Area Executive Chef
Madrid
JOB SCOPE
To lead and manage culinary operations across Spain, ensuring high-quality, innovative, and efficient food production in line with company standards and guest expectations. Responsible for menu development, food safety, cost control, and team leadership across all lounges and central kitchen operations.
Drive culinary excellence by supporting new openings, renovations, and ongoing operations while ensuring consistency, operational efficiency, and profitability. Foster a culture of innovation, sustainability, and continuous improvement, while enhancing guest satisfaction and overall service quality.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
This individual oversees the regional culinary program through a combination of food expertise, innovation, operational excellence and savvy business tactics to give maximum satisfaction to guests at maximum profitability to the Group.
Operating
* Manage all aspects of the kitchen including pre-opening planning and post opening operations including but not limited to budgeting, forecasting, capex resource planning, labour management as well as waste management.
* Create recipes and menus in line with sustainable initiatives.
* Leads by example in the kitchen with a view to develop team members with on the job and off the job trainings.
* Develops a culture of development and engagement with all team members including a culture of innovation from culinary offerings to sustainable use of equipment.
* Leads with a continuous improvement mindset to drive quality, development and returns.
* Execute in ensuring business performance against company operating standards including guest satisfaction, employee engagement and external stakeholder engagement.
* Leads Corporate Social Responsibility, food seasonality, health/wellness and high-quality culinary arts on campus
* Analyzes ongoing performance and trends in the local operation and devises and leads improvements
* Demonstrates a complete understanding of daily menu items and make sure Chef's in your region is able to explain them to customers accurately
* Works with HQ and regional culinary leadership in planning, implementing, and supporting new concepts and activations.
* Participate in preparation of RFP and presentations including subsequent RFP needs.
* Ability to formulate and design large operations of Culinary in Lounges and Central Kitchens
* Conduct regular and ongoing review of the performance indexes on both a group trend and individual business unit basis.
* Establish and enforce the Company food safety programs and conduct inspection and audit as required.
* Provide on-site operations support, evaluation and troubleshooting for operating facilities
* Establish location/market/region programming and action plans as required.
* Work in partnership with the Global Director Culinary and other operational departments as needed.
* Follow policies and procedures, operating manuals and menu matrix and offer recommendations for enhancement for both HQ and business units.
* Innovation and Technology
* Participate in on-site and off-site events and trade shows.
People
* Establish the essential training and work with HQ divisions and field business units for implementation
* Work with all divisions in organizing and conducting people development activities
* Work with owners and all divisions in creating and achieving the win win working and people relationship for both companies and colleagues
* Work with all parties in helping the individual development and any personnel actions required.
* Assess and make recommendations on the people movement
Effectiveness and Efficiency
* Study the present area culinary operations and come up with plans in the overall improvement of the efficiency including and not limited to Central Kitchen, procurement procedures and logistics arrangement.
* Work all divisions in achieving the best financial results in the field of marketing, sales, new business development, business enhancement and operations effectiveness and efficiency.
* Make recommendation on the productivity, organization structure and set up of the outlets taking into account changing customers' needs, equipment and new technology.
* Analyze with the regional team the guest service results and feedback and identify issues to be improved or as best practices.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
* Degree or professional qualification in Culinary Arts, Hospitality, or a related field
* Over 15 years of experience managing international kitchen operations of multi-brand and/or multi-unit restaurants and production kitchens
* Experience working in a regional or multi-location capacity is required
* Strong background in hotel operations is required; airport or airline culinary experience is an added advantage
* Strong understanding of culinary operations, food production, and international cuisines
* Ability to plan kitchen equipment and work with internal and external project teams and kitchen planners
* Strong knowledge of cooking techniques and ability to optimize kitchen equipment usage, especially in space-constrained environments
* Good understanding of a variety of cuisines is desirable
* Sound business acumen with strong communication and presentation skills in English
* Proven track record in managing and operating kitchens within tight budget constraints
* Creative mindset with the ability to innovate and think outside the box
* Strong computer skills, including proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint
Fluency in speaking Spanish and English