Director of Food and Beverage

 

 

 

The primary role of the Director of Food & Beverage is to provide effective guidance and management for all Food & Beverage Operations, serving as a strategic leader of the Retreat as a member of the Executive Team. The Director of Food & Beverage will ensure consistent quality and exceptional culinary experiences in a luxury setting for our guests, manage the food and beverage budget and forecast, labor costs, operating expenses, vendor relations, inventory control, and revenue generation. The Director of Food & Beverage will work collaboratively with all departments, as well as Sensei and Nobu Corporate teams to create and implement cutting edge menus, wine lists, and amenities - delivering exceptional service experiences that represent the quality and expectations of the Sensei by Nobu brand and mission.

 

• Oversee all day-to-day Food & Beverage operations including dining outlets, pool service, in-room-dining, guestroom amenities, and banquet events
• Assist the service and kitchen staff as needed
• Manage relationships with suppliers, ownership teams, and Sensei by Nobu partnership.
• Oversee the selection, training, development and evaluation of employees and managers in the Food & Beverage Division - ensuring quality in product and service is consistently delivered by a well-trained team of passionate professionals; including corrective action planning as needed
• Collaborate with all department managers to ensure smooth service delivery and address any operational issues or guest opportunities in real-time.
• Collaborate with all property department managers as well as Corporate Revenue and Marketing departments to promote Sensei by Nobu offerings – working to increase property awareness and profitability
• Work closely with the culinary team to maintain a diverse, high-quality, and innovative menu that reflects the resort’s luxury brand, Sensei by Nobu standards, ownership and guest expectations.
• Monitor food quality, presentation, and portion control to ensure consistency and quality.
• Evaluate and recommend dining and beverage menu improvements based on guest feedback, industry trends, and seasonal availability.
• Regularly interact with guests and team members to gather feedback, address concerns, and exceed their expectations.
• Ensure proper completion of all assigned reports, financial documentation, people operations paperwork, checklists and any additional administrative tasks as
• Develop and manage the annual food and beverage budget, ensuring that all expenses are in line. Seek new opportunities of revenue and expense management, devise strategies for the overall improvement of the F&B financial goals.
• Review daily sales, comps and covers to catch and rectify any discrepancies and reforecast, making adjustments to scheduling or purchasing as needed.
• Maintain compliance with all government and local agencies; All food safety, alcohol serving awareness, sanitation, and health regulations, including proper training and up-to-date certifications for all staff.
• Be familiar with guests in house and prepare accordingly - lead pre-shift meetings with staff to review all pertinent information for the shift with regards to guest information, Retreat information, Sensei Culture, menu updates, reservations, dietary restrictions, special events, guest requests, etc.
• Inspect grooming and preparedness of staff and ensure all areas of dining outlets are pristine and presentation is to brand standards.
• Maintain training guidelines and conduct ongoing training with staff to facilitate perfection of craft and continuous growth for the Food and Beverage team
• Ensure the staff understands and consistently practices Sensei programs and services with regards to the culinary and service experience that reflect Sensei by Nobu standards.
• Maintain proper par levels, complete POs, maintain proper food & beverage inventory, communicate effectively with vendors as well as Finance and Purchasing to ensure a smooth ordering and receiving process.
• Maintain and demonstrate a strong commitment to ensure employees are well cared for in their daily work; regularly hold 1:1 meetings with team members and managers, ensure wellbeing activities and opportunities for growth are provided
• Always lead by example with the ability to mentor and inspire
• Understand the Sensei mission, philosophy and brand standards and develop a team culture around the core company mission
• Maintain and monitor execution and follow-through of agreed upon daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly communication meetings and resulting action items and initiatives as directed by the General Manager
• Leadership – Maintain a positive, upbeat role, promote and exemplify Company values and represents departmental objectives and interests to internal and external customers
• Customer Service – Follow up on complaints, questions, and concerns; respond to internal/external customer needs in a friendly, timely and efficient manner
• Teamwork - Develop and promote teamwork and cooperation among co-workers
• Safety – Comply with established safe work practices and attend to all safety-related training provided or made available by the Company.
• Due to the intimate nature of the resort with limited number of guests on property, must assist teams laterally across all departments to lead a seamless guest flow throughout the different resort spaces.
• Other duties as assigned by the General Manager.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

• 5- 10 years' experience in progressive Food and Beverage leadership positions in a luxury hospitality setting, experience overseeing Food & Beverage divisions including Culinary
• Strong working knowledge of fine dining, cocktails, and wine - with an interest in nutrition and innovative cuisine
• Experienced in current Food and Beverage operational systems and software
• Ability to recruit, retain, develop, motivate and inspire a team
• Strong organizational, problem solving and leadership skills
• Ability to meet demands and deadlines and to be efficient and productive in a dynamic environment
• Familiar and comfortable with technology and applications such as Microsoft Systems
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong personal commitment to wellness and motivated to live the Sensei Way
• Discerning attention to detail and dedication to brand presentation

Required Licenses/Certifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management or similar field preferred
• County of Riverside Food Handler Certification
• Responsible Beverage Service Card
• ServSafe Certification a plus