Regional Culinary Manager

Won't Stop Hospitality — Café Patachou, Petite Chou, Napolese•Indianapolis, IN

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Regional Culinary Manager is responsible for consistent, high-quality culinary execution across all operating locations. This is a hands-on, in-the-building role. The person in this seat lives at the store level: checking that recipes are followed exactly, working with Kitchen Managers to build stronger teams, and holding the inventory and food quality standards that protect the guest experience and the P&L. The role carries direct accountability for kitchen-level financial KPIs, including COGS % of Sales, kitchen labor productivity, and Recipe Adherence Variance. This is a peer role to the Regional Manager (FoH/Operations). The two work together on a defined cadence through joint store visits and shared location-level KPI accountability. The right candidate would rather be in the kitchen checking a recipe against the line than building a long-term culinary vision from behind a desk.

Requirements

4+ years of progressive culinary experience, including multi-unit kitchen leadership experience required
Demonstrated experience managing food cost, inventory discipline, and AvT (Actual vs. Theoretical) variance in a high-volume kitchen environment
Experience coaching and developing Kitchen Managers, with a track record of building stronger BoH teams
Strong working knowledge of recipe standardization, yield management, and execution consistency across multiple locations
Comfortable interpreting P&L data and translating it into specific, actionable steps for kitchen leaders
Willingness and ability to travel regularly across the portfolio, with an expectation of being hands-on in multiple kitchens each week
Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills, particularly in partnering with Regional Managers and FoH leadership
Working knowledge of health, safety, and sanitation standards, with experience running kitchen inspections and documenting corrective action
ServSafe (or equivalent food safety) certification required; valid Food Handler's permit as required by state or local regulation
High integrity, strong attention to detail, and the ability to hold teams accountable to standards without being in the building every day
Ability to read, write and speak fluently, in the primary language of the property location.
Ability to apply common sense, define problems, collect data and notify management when necessary.
Ability to successfully re-prioritize tasks in a moment’s notice.
Must be able to perform simple mathematical calculations.

Nice To Haves

Experience coaching and developing Kitchen Managers strongly preferred.
Culinary degree or equivalent professional experience accepted in lieu of formal education.

Responsibilities

Confirm that every location is executing the menu exactly to recipe: same ingredients, same preparation, same plating, every time.
Run regular, hands-on food quality audits at each location and document findings.
Audit PK (Production Kitchen) recipes to confirm they are being followed and yields are accurate.
Catch and correct execution drift before it reaches the guest.
Own new menu item rollouts: training, recipe card creation and distribution, and consistency checks across all locations.
Own inventory discipline across all locations. Counts must be accurate, timely, and properly documented.
Audit PAR levels and ordering practices at each location to control food cost and reduce waste.
Track waste, overproduction, and portioning as direct levers on food cost outcomes.
Validate that Actual vs. Theoretical (AvT) variance stays within acceptable ranges at each location. When variance exceeds targets, identify the root cause (portioning drift, untracked items, waste) and escalate.
Work with Kitchen Managers to build repeatable systems for inventory and ordering accountability.
Hit kitchen-level KPI targets: COGS % of Sales, kitchen labor productivity (Sales Per Labor Hour, Items Per BOH Hour), and Recipe Adherence Variance.
Review location-level financial performance with Kitchen Managers on a regular cadence. Translate P&L data into specific operational actions.
Work with the VP of Operations and Regional Manager to diagnose and correct locations that are trending unfavorably on food cost or labor productivity.
Maintain working knowledge of commissary allocation as a component of location-level COGS and how it affects food cost reporting.
When recurring or systemic issues surface, bring them to leadership with clear data and a recommended path forward.
Coach and develop Kitchen Managers to raise the performance of their teams.
Hold regular one-on-ones with KMs at each location using a structured agenda. Document observations and follow-up items in a consistent format that feeds into a development tracking system.
Use company-provided assessment tools during store visits. Document findings and action items in a standardized format.
Coordinate with FoH leadership at each location so BoH and FoH operations stay in sync.
Identify high-potential BoH talent and build clear development plans toward KM and beyond.
Own culinary performance at the location level: food cost, labor productivity, quality, and kitchen team execution.
Be in kitchens. Maintain a hands-on presence across the portfolio, with the expectation of being in multiple buildings each week.
Run joint store visits with the Regional Manager on a defined cadence so BoH and FoH performance expectations stay connected.
When a location is underperforming, build a tactical action plan with Operations leadership and tie it to specific KPI targets.
Hold every kitchen to health, safety, and sanitation standards.
Run regular kitchen inspections and document corrective actions when standards are not met.
Reinforce food safety training and certification requirements across all BoH teams.
Other duties as assigned.