Director of Culinary Operations - Year Round - Full Time

Alterra•Steamboat Springs, CO

2d•$106,000 - $130,000

About The Position

Year Round Steamboat- Ski Town, U.S.A. ® is known as the friendliest mountain destination on the planet, thanks to our western heritage and welcoming staff. We pride ourselves on hiring the best employees and providing the best experience in the industry. Our culture is supportive, challenging, passionate and committed and we believe that diversity makes us stronger. We are looking for unique individuals who exemplify these qualities and care about each other, our mission, our environment, and our communities. For the Chef Who Chose the Mountains — And Wants to Lead Them You didn’t choose the mountains by accident. You understand the rhythm of ski season. You’ve led through holiday rushes, powder days, staffing swings, supply chain delays, and altitude challenges. Now you’re ready to shape something bigger. This is a chance to build a legacy — not just manage kitchens. We’re seeking a Director of Culinary to define what our food is known for across a dynamic, multi-venue ski resort — from on-mountain dining to signature restaurants, fast casual concepts, and high-volume banquets. This is not just an Executive Chef role. This is a strategic leadership position with enterprise-wide impact. A pdf or word document of your resume is required with online application. Cover letter recommended.

Requirements

7+ years progressive culinary leadership in high-volume, multi-concept environments
Ski resort or mountain hospitality experience strongly preferred
Demonstrated success in menu engineering and P&L management
Experience leading through extreme seasonality
Knowledge of Microsoft Office with the ability to work with spreadsheets – menu engineering, costing, menus, etc.
Thorough understanding of and participation in creating financial metrics including budgets, business plans, P&L statements, monthly financial meetings, labor scheduling to business volumes, inventory par levels, inventory management, etc.
Must have current Food Manager and Allergy training certificate, or must attend Food Manager and Aller-train certification courses for Alterra Mountain company within 14 days of employment
Communicate clearly in English, both verbal / non-verbal, and written
Interact and maintain positive relationships with guests, co-workers and management consistent with Steamboat Ski and Resort Company’s Service Excellence standards
Must be at least 18 years of age
Ability to operate snowmobile/ATV in varying mountain conditions
Applicants must be able to ski/snowboard at an intermediate level to/from certain restaurant locations.

Responsibilities

Define the culinary philosophy of the resort
Shape seasonal strategy (winter vs. summer identity)
Build systems that ensure consistency across all venues
Develop the next generation of mountain culinary leaders
Influence the long-term dining master plan
Establish what our food stands for
Create signature techniques and anchor dishes
Elevate quality, presentation, and sourcing standards
Balance authenticity with profitability
Lead menu architecture and category design
Drive menu engineering and margin performance
Develop banquet and group frameworks
Guide innovation cycles and tastings
Champion mountain-relevant sourcing and partnerships
Own food cost strategy and profitability improvement
Partner with finance and procurement teams
Influence capital planning and equipment strategy
Build systems that scale across seasons
Hire and mentor Executive Chefs and Sous Chefs
Build a culinary leadership pipeline
Create training systems that survive seasonal turnover
Inspire excellence in year-round and seasonal teams
Lead through seasonality, weather, and remote logistics
Oversee seasonal start-up and shutdown transitions
Ski or travel between facilities as required
Operate comfortably in high-altitude, high-volume environments
Ensure understanding and compliance with all company policies and procedures as well as any regulatory requirements
Be a consistent role model for company’s Service Excellence standards
Other duties as assigned

Benefits

Free Alterra Mountain Pass for all eligible employees and eligible dependents for winter and summer, and a free IKON Pass to eligible employees
Discounted skiing and riding for friends and family of eligible employees
Vacation and Sick Time policies for eligible employees to rest, relax and recharge
Generous discounts on outdoor gear, apparel, rental cars, etc.
Medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, short term & long-term disability insurance, EAP, HSAs, FSAs, and more for Year Round, Flex Year Round, & Season-to-Season Employees.
Apex-MEC (minimum essential coverage) plan available to all seasonal employees without an offer of major medical coverage. This plan helps cover preventive visits, urgent care visits, Free Telehealth, Limited Hospitalization, Prescription Drug Benefits and Free Multilingual Behavioral Health.
401(k) plan with generous company match
Discounted tuition with partner online university for all Alterra Mountain Company employees to further their education
Paid parental leave of up to 6 weeks for eligible employees
Free regional bus pass
Relocation support may include: Relocation stipend or direct expense reimbursement Temporary housing assistance during transition period Access to employer-supported housing (based on availability) Local housing navigation assistance Potential housing stipend consideration for executive-level candidates