Culinary Director
About The Position
Bon Appetit Management Company is seeking a Culinary Director to provide strategic culinary leadership for a premier corporate dining program. The role oversees a growing portfolio of operations serving more than 7,000 guests daily across multiple locations and guides the long-term transition from a centralized commissary-supported model to innovative café-based dining experiences. This highly visible position combines operational execution with future-state planning. The Culinary Director supports campus expansion, partners on kitchen and facility design, develops scalable culinary programs, and builds the leadership structure needed for continued growth. Site teams lead daily café operations, while this role provides strategic oversight across breakfast, lunch, dinner, executive dining, and catering, with an emphasis on culinary excellence, menu innovation, and elevated guest experiences.
Requirements
- 15+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience in high-volume foodservice, hospitality, corporate dining, or multi-unit operations.
- Proven experience leading large-scale culinary organizations serving thousands of guests daily across multiple locations.
- Demonstrated success supporting organizational growth, new site openings, facility development, kitchen design initiatives, and large-scale foodservice build-outs.
- Extensive experience overseeing high-volume food production while maintaining premium hospitality and culinary standards.
- Strong background in corporate dining, executive dining, retail foodservice, and large-scale catering operations.
- Expertise in menu development across global cuisines, café concepts, and premium catering programs.
- Proven ability to recruit, develop, and lead salaried culinary management teams within complex organizations.
- Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, labor management, inventory controls, and P&L management.
- Excellent communication, client relationship, and stakeholder management skills.
- Comprehensive knowledge of culinary trends, wellness-focused dining, sustainability initiatives, and premium hospitality standards.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and foodservice management systems.
- Ability to support a Monday-Friday operation while maintaining flexibility to support business needs and special events.
Nice To Haves
- Culinary degree, formal culinary training, or equivalent professional experience preferred.
- Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Food Service Management, or a related field preferred.
- Experience operating within a complimentary dining environment is highly desirable.
- ServSafe® Certification preferred.
Responsibilities
- Provide culinary leadership for multiple dining venues, executive dining programs, catering operations, and special events across a multi-site portfolio.
- Lead culinary strategy for the transition from a commissary-based model to a long-term café dining platform.
- Partner with operations, construction, and design teams on new site development, kitchen layouts, equipment selection, workflow optimization, and future café build-outs.
- Develop café, retail, executive dining, and catering menus featuring global cuisines and addressing wellness, sustainability, and guest preferences.
- Create and maintain standardized recipes, production systems, and culinary best practices across locations.
- Oversee a high-volume executive business catering program supporting approximately 10 events daily.
- Lead, mentor, and develop Executive Chefs, Sous Chefs, managers, and culinary teams; build a scalable salaried leadership structure.
- Drive succession planning, talent development, and leadership training initiatives.
- Collaborate with operational leaders and client stakeholders to deliver dining experiences and hospitality programs.
- Support culinary execution for high-profile events and catering functions, providing hands-on leadership when needed.
- Drive financial performance through forecasting, labor planning, food cost management, purchasing strategies, and operational efficiencies.
- Champion sustainability, responsible sourcing, seasonality, and emerging culinary trends.
- Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, HACCP, and workplace safety standards.
- Analyze operational performance and implement improvements to efficiency, guest satisfaction, quality, and scalability.
Benefits
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Life insurance and AD&D
- Disability insurance
- Retirement plan
- Paid time off
- Holiday time off (varies by site/state)
- Associate Shopping Program
- Health and Wellness Programs
- Discount Marketplace
- Identity Theft Protection
- Pet Insurance
- Commuter Benefits
- Employee Assistance Program
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
- Paid Parental Leave
- Personal Leave
- Additional paid and/or unpaid time off may be available under applicable federal, state, and local laws.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Education Level
No Education Listed
