. Hygiene & Ecolab Leadership: Oversee hygiene standards across the region, providing counsel and support to Executive Chefs as needed to ensure compliance and excellence. Operational Guidelines: Develop and maintain culinary operational guidelines, including in-room amenities, complimentary pool refreshers, breakfast pass-arounds, coffee breaks, and generosity touchpoints (e.g., petit fours, bar snacks, coffee/tea snacks). Pre-Opening OS&E Templates: Collaborate with the VP of F&B to develop pre-opening OS&E (Operating Supplies & Equipment) templates tailored to both urban and resort hotels. Strategic Third-Party Partnerships: Serve as the culinary liaison for third-party chefs and licensed culinary partnerships, ensuring alignment with brand standards and objectives. Food Waste & ESG : Serves as regional lead on all Food Waste reduction Initiatives including composting, food waste systems, animal welfare and clean plate programs People Management Culinary Talent Development: Anticipate and address culinary staffing needs, support the sourcing and recruitment of culinary management and talent, and recommend career development opportunities. Trusted Culinary Resource: Serve as a reliable and accessible resource for all chefs, providing guidance and support across culinary operations. Performance & Career Management: Provide input on communications, performance reviews, career development, and salary/bonus administration for culinary staff. Continually assess departmental performance, organizational structure, staffing levels, and individual potential to ensure alignment with company standards and policies. Succession Planning: Ensure effective succession plans are in place, with particular attention to hardship locations to maintain operational consistency and leadership continuity. Career Development: Guide and support career progression for culinary team members, both in the field and at the corporate level, while upholding internal promotion guidelines. Diversity & Inclusion: Actively promote equal opportunity and value diversity throughout all culinary operations. Pre-Opening Staffing Input: Anticipate and provide recommendations for kitchen staffing as part of pre-opening budget planning. Staffing Templates: Develop staffing templates tailored to the size, complexity, and cuisine of various operations to ensure efficiency and scalability. Profit: Financial Management System Champion: Serve as the champion for FoodBuy and Avero systems, ensuring effective implementation and usage across all properties. Birchstreet Strategy: Drive the Birchstreet Recipe implementation strategy, assisting Executive Chefs in developing frameworks to analyze potential vs. actual food costs. Menu Engineering: Collaborate with the VP of F&B to champion menu engineering efforts and provide culinary support to field teams. Budget Management: Engage in the preparation, monitoring, and execution of departmental budgets to ensure financial objectives are met. Operational Support: Support properties in improving recipe costing, menu engineering, and other culinary financial strategies as needed. Timely Reporting: Ensure the accurate and timely submission of all required operational, financial, and budgetary reports. What You Bring: 10-15 years of culinary management in hotel industry with a minimum of 7 years in the role of an Executive chef of a luxury hotel / resort globally. Degree in Culinary, Hospitality or equivalent experience. Experience in Refined Culinary Establishment. Proficiency in Microsoft, Office 365, Avero, Birchstreet, Medallia, FoodBuy. Key Skills/Who You Are: Communicates effectively at all levels of the organization, showing strong leadership and actively engaging with RVPs, GMs, and F&B and Culinary teams. Thrives in a fast-paced work environment, meeting multiple tight deadlines by effectively prioritizing work. Acts as a change agent, motivator, and influencer, driving improvements at the hotel level. Promotes best practices and sets high standards of culinary excellence throughout the region. Maintains the highest level of professionalism and integrity, ensuring confidentiality of Corporate Office matters. Collaborates as a team player, dealing professionally, courteously, and effectively with all levels of staff, management, and external vendors or partners. Exhibits keen attention to detail, strong follow-up, and a results-driven approach. Displays passion for food and beverage, with strong knowledge of industry trends. Proficient in reading and interpreting architectural drawings. Brings experience in multiple hotel openings and assisting the Corporate Office with special F&B projects. Professionally respected within the field of Food & Beverage. Proficiency in multiple languages is preferred. Travel: 50% This role will be a Hybrid working model, which will require 3 days per week in the Miami Four Seasons Corporate Office (3 days per week) located at 1441 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1007, Miami, Florida. #LI-Hybrid Four Seasons is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. Minorities, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. To access the 'EEOC is The Law' Information poster please visit this website -