Regional Culinary Manager

Won't Stop Operations•Indianapolis, IN

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Regional Culinary Manager (RCM) is a key multi-unit leadership role responsible for supporting Kitchen Managers (KMs) and culinary teams across multiple restaurants within a defined region. This position ensures operational excellence, food quality, consistency, safety, and team development while acting as the primary link between the Director of Culinary and store-level leaders. The RCM will provide field leadership, hands-on training, and operational support, while driving accountability for culinary standards and execution in all assigned locations. Travel will be required to support new restaurant openings and ongoing field leadership needs.

Requirements

Minimum of 3 years of high-volume kitchen leadership experience required; 2+ years of multi-unit or regional kitchen leadership preferred.
Strong culinary background with knowledge of menu design, food safety, and kitchen operations.
Familiarity with financial and operational metrics including food cost analysis, P&L review, and KPI tracking.
Experience training, developing, and mentoring culinary leaders.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build strong relationships across teams.
Strong problem-solving skills; able to manage multiple priorities and work effectively under pressure.
Ability to model leadership with calmness, objectivity, and integrity in all situations.
Proven ability to drive results while maintaining a positive and supportive team culture.
Willingness and ability to travel frequently to support restaurant operations and new openings.
Regular and consistent attendance and punctuality required, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Must comply with all company and departmental policies and procedures.
Ability to read, write and speak fluently, in the primary language of the property location.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and interpret procedure manuals.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of employees, clients, customers, and the public.
Ability to define and solve problems, dealing with a variety of variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to successfully re-prioritize tasks in a moment’s notice.
The ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, and ratios.
Ability to meet budgets in all areas of cost control with consistent focus on cost of sales and payroll.
Due to the sensitive nature of the information dealt with, all job-related information will be held in strictest confidence unless otherwise directed by the CEO or CHRO.
Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in a restaurant setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to frequently stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to heavy amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.

Nice To Haves

At least two years of multi-unit culinary leadership experience is preferred.
While a culinary degree or equivalent professional certification is considered a plus, it is not required.

Responsibilities

Lead culinary operations across multiple locations, ensuring consistency in execution, food quality, and adherence to brand standards.
Partner with the Director of Culinary and Operations leadership to implement regional culinary strategies that align with business objectives, guest expectations, and company values.
Support menu development and rollouts, including recipe execution, seasonal features, and local sourcing initiatives, ensuring operational feasibility and profitability.
Act as the subject matter expert (SME) on culinary systems and processes at the regional level, driving efficiency, consistency, and sustainable growth across operations.
Oversee kitchen training programs for new leaders and teams, with a focus on culinary execution, safety, and food cost management.
Serve as the escalation point for kitchen-level challenges, supporting local teams in resolving operational or food quality issues.
Monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) including food cost, waste, labor utilization, and guest satisfaction, and drive corrective action plans where needed.
Partner with Sr. Leadership to create clear career pathways for back-of-house leaders, supporting development and succession planning within the culinary function.
Foster a culture of pride and accountability through recognition programs, consistent coaching, and reinforcement of company values.
Support new restaurant openings (NROs) by leading kitchen setup, training, and launch execution.
Ensure compliance with local health and safety regulations, and lead corrective action when gaps are identified.
Actively contribute to cross-functional projects focused on operational improvements, efficiency gains, and guest experience enhancements.
Travel regularly to all assigned locations to provide in-person support, coaching, and accountability.