Culinary Operations Director JN

Culinary Operations Director – Multi‑Unit Hospitality Group (Houston, TX)

Salary Range: $100,000–$110,000+ (based on experience)

Location: Houston, TX

Employment Type: Full‑Time, On‑Site

Service Model: Full‑Service Dining

About the Role: A growing hospitality group with a strong cultural identity and two thriving Houston locations is seeking a Culinary Operations Director to lead back‑of‑house systems and scale operational excellence across future units. This is a hands‑on leadership role for a strategic operator who thrives in high‑volume, scratch kitchens and is ready to build the foundation for multi‑unit growth. The ideal candidate will begin as Kitchen Manager of our second location (full‑service), while being compensated and titled as Culinary Director.

Once systems are built and stabilized, this leader will hire and train a Kitchen Manager for that unit and shift focus to launching our third store.

Key Responsibilities:

• Systems & Process Leadership:
  Design and implement scalable BOH systems (inventory, ordering, waste tracking, SOPs, audits)
• Create a replicable “Kitchen Manager’s Playbook” for future locations
• Staff Leadership & Development:
  Supervise and mentor kitchen team:
  Sous Chefs, Leads, line/prep cooks
• Enforce quality standards and accountability across all stations
• Operational Oversight:
  Monitor daily execution and system adherence
• Collaborate with ownership and culinary leadership on menu rollouts and feasibility
• Analyze food/labor costs and performance metrics to drive decisions
• Cross‑Functional
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Serve as the bridge between BOH operations, culinary development, and FOH coordination
• Report on KPIs, audits, and process improvements

Qualifications:

• 7+ years in high‑volume, scratch‑based kitchens
• 3+ years in culinary leadership roles
• Proven success scaling BOH systems across multi‑unit or full‑service environments
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills; experience with bilingual teams preferred
• Deep knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and labor compliance
• Ability to implement change, drive accountability, and improve operational efficiency

Compensation & Growth Path:

• Salary: $100K–$110K base, with flexibility for exceptional candidates
• Bonus and Benefits Package
• Title:
  
  Culinary Operations Director from day one
• Growth Plan:
  Start as KM of Store #2 → Build systems → Hire KM → Lead Store #3 launch

Job : 169902