Director of Food & Beverage, The Statler Hotel

Statler Hotel, Cornell University; Town of Ithaca (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement contributions

Wellness programs

Employee discounts

Job summary

The Statler Hotel, located in Ithaca, NY, is seeking a Director of Food & Beverage to provide leadership across Banquets, Culinary, Stewarding, and Outlets. The role focuses on delivering exceptional guest experiences, optimizing operations, and guiding financial performance for a multi-outlet F&B program.

The ideal candidate brings 3–5 years of luxury hotel F&B leadership, strong people management, and a track record of strategic menu development and cost control.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years luxury hotel F&B management experience.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• Ability to develop and manage budgets and forecasts.
• Experience with banquets, outlets, and private dining.

Responsibilities

• Lead F&B departments including Banquets, Culinary, Stewarding and Outlets.
• Oversee menu approval, cost control and monthly financial outlooks.
• Collaborate with marketing to promote outlets.
• Drive sustainability initiatives in F&B.
• Ensure high guest satisfaction and safety standards.

Skills

F&B leadership

Hospitality management

Budgeting & P&L

Team development

Operations management

Job description

Director of Food & Beverage, The Statler Hotel

The SC Johnson College of Business unites three top‑ranked schools to deliver a comprehensive, interdisciplinary business education. Its mission is to transcend traditional business boundaries, transforming critical thinking into practical, real‑world solutions. The college’s vision—to inspire leaders who build sustainable, shared prosperity - is supported by core values of excellence, inclusion, engagement, community, and impact. These principles guide every program and initiative, fostering a collaborative environment dedicated to positive societal influence.

The Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University is renowned for its pioneering hospitality education. Its mission is to cultivate leaders who excel in the hospitality industry through a blend of business acumen and innovative thinking. The college values excellence, community, and a commitment to shaping the future of hospitality.

As part of the SC Johnson College of Business and proudly affiliated with the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration—the world’s premier hotel school— The Statler Hotel stands as Cornell University’s living laboratory for hospitality excellence. Known as “the premier hotel that teaches,” The Statler Hotel blends modern elegance with the vibrant energy of campus life, offering guests an immersive experience while serving as the operational training ground for future leaders of the global hospitality industry.

With more than 150 guest rooms, award‑winning service, and state‑of‑the‑art conference and event facilities, The Statler Hotel hosts many of Cornell’s most important gatherings. Its mission is rooted in delivering exceptional guest experiences while advancing hospitality education through hands‑on learning, innovation, and a deep commitment to service. As a cornerstone of Cornell’s hospitality ecosystem, the hotel plays a vital role in shaping the next generation of industry professionals.

The Statler Hotel employees are a team of hospitality professionals who proudly lead the premiere collegiate lifestyle hotel, welcoming the world to the cherished gathering place for those who love Cornell University. We challenge thinking while connecting and cultivating people. Our actions are driven by a collective aspiration to build a culture of collaboration, celebration, and excellence. Our mission is to provide uniquely crafted experiences through personalized connections that will inspire future leaders who will change the world of hospitality.

Statler Hotel leaders are expected to lead with hospitality. We connect with each member of our staff, ensuring staff feel welcomed, comfortable, and important. We strive for self-mastery, accepting of ourselves and others, demonstrating empathy, and gratitude. We lead with a servant's heart, practicing the fundamentals of LEAD (listen, educate, action, and deliver). We engage, intentionally giving our time, talent, and heart to those we lead, ensuring everyone on our team feels significant, and leveraging the power of encouragement. We use a coaching style of leadership, utilizing SMART goals and extending grace as we motivate employees to do their best. We create stories and memorable experiences to inspire our staff.

While position responsibilities vary, all people leaders are expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by being trustworthy; respecting all individuals; being flexible; supporting work/life integration as well as healthy boundaries; inviting new ideas, alternatives, and perspectives; speaking up and taking action if others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and recognizing the contributions of others.

In alignment with the Statler Hotel’s mission to be “The Premier Hotel That Teaches,” the Director of Food & Beverage provides overall leadership, strategic direction, coordination, and oversight for the hotel’s Food and Beverage operations, including Banquets, Culinary, Stewarding, Restaurants, Bars, Private Dining, and Room Service. The Director is responsible for ensuring exceptional guest experiences, operational excellence, financial performance, and the effective leadership and development of Food and Beverage management and staff.

Position Responsibilities

• Ensure the leadership and coordination of the food and beverage operating departments through their respective Leaders within Banquets, Culinary, Stewarding and Outlets
• Ensure regular, effective communication with all Food and Beverage colleagues through individual departmental communication meeting, development and daily interaction in all departments daily to assure the highest level of guest satisfaction
• Inspects to ensure that all safety, sanitation, preventive maintenance, and other standards are consistently met
• Work with the Executive Chef on promotions, new amenities, and other guest experience enhancements
• Approves the menus proposed by the Executive Chef for all outlets and special events
• Ensures that profit margins maintained, budgeted Food and Beverage costs met through effective control systems, including issuing against sales analysis and menu costing
• Ensure the development and accuracy and delivery of monthly financial outlooks for the Food and Beverage Division
• Develops an operating budget for each of the department’s revenue outlets
• Assures that all standard operating procedures for revenue and cost control are in place and consistently utilized
• Oversee the development and implementation of innovative promotional events by seeking out creative ways to improve service and increase business volumes
• Develops and implements policies and procedures for food and beverage departments
• Manage restaurant, bar, Private Dining room, Room Service functions, maintaining a high profile with customers and staff
• Works with the marketing team to promote the F&B outlets to increase revenues and attract new business
• Leading sustainability efforts for the food and beverage department
• Research new products and develops an analysis of the cost/profit benefits
• Management of alcoholic beverage purchasing and beverage costs control
• Ensuring that a professional, respectful, and productive work environment is maintained at all time.

Required Qualifications

• Approachable, open-minded and fair
• Excellent communication & interpersonal skills,
• Minimum 3 to 5 years previous luxury / upscale hotel experience in a related field
• Minimum of 3 years’ F&B management experience, preferably in the luxury setting or upscale boutique hotel
• A strong understanding of overall hotel business with the ability to study, analyze and interpret complex activities and/or information in order to improve new practices or develop new approaches
• Passionate, energetic, and self-motivated individual who can deliver exceptional service
• Takes pride in self and position and is committed to high standards
• Professional and appropriate business appearance and presentation

Preferred Qualifications

• 10 years of hotel industry work experience, demonstrating progressive career growth and a pattern of exceptional performance.
• Prior multiple outlet and banquet operations leadership experience
• Micros experience a plus
• A passion for teaching and development

This is a full-time, on‑site position based in Ithaca, NY, with salary commensurate with education and experience. This position offers a base salary plus eligibility to participate in the Statler’s Executive Compensation Plan. Participation and payout are not guaranteed and are subject to plan terms and eligibility criteria. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Rewards and Benefits

Cornell receives national recognition as an award‑winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.

Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay.

Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards.

Our leave provisions include three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off |

Working at Cornell

Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell

Cornell University is an equal opportunity affirmative action educator and employer.

Source: Hospitality Online