Culinary Director

Kizuki Ramen•Redmond, WA

1d•$110,000 - $130,000

About The Position

The Culinary Director is a senior leadership role responsible for driving culinary excellence, operational consistency, menu innovation, and food quality across all restaurant brands and commissary kitchens within Kizuki International LLC. You will oversee culinary strategy and execution across 20+ restaurant locations and multiple central kitchens supporting Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya, Supreme Dumplings, Tang Bar, and Swish Swish. This role requires a strategic, hands-on leader ready to elevate multi-concept, multi-state operations. You will coach, inspire, and support back-of-house teams, define culinary standards, and partner closely with Operations, Procurement, Marketing, and Executive Leadership.

Requirements

5+ years multi-unit culinary management experience, including 3+ years in senior leadership
High school diploma or GED required; Culinary Arts or Hospitality Management degree preferred
Strong financial knowledge: COGS, labor, food cost %, budgets, and inventory systems
Excellent communication skills with ability to coach, motivate, and influence teams
Knowledge of food safety, sanitation regulations, and production systems
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multi-unit environment managing multiple priorities
Ability to travel between locations and work nights/weekends as needed
Physical ability to stand for long periods, lift up to 50 lbs, and work in various kitchen conditions

Nice To Haves

Bilingual skills are a plus and highly valued

Responsibilities

Maintain, enforce, and elevate culinary standards across all restaurant and commissary locations.
Ensure consistency in flavor, texture, presentation, and portioning.
Conduct audits for food quality, kitchen cleanliness, equipment condition, and health-code compliance.
Lead cross-concept standardization of recipes, SOPs, and production systems.
Lead creation, testing, and rollout of new menu items and seasonal offerings.
Collaborate with Marketing on product launches, promotions, and culinary storytelling.
Identify opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and enhanced guest experience.
Manage food costs, labor costs, and budgets to meet financial targets.
Optimize prime cost, COGS, food cost %, labor cost %, inventory turnover, and menu profitability.
Partner with Procurement to source high-quality ingredients while maintaining cost control.
Oversee equipment uptime, workflow design, and production throughput across kitchens.
Coach and develop chefs, kitchen managers, and commissary leads.
Foster a collaborative, high-performance kitchen culture.
Deliver training on culinary techniques, safety, and operational best practices.
Strengthening cross-training and career pathways for culinary teams.
Uphold strict food safety standards and allergen management procedures.
Maintain high audit scores and regulatory compliance.
Identify and mitigate safety risks.
Partner with Operations to resolve staffing challenges and guest feedback.
Support vendor and supplier relationships.
Represent the company at events, tastings, and community engagements.