Director of Culinary Operations in BIRMINGHAM, Michigan at THE ELIA GROUP LLC

The Director of Culinary Operations is responsible for ensuring flawless execution of all heart-of-house (HOH) operations across the company's multi-venue portfolio. This role emphasizes operational excellence, driving consistency, accountability, team performance, and profitability. The Director of Culinary Operations translates strategy into action by building scalable systems, strengthening leadership teams, and maintaining rigorous operational standards across the portfolio.

• Create, own and enforce all culinary Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across the portfolio.

• Ensure consistent execution of recipes, prep systems, plating standards, portion control, and presentation.

• Conduct structured culinary audits and quality reviews at all locations.

• Partner with Executive Chefs to maintain menu integrity and execution standards.

• Drive continuous improvement in kitchen workflows and production efficiency.

• Implement and enforce rigorous cost-control systems, including:

o Weekly inventory counts

o Daily protein counts

o Waste logs

o Recipe costing and yield verification

o Opening & closing checklists (Jolt or equivalent system)

• Monitor and analyze food cost trends and implement corrective action plans.

• Develop and standardize prep pars, ordering systems, and inventory management frameworks.

• Identify operational inefficiencies and implement measurable improvements.

• Develop labor models and kitchen staffing frameworks that balance excellence with profitability.

• Oversee scheduling discipline and productivity benchmarks across venues.

• Establish clear kitchen KPIs, including:

o Food cost targets

o Labor percentages

o Ticket times

o Waste reduction

o Inventory variance thresholds

• Hold Executive Chefs and BOH leaders accountable for financial performance and execution discipline.

• Build structured development programs for Executive Chefs, Sous Chefs, and BOH leadership.

• Establish clear performance expectations and evaluation frameworks.

• Create succession planning systems for key kitchen leadership roles.

• Foster a culture of ownership, discipline, urgency, and continuous improvement.

• Provide direct coaching to underperforming culinary leaders and implement corrective plans where necessary.

• Design scalable culinary systems to support new openings and expansion.

• Lead operational readiness planning for new restaurant launches.

• Standardize training materials, prep guides, recipe manuals, and execution playbooks.

• Ensure seamless replication of brand standards across all current and future venues.

• Ensure strict adherence to food safety, sanitation, and regulatory standards across all jurisdictions.

• Conduct internal compliance audits and corrective action follow-ups.

• Maintain ServSafe and health department excellence standards.

At ELIA, we use our unique experience and contributions to deliver more than value – we set new standards! We seek someone that is looking for more than a job – we want to work with someone who is as passionate as us about what we do and how we go about doing it.

• 10+ years of multi-unit restaurant operations leadership experience (fine dining preferred).

• Proven track record of implementing and enforcing SOPs across multiple locations.

• Strong financial acumen, including deep expertise in food cost management and kitchen labor modeling.

• Demonstrated success driving measurable performance improvements in multi-venue environments.

• Strong systems-builder with a structured, analytical, process-oriented mindset.

• Exceptional leadership presence with the ability to coach, correct, and elevate kitchen leadership teams.

• Ability to drive operational discipline without compromising culinary excellence or guest experience.

• Health insurance

• Dental insurance

• Vision insurance

• Employee Discount

• 401K

• PTO

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. This position is regularly required to stand for a prolonged period, reach, bend and lift heavy objects. The noise and activity level in the work environment is typically high. You may be required to carry glassware, alcohol, cases of beer, etc. and use knives and other kitchen tools.

• Stamina and Endurance: Ability to stand and move for extended periods while overseeing kitchen operations, attending meetings, or during large-scale events.

• Mobility: Flexibility to move between kitchens, dining areas, and other facilities to monitor operations, conduct inspections, and address issues.

• Strength: Ability to lift and carry kitchen supplies, equipment, or inventory, typically up to 30-50 pounds, if needed.

• Manual Dexterity: Skill in handling kitchen tools and equipment, when necessary, particularly during menu development or quality checks.

• Good Vision and Hearing: Essential for monitoring kitchen safety, food presentation, and communicating with staff across busy and loud environments.

• Calm Under Pressure: Ability to maintain composure and make quick decisions during peak times or operational challenges.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.