Director of Food and Beverage

Hilton Sandestin Beach•Miramar Beach, FL

About The Position

The Director of Food and Beverage directs and organizes the Food and Beverage Department to maintain high standards of food and beverage quality, service, and merchandising while maximizing profits. The role plans and oversees the department’s administration and daily operations, delegates responsibilities across sub-departments, and works hands-on with teams in room service, restaurants, banquets, and other areas. The director monitors restaurant and bar schedules, collaborates on menus, controls food, beverage, and labor costs, and supports area managers in achieving profit, service, and cleanliness objectives. The position also evaluates customer acceptance of restaurant and banquet services and recommends operational changes when sales or market conditions indicate a need. In collaboration with sub-department heads, the director develops and maintains management tools such as budgets, forecasts, purchase specifications, recipes, portion specifications, menu abstracts, food production controls, and job descriptions. Supportive duties may include weekend Manager on Duty coverage, computer word processing, and general cleaning tasks.

Requirements

High school diploma required.
Culinary, sales, and service background required.
Extensive experience in restaurants, bars, banquets, stewarding, kitchen, catering, and management required.
Considerable skill in complex mathematical calculations.
Ability to effectively handle internal and external customer interactions with patience, tact, and diplomacy, including resolving conflicts.
Ability to move throughout food and beverage areas and hospitality suites and continuously perform essential job functions.
Ability to read, listen, and communicate effectively in English, verbally and in writing.
Ability to access and accurately input information using a moderately complex computer system.
Hearing, smelling, tasting, and visual abilities sufficient to assess product quality and detect emergency situations.

Nice To Haves

College degree in a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

Plan and direct Food and Beverage Department administration and operations to meet daily needs.
Clearly assign and delegate responsibility and authority across food and beverage sub-departments, using a hands-on management style.
Approve and monitor restaurant and bar schedules to achieve profitable results.
Work with the Chef and restaurant managers to create attractive, market-oriented menus.
Implement controls for food, beverage, and labor costs across sub-departments.
Assist area managers in establishing and achieving profit, service, and cleanliness objectives.
Regularly evaluate customer acceptance of restaurant and banquet services and recommend new operating policies when warranted.
Develop and maintain operating tools including budgets, forecasts, purchase specifications, recipes, portion specifications, menu abstracts, food production controls, and job descriptions.
Participate in Manager on Duty coverage, including weekend stayovers, hotel monitoring, and troubleshooting.
Use a word processing program on a computer.
Perform general cleaning tasks using standard hotel cleaning products when required.