Culinary Director Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience, including significant executive-level responsibility.
• Proven experience overseeing multiple culinary outlets within a luxury hotel, resort, high-volume fine dining operation, or complex hospitality environment.
• Strong background in chef-driven, upscale, or luxury hospitality concepts.
• Demonstrated experience leading Executive Chefs, Sous Chefs, and large culinary teams.
• Proven responsibility for culinary financial performance, budgeting, forecasting, and cost management.
• Strong understanding of food cost, labor productivity, inventory management, purchasing, and profitability.
• Experience overseeing restaurant, banquet, private dining, and hotel culinary operations.
• Strong knowledge of classical and contemporary culinary techniques.
• Experience collaborating with corporate culinary teams and implementing established culinary concepts.
• Proven ability to maintain exceptional food quality and consistency across multiple outlets.
• Strong understanding of luxury hospitality and elevated guest experience standards.
• Experience building, coaching, and developing high-performing culinary leadership teams.
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Strong analytical abilities and financial acumen.
• Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on culinary engagement.
• Strong understanding of food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to lead effectively in fast-paced, high-volume, and demanding culinary environments.
• Collaborative, accountable, people-focused leadership style and a genuine passion for culinary excellence.
• Flexible availability, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak business periods.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods; work around hot equipment, refrigeration, sharp utensils, and active kitchen environments; move frequently among culinary outlets; and attend meetings, training, and occasional travel as required.

Nice To Haves

• 5+ years in an Executive Chef, Executive Culinary Director, Culinary Director, or comparable senior culinary leadership role.
• Experience working with luxury hotel leadership and property partners.
• Culinary degree or equivalent professional training.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for assigned JAG culinary operations at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad.
• Translate Chef José Andrés’ culinary vision and JAG standards into consistent culinary experiences across restaurants, bars, banquets, and applicable hotel food and beverage services.
• Partner with the Director of Operations to develop and execute culinary objectives, business plans, budgets, forecasts, and action plans.
• Lead and oversee Executive Chefs, Executive Sous Chefs, Sous Chefs, Pastry Leadership, and other culinary managers, as applicable.
• Establish culinary priorities, operating standards, performance expectations, and consistent kitchen procedures.
• Oversee daily kitchen organization, production schedules, staffing, service execution, food quality, and readiness for restaurant service, banquets, private dining, and special events.
• Coordinate culinary resources and production needs across outlets, and ensure appropriate staffing and leadership coverage for business volume.
• Maintain a visible leadership presence during kitchen operations and peak service periods; conduct inspections, tastings, and operational reviews.
• Manage culinary financial performance, including food costs, labor productivity, operating expenses, purchasing, inventory, waste, production yields, menu profitability, and banquet costs.
• Review financial performance and develop corrective action plans when results fall below expectations.
• Oversee purchasing, receiving, storage, inventory control, vendor relationships, product quality, and cost management.
• Evaluate recipe costing, portion sizes, production methods, and menu pricing recommendations while protecting the culinary experience.
• Recruit, onboard, retain, mentor, and develop culinary professionals in partnership with Talent Acquisition and People & Culture.
• Conduct performance reviews, leadership meetings, and development conversations; identify high-potential employees and build succession plans.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, respectful, and collaborative kitchen culture, and address performance and employee relations matters with People & Culture.
• Collaborate with JAG Corporate Culinary Leadership and property Executive Chefs on menu development, seasonal changes, new dishes, and culinary initiatives.
• Conduct quality evaluations and maintain consistency in flavor, texture, temperature, portioning, presentation, recipes, and preparation methods.
• Partner with Restaurant General Managers and Hotel Leadership to coordinate Culinary and Front of House operations and support luxury guest experiences.
• Support VIP dining, celebrations, high-profile events, guest recovery, and responses to culinary-related guest feedback.
• Oversee banquet, private dining, and special-event culinary execution; review BEOs, menus, production schedules, staffing, food quality, presentation, and service timing.
• Lead culinary labor planning, scheduling, workforce coverage, productivity, overtime management, and appropriate training or cross-utilization of talent.
• Maintain accountability for food safety, sanitation, allergen management, regulatory compliance, kitchen inspections, and health inspection readiness.
• Partner with Facilities and Engineering on kitchen equipment maintenance, repairs, and preventive maintenance; ensure emergency and incident-response procedures are followed.
• Represent JAG as the senior culinary partner within the property and maintain effective relationships with Ritz-Carlton leadership, hotel departments, vendors, and external partners.
• Analyze culinary performance, financial results, guest feedback, and operational trends; lead continuous-improvement projects and support capital planning.
• Present performance updates, recommendations, and strategic priorities to senior leadership.
• Attend leadership meetings and training, with occasional travel as required.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• Retirement savings opportunities.
• Paid time off.
• Employee dining discounts.
• Executive leadership development opportunities.
• Career advancement opportunities throughout José Andrés Group.
• Performance-based bonus of 20% of annual base salary, subject to the applicable bonus plan.
• Opportunity to lead a diverse culinary portfolio within a premier New York City luxury hotel.
• Collaboration with JAG’s corporate culinary leadership and distinguished hospitality professionals.
• Dynamic, innovative, and collaborative working environment.