Director of Culinary
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Key skills for this role
About the Role
The Director of Culinary is responsible for leading and overseeing all culinary operations at Sofitel Jabal Omar Makkah, ensuring the highest standards of food quality, creativi.
Key Skills for This Role
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement the culinary vision and strategy aligned with hotel objectives and Sofitel brand
- Lead menu creation across restaurants, banquets, in room dining, and special events
- Oversee all kitchen operations to ensure consistency in food quality, taste, and presentation
- Ensure compliance with HACCP, food safety, and hygiene standards
- Manage culinary financial performance including food cost, labour productivity, and operational efficiency
- Lead, coach, and develop a large multicultural culinary team
- Drive sustainable culinary practices including waste reduction and responsible sourcing
Requirements
- Proven experience as a Director of Culinary or similar senior culinary leadership role in a luxury hotel
- Strong knowledge of international cuisine and local Saudi flavours
- Expertise in HACCP, food safety regulations, and hygiene standards
- Financial acumen with experience in budget management and cost control
- Excellent leadership, communication, and team development skills
Full Job Posting
Job Overview
- The Director of Culinary is responsible for leading and overseeing all culinary operations at Sofitel Jabal Omar Makkah, ensuring the highest standards of food quality, creativity, consistency, hygiene, and operational excellence across all outlets, banqueting operations, and culinary areas.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement the overall culinary vision and strategy for Sofitel Jabal Omar Makkah in alignment with the hotel's business objectives and Sofitel brand DNA.
- Lead the creation of innovative menus across restaurants, banquets, in room dining, and special events, ensuring a balance between international cuisine, local Saudi flavours, and guest preferences.
- Ensure culinary offerings reflect the expectations of a luxury international clientele, including guests from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.
- Drive continuous improvement of food concepts, presentation standards, recipes, and culinary techniques.
- Collaborate with the Food & Beverage leadership team to develop destination dining experiences and enhance guest satisfaction.
- Oversee all kitchen operations, ensuring consistency in food quality, taste, presentation, portion control, and service delivery.
- Establish and maintain world class culinary standards across all production areas.
- Ensure smooth execution of high volume operations, including buffet services, banquets, VIP functions, and large scale religious tourism periods.
- Conduct regular kitchen inspections, quality checks, and operational reviews to ensure compliance with brand standards.
- Ensure effective coordination between culinary, stewarding, purchasing, and Food & Beverage teams.
- Ensure full compliance with HACCP, food safety regulations, hygiene standards, and Accor operational requirements.
- Maintain the highest standards of cleanliness, food handling, storage, and preparation practices.
Qualifications
- Proven experience as a Director of Culinary or similar senior culinary leadership role in a luxury hotel.
- Strong knowledge of international cuisine and local Saudi flavours.
- Expertise in HACCP, food safety regulations, and hygiene standards.
- Financial acumen with experience in budget management and cost control.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and team development skills.
Financial Performance & Cost Control
- Take full ownership of culinary financial performance, including food cost, labour productivity, and operational efficiency.
- Develop and manage culinary budgets, forecasts, and action plans to achieve financial objectives.
- Monitor food cost performance through effective menu engineering, recipe costing, portion control, and waste reduction initiatives.
- Partner with Purchasing and Finance teams to optimize supplier relationships and ensure best value procurement.
- Identify opportunities for cost optimization without compromising guest experience or product quality.
Leadership & Talent Development
- Lead, coach, and develop a large multicultural culinary team through effective communication, mentoring, and performance management.
- Create a culture of excellence, creativity, accountability, and continuous learning.
- Develop succession plans and support career growth opportunities for culinary talents.
- Ensure all Heartists are trained on culinary standards, safety procedures, and Sofitel service culture.
- Promote diversity, inclusion, and employee engagement within the culinary department.
Sustainability & Responsible Practices
- Drive sustainable culinary practices, including waste reduction, responsible sourcing, and efficient resource management.
- Support Accor sustainability commitments through environmentally responsible kitchen operations.
- Encourage innovation in sustainable menus and responsible food production.
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