Food & Beverage Director
First Hospitality
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
The Historian Hotel in Madison is seeking a Director of Food & Beverage to lead two distinctive concepts, The Gallery and The Quorum, blending culinary excellence with exceptional hospitality. You will drive strategy, service standards, and financial results while mentoring a high-performing team.
As a visible leader, you will shape guest experiences, collaborate with culinary leadership, and elevate the venues' reputation within the community and beyond.
Qualifications
- Experience leading food & beverage in upscale, luxury, or chef-driven environments.
- Proven ability to manage multiple outlets or concepts.
- Strong understanding of budgeting, cost controls, and revenue optimization.
- Experience collaborating with executive chefs and culinary partners.
- Excellent leadership and communication skills.
- Proven track record of developing leaders and teams.
Responsibilities
- Lead strategy, operations, service execution, and financial performance for two concepts: The Gallery and The Quorum.
- Collaborate with culinary leadership and partners to shape guest experience and culinary identity.
- Establish service philosophies, standards, and experiences for each concept.
- Ensure cohesive and memorable guest experiences across venues.
- Drive revenue, profitability, and operational performance while managing costs and labor.
- Develop marketing, events, and partnerships to elevate awareness and business.
- Build a high-performing, hospitality-driven team and culture of accountability.
- Provide hands-on leadership during peak service periods and events.
- Foster diversity, inclusion, and collaboration across front-of-house, culinary, and hotel teams.
- Oversee private dining, banquets, and special events with meticulous execution.
Skills
Education
Job description
- Insurance enrollment available from DAY 1!
- Paid time off available from DAY 1!
- Holiday pay available from DAY 1!
- 401(k) enrollment after 30 days!
- Hotel and travel discounts at worldwide destinations!
- Professional development and promotion opportunities!
We believe that exceptional food and beverage experiences are about more than what is served. They are about the people, the atmosphere, the storytelling, and the moments that stay with guests long after they leave.
As our Director of Food & Beverage, you will have the unique opportunity to lead two distinctive culinary experiences, each with its own identity, ambition, and approach to hospitality.
The Gallery is a supper club concept by celebrity Chef Dan Jacobs, bringing together culinary creativity, the spirit of gathering, and the timeless appeal of a great supper club.
The Quorum aspires to deliver the highest level of culinary and hospitality excellence, where exceptional cuisine, thoughtful service, and meticulous attention to detail come together to create a truly memorable dining experience.
As the leader of these experiences, you will be responsible for bringing their individual visions to life while building a unified team committed to excellence, creativity, accountability, and genuine hospitality.
This is an opportunity for an operationally driven, entrepreneurial leader who understands that great restaurants are built through both inspired experiences and disciplined execution. You will lead the financial performance, service culture, associate development, and daily operations of our food and beverage offerings while collaborating with culinary leadership, hotel operations, and key partners to continually elevate the guest experience.
Success in this role is not measured solely by revenue or profitability, but also by the strength of the team you build, the consistency of the experiences you deliver, and the reputation these culinary destinations establish within the community and beyond.
- You're passionate about creating distinctive culinary and hospitality experiences that guests remember and return for.
- You're excited by the opportunity to lead two unique concepts, each with its own personality, service standards, and guest expectations.
- You believe exceptional hospitality comes from genuine connections, thoughtful details, and a team that takes pride in its work.
- You're an operational leader who enjoys being present, working alongside your team, and turning ambitious ideas into consistent execution.
- You thrive in an environment that balances creativity, collaboration, financial discipline, and high standards.
- You're passionate about coaching, mentoring, and developing people, both professionally and personally.
- You embrace accountability, continuous improvement, and the opportunity to build something truly special.
- Lead the overall strategy, operations, service execution, and financial performance of The Gallery and The Quorum while preserving the unique identity and vision of each concept.
- Collaborate with culinary leadership, Chef Dan Jacobs and relevant partners to support the creative direction, culinary identity, and guest experience of The Gallery.
- Help establish The Quorum as a destination for exceptional culinary experiences through elevated service, thoughtful details, and uncompromising standards.
- Develop distinct service philosophies, operating standards, and guest experiences appropriate to each concept.
- Ensure the food, beverage, service, atmosphere, and overall experience work together to deliver a cohesive and memorable expression of each venue.
- Identify opportunities for innovation, programming, special events, and unique guest experiences that strengthen each concept's identity and reputation.
- Build and inspire a high-performing food and beverage team grounded in genuine hospitality, mutual respect, collaboration, and shared accountability.
- Establish a culture where every associate understands their role in creating exceptional guest experiences and takes personal ownership of the quality of their work.
- Lead by example through a visible, hands-on presence during key service periods, special events, and critical operational moments.
- Develop leaders and associates through ongoing coaching, meaningful feedback, recognition, and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Create an environment where associates support one another, communicate openly, and hold themselves and their teammates accountable to the highest standards.
- Promote a diverse and inclusive workplace where different perspectives, experiences, and talents contribute to the success of the team.
- Foster strong relationships between front-of-house, culinary, and hotel teams to ensure a seamless and collaborative approach to hospitality.
- Establish and maintain elevated service standards that reflect the distinct character and expectations of each culinary experience.
- Be an active presence in the dining rooms, engaging with guests, supporting associates, and ensuring the highest levels of hospitality and service execution.
- Anticipate guest needs, recognize opportunities to personalize experiences, and empower associates to create meaningful moments.
- Respond thoughtfully and proactively to guest feedback, concerns, and opportunities for service recovery.
- Develop systems for consistently evaluating and improving guest satisfaction, service quality, and the overall dining experience.
- Build relationships with guests, community members, and local partners to cultivate loyalty and establish both concepts as sought-after dining destinations.
- Oversee daily food and beverage operations, ensuring consistency, efficiency, quality, and alignment with established standards.
- Develop and execute strategies to achieve revenue, profitability, guest satisfaction, and operational performance goals.
- Partner with culinary leadership to manage food and beverage costs, labor productivity, purchasing, inventory, and controllable expenses.
- Participate in budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and strategic planning for all food and beverage operations.
- Monitor financial and operational performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement thoughtful, sustainable solutions.
- Collaborate on menu development, beverage programming, pricing strategies, and revenue-generating initiatives that support each concept's positioning and business objectives.
- Ensure proper staffing, scheduling, training, and resource allocation to support service excellence and operational efficiency.
- Maintain rigorous standards for cleanliness, food safety, sanitation, responsible alcohol service, and regulatory compliance.
- Oversee applicable private dining, banquet, and special event operations to ensure seamless planning, preparation, and execution.
- Serve as a key member of the hotel's leadership team, contributing to property-wide strategy, culture, and operational success.
- Work closely with Sales, Marketing, Rooms, and other hotel departments to create meaningful connections between the culinary experiences and the overall guest journey.
- Support the development and execution of marketing initiatives, culinary events, community partnerships, and programming that elevate awareness and drive business.
- Build a culture of continuous improvement where new ideas are encouraged, challenges are approached collaboratively, and excellence is never considered finished.
- Balance the individuality of each concept with the efficiencies and strengths of a unified food and beverage operation.
- Previous food and beverage leadership experience in upscale, luxury, fine dining, or chef-driven restaurant environments strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience managing restaurant operations, financial performance, and high-performing hospitality teams.
- Experience leading multiple outlets or distinct food and beverage concepts preferred.
- College education or advanced training in hospitality management, food and beverage operations, or a related field preferred.
- Strong understanding of elevated dining service, beverage programming, culinary operations, and restaurant financial management.
- Experience collaborating with executive chefs, culinary partners, or concept-driven restaurant teams preferred.
- A hands-on, operationally focused leadership style with a passion for delivering exceptional hospitality.
- Proven ability to build cohesive teams, develop future leaders, and create a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
- Strong business acumen with experience in budgeting, forecasting, cost controls, labor management, and revenue optimization.
- Ability to balance creative vision with practical execution and financial responsibility.
- Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining high standards of quality, service, and presentation.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
- A collaborative, entrepreneurial mindset with the confidence to lead, the humility to listen, and the curiosity to keep learning.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including strong interpersonal, diplomacy, and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to build productive relationships with guests, associates, culinary partners, and hotel leadership.
- Strong administrative skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, point-of-sale systems, and financial reporting tools.
- Must be able to speak, read, write, and understand the primary language used in the workplace.
- Ability to remain calm, professional, and solutions-oriented under pressure.
- Ability to stand, sit, and walk frequently throughout the workday.
- Ability to lift, lower, push, pull, and maneuver up to 30 pounds occasionally.
- Ability to maintain an active presence throughout restaurant, bar, and event operations, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as business needs require.
Founded in 1985 and based in Chicago, First Hospitality is a forward-thinking hotel development, investment, and management company. First Hospitality's strategic vision is to create value for all through excellence and an openness to doing things differently.
First Hospitality seeks to attract and retain a high-performing and diverse workforce in which employees' differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the customers we serve. First Hospitality fosters an inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, flexibility, and fairness.
Equal Opportunity Employer.
Source: Hospitality Online
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