Director of Food & Beverage

Lotte Hotels and Resorts•New York, NY

14h•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Food & Beverage is responsible for setting and executing the overall F&B vision, annual plan, monthly plan, forecast, and outlet/banquet strategies to drive revenue, guest satisfaction, and brand positioning. This role involves partnering with Sales & Marketing to grow business, analyzing trends, leading menu engineering, and representing F&B in Executive Committee discussions. The position also oversees day-to-day operations across all F&B outlets, banquets/events, and in-room dining, ensuring consistent luxury service standards. People leadership is a key component, including recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and developing high-performing leaders and teams, while fostering a culture of professionalism, inclusion, and service excellence. Financial management includes owning F&B financial performance, P&L management, budgeting, forecasting, cost controls, and inventory management. The role also focuses on guest experience and brand representation, acting as a visible leader, overseeing VIP planning, and driving the achievement of Forbes Five-Star standards. Compliance with health, safety, sanitation, and alcohol service standards is also a critical responsibility.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
Minimum 5–8+ years of progressive F&B leadership experience, including multi-outlet and Banquet/Events oversight in a luxury hotel environment.
Demonstrated ability to lead leaders, build teams, and deliver consistent luxury service standards.
Experience achieving and sustaining Forbes Five-Star (or equivalent luxury) standards, including inspection readiness, quality assurance audits, and corrective action execution.
Strong financial acumen with proven success in P&L ownership, budgeting, forecasting, and cost control.
Deep knowledge of food, beverage, wine/spirits, and contemporary hospitality trends.
Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills; comfortable engaging VIP guests and stakeholders.
Proficiency with POS and restaurant reservation systems and strong Microsoft Office skills (Excel required).
Able to work standing for a minimum of 10 hours a day.
Push, pull, carry, and lift at least 50 pounds.
Must be able to work effectively in a demanding environment, communicate effectively with others, effectively deal with difficult or dissatisfied patrons, and accept constructive criticism.
Majority of duties performed indoors. Noise level moderate.
Flexible schedule required, including mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays, based on business needs.
Ability to be present on the floor and in event spaces for extended periods; ability to move throughout outlets, kitchens, storage, and banquet areas.
Ability to lead in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities while maintaining composure and professionalism.
Hands-on leadership approach required, including regular floor presence during service and events, active problem-solving in real time, and direct coaching of leaders and teams.

Nice To Haves

Food safety certification and responsible alcohol service training preferred (as required by local regulations and company policy).

Responsibilities

Set and execute the overall F&B vision, annual plan, monthly plan, forecast and outlet/banquet strategies to drive revenue, guest satisfaction, and brand positioning.
Partner with Sales & Marketing to grow catering and group business; support hotel-wide initiatives and key account relationships.
Analyze business trends and competitive set performance; implement initiatives to improve capture, average check, and guest loyalty.
Lead menu engineering, concept evolution, and service design in collaboration with Culinary and Beverage teams.
Represent F&B in Executive Committee discussions and contribute to hotel-wide planning, budgeting, and forecasting.
Attend key meetings prepared and on time, including forecasting, budget and P&L reviews, resume/interview meetings, and client meetings; arrive with data, action plans, and clear follow-ups.
Handles all union related issues with team members adequately and timely and act as a steward of Lotte New York Palace.
Oversee day-to-day operations across all F&B outlets, banquets/events, and in-room dining to ensure consistent luxury service standards.
Establish and monitor operating procedures, service sequences, and quality controls (food presentation, beverage execution, speed of service, cleanliness, ambiance).
Ensure effective pre-shift communication, reservation/coverage planning, and peak-period execution for both transient and group demand.
Lead cross-department collaboration (Front Office, Housekeeping, Engineering, Security, Finance, Reservations) to deliver seamless guest experiences.
Drive continuous improvement using guest feedback, quality audits, and operational reporting.
Recruit, hire, onboard, and develop high-performing leaders and teams; maintain robust succession plans for critical roles.
Set clear expectations and accountability through coaching, performance management, and ongoing training.
Build a culture of professionalism, inclusion, and service excellence aligned with luxury standards.
Manage staffing models and schedules to balance service delivery with labor optimization.
Promote safe work practices, compliance training, and a positive employee experience that supports retention.
Hold structured weekly communication meetings with Culinary (kitchen) and F&B management teams to align on service execution, banquet/event readiness, staffing, quality issues, and upcoming priorities.
Demonstrate a strong, daily focus on profitability across outlets and banquets through revenue growth, mix management, and cost discipline.
Own F&B financial performance, including P&L management, budgeting, forecasting, and monthly performance reviews.
Drive disciplined cost controls for labor, food cost, beverage cost, purchasing, and controllable expenses.
Maintain strict FTE control through workforce planning, scheduling discipline, and productivity standards; ensure staffing aligns to forecasted demand and budget.
Oversee inventory controls and asset stewardship for china, glassware, silver, linens, equipment, and beverage programs.
Lead disciplined monthly inventory controls (food, beverage, and operating supplies), including accurate counts, variance analysis, corrective actions, and alignment with Finance standards and timelines.
Partner with Finance and Purchasing to ensure effective procurement, vendor performance, and contract compliance.
Establish KPIs and dashboards (labor productivity, waste, comp sales, capture, banquet profitability) and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
Maintain strict control of overtime and other premium pay practices, ensuring scheduling discipline, accurate approvals, and adherence to established best practices.
Act as a visible leader on the floor and at events, engaging guests proactively and ensuring service recovery is executed promptly and professionally.
Oversee VIP and special request planning, ensuring personalization and flawless execution for high-profile guests and groups.
Build and maintain relationships with loyal guests, local partners, and stakeholders to strengthen the hotel’s reputation and drive repeat business.
Drive the achievement and maintenance of Forbes Five-Star standards for all F&B touchpoints; lead readiness planning, daily standards execution, and service recovery to successfully pass Forbes inspections (“shop”) at the Five-Star level.
Improve and maintain targeted Tripadvisor rankings/ratings for hotel F&B and guest experience touchpoints (as applicable).
Support marketing and PR initiatives, special events, and culinary/beverage activations that enhance brand image.
Ensure full compliance with all health, safety, sanitation, and food handling requirements; lead readiness for inspections and audits.
Oversee responsible alcohol service standards and related training; ensure adherence to licensing requirements and company policies.
Maintain high standards for cleanliness and maintenance; partner with Engineering and Stewarding to address issues quickly.
Support labor relations and policy compliance in partnership with Human Resources, including documentation, investigations, and corrective action.
Proactively manage employee relations and policy compliance to minimize risk and prevent escalations, with the expectation of maintaining a record of zero arbitration cases through consistent standards, documentation, and timely issue resolution.