Director Culinary Operations

TekWissen•San Francisco, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director Culinary Operations is the senior culinary and production leader responsible for overseeing a high-volume, complex airline catering operation functioning as an industrial-scale food manufacturing production department. This role ensures the safe, compliant, efficient, and cost-effective production of high-quality meals across multiple airline customers, while leading teams, enforcing strict process controls, and driving continuous improvement through data, standardization, and advanced production techniques. The Director of Culinary Operations is at the intersection of culinary excellence, industrial engineering, food safety, and operational leadership, ensuring all outputs meet regulatory requirements, airline specifications, and internal "gold standard" quality benchmarks.

Requirements

10+ years of leadership experience in food manufacturing, airline catering, or high-volume food production environments
Strong expertise in production management, quality systems, and operational performance
A proven track record of building high-performing teams and driving business results
Experience with ERP/MRP systems, production planning, and continuous improvement methodologies
Bachelor's degree in: Industrial Engineering, Process Engineering, Food Engineering, or Related field (preferred)
Minimum 10+ years of hands-on leadership experience in Large-scale food manufacturing/production environments (strongly preferred)
Airline catering or high-volume institutional catering
Proven experience as Production Manager/Culinary Operations Leader
Experience implementing Lean food production/manufacturing and Continuous Improvement methodologies
Demonstrated experience with ERP/MRP systems (MPS, production planning)
Deep knowledge of Food safety systems (HACCP, GMP, FDA/USDA compliance)
Industrial-scale food production processes
Production planning and scheduling
Strong understanding of KPIs and operational financial drivers
Inventory and cost control
Hands-on capability with batch control, process standardization, and quality systems.

Nice To Haves

Culinary qualifications are a plus but not mandatory.

Responsibilities

Lead high-volume airline catering production operations
Drive food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance (HACCP, GMP, FDA/USDA)
Oversee production planning, ERP/MRP systems, and process controls
Optimize labor, food costs, quality, and operational KPIs
Champion continuous improvement and Lean manufacturing principles
Develop and inspire culinary, supervisory, and production teams
Partner cross-functionally with Supply Chain, QA, Engineering, Maintenance, and Commercial teams
Consistently meets or exceeds regulatory and industry standards, including Health Department requirements, USDA and FDA regulations, as well as HACCP, GMP, and stringent airline-specific protocols.
Ensures that cleaning schedules, validation processes, and verification mechanisms are rigorously followed.
Focuses on allergen management and the prevention of cross-contamination, safeguarding both product integrity and consumer well-being.
Ensures full traceability and control throughout the production lifecycle, embedding food safety and operational discipline into the DNA of the kitchen organization.
Operates as the senior production leader of a high-volume, industrialized food manufacturing environment.
Orchestrates complex, multi-line, multi-shift operations, ensuring that production flows seamlessly across kitchens and assembly lines.
Establishes and reinforces standardized processes, driving consistency and eliminating variability.
Accountable for optimizing kitchen throughput, maximizing efficiency, and ensuring on-time and in-full delivery to assembly (i.e. Make & Pack) in a fast-paced and demanding operational environment.
Owns the end-to-end food production planning process, including the Master Production Schedule (MPS) for the kitchen and detailed production sequencing required to meet dynamic customer demand.
Leverages ERP and MRP systems, they ensure accurate material planning, capacity alignment, and real-time execution tracking.
Implements structured process control mechanisms to reduce variability, enhance predictability, and improve overall system performance.
Ensures alignment between production capabilities and customer requirements, navigating operational constraints while maintaining service excellence.
Works closely with multiple stakeholders, including Supply Chain Planning, Buyers, Quality Assurance, Process Engineering, Maintenance, and Commercial teams.
Contributes to the long-term success and competitiveness of the organization by driving strategic initiatives, innovation, and transformation efforts.
Fosters a high-performance culture characterized by accountability, discipline, and continuous improvement.
Designs and implements comprehensive training programs that reinforce food safety, process adherence, and operational excellence.
Invests in long-term capability building, developing future leaders and establishing robust succession pipelines to sustain organizational success.
Brings a strong understanding of modern food processing technologies and their application in a large-scale production environment.