Regional Director of Culinary Operations (Director Regional de Operaciones Culinarias)

POSITION PURPOSE

A Regional Director of Culinary oversees culinary operations and personnel across multiple locations within a designated region ensuring consistent food quality effective cost management and compliance with company standards. They are responsible for developing menus introducing new culinary concepts and providing training and leadership to regional chefs and culinary teams.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supervise kitchen operations across the region ensuring adherence to health and safety regulations and proactively addressing any operational challenges.
• Develops and implements operational plans and systems to ensure fulfillment of contractual obligations.
• Oversees cost management and controls expenditures within the region.
• Serves as a regional leader by demonstrating competencies and behaviors that align with and support company values.
• Develop and execute regional menus that adhere to quality standards reflect current industry trends and align with the companys branding guidelines.
• Monitor and maintain food quality and consistency across all locations ensuring adherence to recipes portion sizes and presentation standards
• Monitor industry trends take appropriate action tomaintain a competitive and profitable operation including updating menu items as necessary.
• Recruit train and support regional chefs and kitchen personnel to promote a positive and efficient work environment.
• Offer support and guidance throughout the opening of new restaurants or locations within the region.
• Coordinate and assist with special culinary events and catering requests across the region.
• Responsible for short- and long-term planning of all outlets including Restaurant Barand In-Room Dining.
• Plan and direct the functions of the F&B Outlets to meet the daily operation needs.
• Responsible for enhancing the food product that is presented to guests. Make changes that respond to the marketplace and to guests needs both present and anticipated. Recommend changes to the food product. Use market research to develop new products.
• Supervise staff in all food preparation including proper receiving and storage of all food and food-related items.
• Plan and create menus to include influencing the menu for chefs tables catering expos etc.
• Develop and communicate strategies for improving customer experience
• Interacts professionally with a diverse group of staff members suppliers clients and customers
• Lead the preparation and production of meals food quality and presentation.
• Ensure compliance with all safety and sanitation standards and regulation team member productivity and performance cost controls and overall profitability.
• Visually inspect select and use quality food products including but not limited to fruits vegetables meats fish and spices
• Collaborate with General Managers to create the F&B budget and monitor departmentperformance accordingly
• Maintain consistent communication with vendors and suppliers for timely rollout of seasonal food options.
• Provide support of a specialist nature to the Executive Committee at each location. Work in support of team goals and measures effectiveness through Food Cost Payroll and Food profit performance of the resort.
• Participate in department monthly/quarterly/annual inventories; providing assistance in submitting inventory reports to accounting in a timely manner.
• Develop and implement creative strategies for revenue enhancement and cost containment.
• Manage the payroll and time & attendance for the F&B and Culinary staff.
• Implement effective control of food and labor costs among departments.
• Establish and achieve predetermined profit objectives and desired quality standards of food service cleanliness merchandising and promotion.
• Conduct orders of food supplies.
• Stay up to date on brand requirements and changes to the restaurant.
• Oversee chefs to ensure the quality and consistency of food products maintaining high standards in food preparation and delivery.
• Ensure attendance at all mandatory meetings.
• Assists with the selection training and development of department personnel. Supports hiring and termination processes in alignment with brand policies as needed. Oversee divisional matters as they relate to federal state and local employment and civil rights laws.
• Lead and coach the culinary teams towards achieving exceptional guest service andstaff satisfaction results.
• Responsible for maintaininghigh energy positive attitude andprofessional appearance.
• Continuously evaluate the performance and encourage improvement of the staff members in the food and beverage department.
• Assist chefs in cross training their team members across all positions within their area of responsibility ensuring proficiency with all equipment and successful implementation of checklists. Ensure that all staff members are retrained as needed.
• Serve as a role model to all chefs and their teams adhering closely to policies and procedures practicing the highest standards of performance. Set the highest possible example in conduct temperament punctuality and standards of work.

SUPPORTIVE FUNCTIONS

This position may also perform the following support functions as assigned by the manager based on hotel needs:

• Assist with any guest inquiry.
• Follow all company and safety and security policies and procedures.
• Report maintenance problems safety hazards accidents or injuries.
• Perform other reasonable job duties as requested by direct and indirect supervisors.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Environmental conditions are inside a job is considered inside if staff spends approximately 75 percent or more of the time inside. Temperature is moderate and controlled by hotel environmental systems.
• Must be able to work in extreme temperatures like freezers (-10F) and kitchens (110F) possible for one (1) hour or more.
• Must be able to sit at a desk for up to four (4) hours per day. Walking and standing are required the rest of the working day. Length of time of these tasks may vary from day to day and task to task.
• Must be able to stand and exert well-paced mobility for up to four (4) hours in length.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to maneuver between functions occurring simultaneously.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space and to reach other departments of the hotel on a timely basis.
• Must be able to lift up to 45 lbs. as needed.
• Must be able to push and pull carts and equipment weighing up to 250 lbs.
• Requires grasping writing standing sitting walking repetitive motions bending climbing listening and hearing ability and visual acuity.
• Hearing smelling tasting and visual ability to observe and distinguish product quality and detect signs of emergency situations.
• Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with other staff guests and supervisors.
• Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near and color vision and depth perception.
• Must be able to bend stoop squat and stretch to fulfill cleaning tasks occasionally.
• Must have finger dexterity to be able to operate office equipment such as computers printers 10-key adding machine multi-line touch tone phone filing cabinets FAX machines photocopiers dolly and other office equipment as needed.
• Ability to work primarily with fingers to pick pinch type and carry out substantial movements (motions) of the wrists and hands as well.

SPECIFIC JOB KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

The individual must possess the following knowledge skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation using some other combination of knowledge skills and abilities:

• Must be able to speak read write and understand the primary language used in the workplace.
• Requires good communication skills verbal written and electronic.
• Considerable knowledge of complex mathematical calculations and computer programs.
• Possess strong supervisory leadership and hands-on management abilities along with effective coaching skills.
• Demonstrate solid financial expertise with proven experience in profit and loss management budgeting and food control procedures.
• Able to evaluate and develop personnel operations equipment and revenue streams to drive continuous improvement.
• Willing to travel within the regional area as required.
• Must be detail oriented with outstanding organizational and communication skills.
• Must possess intermediate computer skills.
• Must Possess basic computational skills.
• Knowledge of computer programs math skills as well as budgetary analysis capabilities required.
• Ability to analyze foresee user needs and makes judgments to ensure proper tools are provided at property level.
• Ability to effectively deal with internal and external customers some of whom will require high levels of patience tact and diplomacy and collect accurate information to resolve conflicts.
• Knowledgeable about basic function of Windows OS MS Office PMS PBX Key system and POS.
• Self-driven and able to work independently.
• Exceptionally strong in issue resolution and proven analytical skills with a strong attention to detail
• Thorough knowledge of federal state and local laws governing equal employment opportunity and civil rights occupational safety and health wage and hour issues and labor relations including but not limited to the following statutes and their state and local analogues (where applicable): Title VII ADEA Equal Pay Act Pregnancy Discrimination Act FLSA ADA OSHA FMLA and NLRA.
• Thorough knowledge of food products standard recipes and proper preparation.
• Ability to distinguish product quality taste texture and presentation and observe preparation.
• Ability to conduct meetings menu briefings and maintain communication lines between line staff and departmental managers.

EDUCATION

• Culinary Degree or comparable four-year culinary development experience

EXPERIENCE

• Must have five years of prior experience as a Chef at a property of similar size and quality.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience multi-unit experience preferred
• Culinary sales and service background required.

LICENSES OR CERTIFICATIONS

• Must be at least 21 years of age to serve alcohol.
• Safe Server Alcohol & Food Handlers certification required.
• Ability to provide and maintain a valid drivers license as the position may require the operation of motorized and electric vehicles.

EXEMPT POSITION

Exempt Staff Members are not covered by the overtime provisions and do not receive overtime pay. Exempt Staff members are paid a fixed salary that is intended to cover all the compensation to which they are entitled.

GROOMING

All Staff Members must maintain a neat clean and well-groomed appearance per Azul Hospitality standards. Refer to the property specific required grooming and uniform standards policy.

ATTENDANCE

Regular attendance in conformance with the standards which may be established by Azul Hospitality from time to time is essential to the successful performance of this position. Staff with irregular attendance / tardiness will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Upon employment all staff is required to fully comply with Azul Hospitality rules and regulations for the safe and effective operation of the hotels facilities. Staff members who violate hotel rules and regulations will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Due to the cyclical nature of the hospitality industry staff members may be required to work varying schedules to reflect the business needs of the addition attendance at all scheduled training sessions and meetings is required. This job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all job functions that a staff member in this position may be asked to perform from time to time.