Culinary Director (Menu Operations) A respected and fast-growing full service restaurant group is seeking a hands-on culinary leader who excels at being present and engaged across multiple locations and collaborating with various leaders. This role offers a unique opportunity to develop and update menus across a thriving brand, enhance kitchen operations, and maintain the brand’s culinary identity. Culinary Director Benefits & Compensation • Competitive base salary with bonus based on company KPIs • Generous health benefits • Excellent paid time off and vacation time • Tech package • Approximately 40% to 50% work-from-home flexibility • Opportunity to grow within a supportive and fast-expanding team Culinary Director Requirements & Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, or a related field preferred • 10+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience, including at least 5 years in menu innovation or product development within a multi-unit casual dining environment • Proven track record of developing and launching popular, profitable menu items at scale • Strong understanding of restaurant operations, food costs, and supply chain management • Excellent project management, organizational, and communication skills • Proficiency in culinary software and Microsoft Office Suite • Ability to travel extensively to restaurant locations, vendors, and for market research Culinary Director Day-to-Day Responsibilities • Lead the end-to-end process of menu item development, from concept to rollout • Develop a pipeline of menu innovations balancing trends, guest favorites, and operational efficiencies • Collaborate with culinary and operations teams to ensure the executability of new menu items • Conduct market research, competitive analysis, and trend forecasting to identify growth opportunities • Create and maintain back-of-house recipes and plate specifications for training and implementation • Work with procurement to source high-quality ingredients within cost targets and maintain quality control • Partner with Marketing on messaging and promotional strategies for new menu launches • Collaborate with Operations and Supply Chain for training materials, execution protocols, and ingredient forecasting • Present new concepts and align with leadership on strategic priorities • Develop menu execution timing protocols within the POS-KDS platform (Aloha) • Monitor menu item performance and optimize based on data-driven insights • Manage inventory software and maintain accurate inventory control This role is ideal for a culinary professional who values both creative development and operational excellence within a supportive, expanding restaurant organization. JOB ID: 182504 #post Larry Chesner