Culinary Director | Upscale Dining | Los Angeles

One Haus; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

CalSavers Roth IRA

Job summary

One Haus in Los Angeles, CA is seeking a hands‑on Culinary Director to lead culinary vision across multiple concepts within a chef‑driven hospitality group. The role blends creative menu development with multi‑unit operations, financial oversight, and culinary team development.

The ideal candidate has a strong fine dining background with a passion for French cuisine and a track record of balancing innovation with operational discipline.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior culinary leadership position within upscale or fine dining restaurants.
• Strong background in multi-unit culinary management, preferably overseeing multiple restaurant concepts.
• Extensive knowledge of French culinary techniques and cuisine, with the versatility to support additional culinary styles.
• Demonstrated success leading, developing, and retaining high‑performing culinary teams.
• Strong hands‑on culinary skills and the ability to step directly into kitchen operations when necessary.
• Experience with menu development, recipe costing, purchasing, inventory management, and food and labor cost controls.
• Solid understanding of restaurant financials, including P&L analysis, budgeting, and profitability management.
• Experience with restaurant openings, kitchen design, concept development, and operational systems preferred.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, travel between locations, and maintain consistent culinary standards.
• Excellent communication, organization, problem‑solving, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to collaborate effectively across culinary, operations, marketing, and finance departments.
• Culinary Arts degree preferred.
• Valid Food Handler certification or equivalent required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee culinary standards and daily kitchen operations across multiple restaurant concepts.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to develop and execute the company's culinary vision.
• Maintain exceptional standards of food quality, consistency, presentation, and guest experience.
• Provide hands‑on culinary support, including working the line and covering Chef de Cuisine shifts when necessary.
• Partner with General Managers and culinary leadership to ensure seamless restaurant operations.
• Establish and maintain standardized recipes, kitchen procedures, production systems, and quality‑control measures.
• Evaluate kitchen workflows and identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and consistency.
• Maintain rigorous food safety, sanitation, cleanliness, and regulatory compliance standards.
• Lead creative menu development and culinary innovation across multiple restaurant concepts.
• Develop seasonal menu offerings while maintaining each concept's culinary identity.
• Collaborate with executive culinary leadership on new dishes, recipes, and menu enhancements.
• Oversee recipe writing, testing, standardization, and costing.
• Maintain accurate recipe databases and utilize menu performance data to guide culinary decisions.
• Evaluate ingredient quality, sourcing opportunities, and supplier relationships.
• Support culinary content development for media, cookbooks, special events, and promotional initiatives.
• Oversee food cost performance, purchasing, and inventory management across designated restaurant locations.
• Monitor food and labor costs through weekly and monthly financial reviews.
• Partner with Finance and Operations to evaluate P&L performance and identify opportunities to improve profitability.
• Implement effective systems for inventory control, recipe costing, labor scheduling, and purchasing.
• Analyze menu profitability, ingredient costs, and operational expenses to support informed business decisions.
• Evaluate vendors and supply chain decisions to achieve the best balance of product quality and cost.
• Establish financial accountability and cost‑control standards across culinary teams.
• Provide direct leadership, coaching, and mentorship to Chefs de Cuisine, Sous Chefs, and culinary management teams.
• Partner with Human Resources and Operations to recruit, develop, and retain exceptional culinary talent.
• Create and implement a comprehensive culinary training and development program.
• Establish clear performance expectations, accountability standards, and leadership development initiatives.
• Conduct regular kitchen evaluations, performance reviews, and operational assessments.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and results‑oriented kitchen culture.
• Support succession planning and the development of future culinary leaders.
• Serve as the primary culinary leader for new restaurant openings and concept development.
• Collaborate with executive leadership on kitchen design, equipment selection, workflow, and operational planning.
• Oversee culinary opening timelines, staffing plans, training, menu development, and operational readiness.
• Support capital expenditure planning, kitchen equipment purchases, and smallwares selection.
• Participate in catering initiatives, special events, festivals, and hospitality partnerships.
• Assist with culinary‑related media, publicity, and community outreach initiatives.

Skills

Culinary leadership

French cuisine

Multi-unit ops

Menu development

Team leadership

Education

Culinary Arts degree

Tools

Toast POS

Craftable inventory

OpenTable

Job description

Culinary Director – Multi-Concept Hospitality Group

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Base Salary: $125,000–$140,000

Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Travel: Regular travel between Los Angeles restaurant locations; occasional international travel

Position Overview

We are seeking an accomplished, hands‑on Culinary Director to join the senior leadership team of a growing, chef‑driven hospitality group in Los Angeles. The company operates a diverse portfolio of upscale restaurants, French‑inspired dining concepts, fast‑casual operations, catering, and hospitality‑related ventures.

The Culinary Director will work closely with executive culinary and operational leadership to establish and execute the company's culinary vision across multiple concepts. This position combines creative menu development, multi‑unit operational oversight, financial management, restaurant openings, and culinary team development.

The ideal candidate is an experienced culinary leader with a strong fine dining background, an appreciation for French cuisine, and the ability to balance creativity with operational discipline. This is a highly hands‑on position requiring someone who can move seamlessly between strategic leadership and direct kitchen execution.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Leadership & Operations

• Oversee culinary standards and daily kitchen operations across multiple restaurant concepts.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to develop and execute the company's culinary vision.
• Maintain exceptional standards of food quality, consistency, presentation, and guest experience.
• Provide hands‑on culinary support, including working the line and covering Chef de Cuisine shifts when necessary.
• Partner with General Managers and culinary leadership to ensure seamless restaurant operations.
• Establish and maintain standardized recipes, kitchen procedures, production systems, and quality‑control measures.
• Evaluate kitchen workflows and identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and consistency.
• Maintain rigorous food safety, sanitation, cleanliness, and regulatory compliance standards.

Menu Development & Culinary Innovation

• Lead creative menu development and culinary innovation across multiple restaurant concepts.
• Develop seasonal menu offerings while maintaining each concept's culinary identity.
• Collaborate with executive culinary leadership on new dishes, recipes, and menu enhancements.
• Oversee recipe writing, testing, standardization, and costing.
• Maintain accurate recipe databases and utilize menu performance data to guide culinary decisions.
• Evaluate ingredient quality, sourcing opportunities, and supplier relationships.
• Support culinary content development for media, cookbooks, special events, and promotional initiatives.

Financial & Cost Management

• Oversee food cost performance, purchasing, and inventory management across designated restaurant locations.
• Monitor food and labor costs through weekly and monthly financial reviews.
• Partner with Finance and Operations to evaluate P&L performance and identify opportunities to improve profitability.
• Implement effective systems for inventory control, recipe costing, labor scheduling, and purchasing.
• Analyze menu profitability, ingredient costs, and operational expenses to support informed business decisions.
• Evaluate vendors and supply chain decisions to achieve the best balance of product quality and cost.
• Establish financial accountability and cost‑control standards across culinary teams.

Team Leadership & Development

• Provide direct leadership, coaching, and mentorship to Chefs de Cuisine, Sous Chefs, and culinary management teams.
• Partner with Human Resources and Operations to recruit, develop, and retain exceptional culinary talent.
• Create and implement a comprehensive culinary training and development program.
• Establish clear performance expectations, accountability standards, and leadership development initiatives.
• Conduct regular kitchen evaluations, performance reviews, and operational assessments.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and results‑oriented kitchen culture.
• Support succession planning and the development of future culinary leaders.

New Restaurant Openings & Special Projects

• Serve as the primary culinary leader for new restaurant openings and concept development.
• Collaborate with executive leadership on kitchen design, equipment selection, workflow, and operational planning.
• Oversee culinary opening timelines, staffing plans, training, menu development, and operational readiness.
• Support capital expenditure planning, kitchen equipment purchases, and smallwares selection.
• Participate in catering initiatives, special events, festivals, and hospitality partnerships.
• Assist with culinary‑related media, publicity, and community outreach initiatives.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior culinary leadership position within upscale or fine dining restaurants.
• Strong background in multi‑unit culinary management, preferably overseeing multiple restaurant concepts.
• Extensive knowledge of French culinary techniques and cuisine, with the versatility to support additional culinary styles.
• Demonstrated success leading, developing, and retaining high‑performing culinary teams.
• Strong hands‑on culinary skills and the ability to step directly into kitchen operations when necessary.
• Experience with menu development, recipe costing, purchasing, inventory management, and food and labor cost controls.
• Solid understanding of restaurant financials, including P&L analysis, budgeting, and profitability management.
• Experience with restaurant openings, kitchen design, concept development, and operational systems preferred.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, travel between locations, and maintain consistent culinary standards.
• Excellent communication, organization, problem‑solving, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to collaborate effectively across culinary, operations, marketing, and finance departments.
• Culinary Arts degree preferred.
• Valid Food Handler certification or equivalent required.

Technology & Systems

Candidates Should Be Comfortable Utilizing

• Microsoft Office and Google Workspace
• Toast POS
• Craftable inventory and recipe management
• OpenTable
• Restaurant financial reporting, inventory, and labor management systems

Compensation & Benefits

• Annual Base Salary: $125,000–$140,000
• Performance‑Based Bonus Potential: Based on established performance goals
• Health Insurance: Comprehensive individual and family medical plans
• Retirement: Access to CalSavers Roth IRA

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer #AA