Portfolio Director of Culinary (60% Travel Required)

Bon Appetit

Overview

Position Title: Portfolio Director of Culinary (60% Travel Required)
Salary: 135,000-160,000
Other Forms of Compensation: Our Passion is Food!

At Bon Appetit Management Company we are committed to two things, great food and outstanding service. We do not have standardized recipes or central commissaries; our chefs and managers are expected to stay abreast of current culinary trends and bring cutting edge food into their cafes. This is a restaurant company that operates in contract food service, offering freedom to be creative, take risks, and shine. We are committed to staff growth, trying new things, and continuous learning. Our rapid growth and breadth of accounts translate into exciting opportunities for our people.

Job Summary

The Portfolio Director of Culinary Operations is a senior culinary leader and field operator responsible for advancing food quality, culinary standards, kitchen operations, and culinary culture across a complex, multi-site corporate dining and hospitality program. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Hospitality at LinkedIn, this role serves as bench strength that can be deployed to any location in the portfolio — providing hands-on culinary leadership, kitchen stabilization, and executive chef-level coverage when needed.

This is an operator's role as much as it is a culinary role. The Director of Culinary Operations is deployed into locations when Executive Chefs are transitioning or on leave, when a kitchen requires immediate senior-level intervention, or when a new location is being opened and requires culinary leadership. The role also supports program-wide culinary initiatives and special projects in close partnership with the National Culinary Director, who holds overall accountability for culinary standards across the portfolio.

The ideal candidate is an accomplished chef-operator who has led kitchens at a high level, opened food & beverage programs from scratch, and has the operational discipline to manage food safety, cost, and consistency across multiple environments. This is a role for a chef who is as comfortable with a P&L as they are behind a line — and who earns respect from a team the moment they walk through the kitchen door.

Responsibilities

• Deploy to locations across the national portfolio to provide senior culinary leadership when Executive Chefs or Culinary Directors are transitioning, on leave, or when kitchen support is required
• Stabilize kitchen operations during leadership gaps, service challenges, or food quality issues — maintaining full culinary continuity and standards
• Provide coverage across all culinary formats in the portfolio including full-service dining, micro-kitchens, café programs, and catered event kitchens
• Serve as a credible, calm culinary presence that builds trust with kitchen teams and clients from day one of deployment

• Champion food quality, flavor authenticity, presentation standards, and temperature integrity across all supported locations
• Evaluate kitchens against program culinary standards and develop clear, actionable improvement plans
• Ensure menu accuracy at both the station and digital/online level, and maintain cultural and dietary inclusivity across all programs
• Partner with site chefs to strengthen day-to-day culinary execution, consistency, and quality output

• Ensure strict adherence to HACCP protocols, temperature log accuracy, and BOH sanitation standards across all deployed locations
• Maintain allergen accuracy and food safety escalation documentation in full compliance with client and regulatory requirements
• Drive health inspection readiness, targeting A ratings or equivalent pass results at all supported sites
• Champion a culture of safety, cleanliness, and accountability in every kitchen environment

• Oversee culinary execution for catering and event programs, ensuring on-time setup, food quality, proper presentation, and smooth breakdown
• Collaborate with Front of House and events teams on timing, menu execution, and client-facing communication for all catered functions

• Bring hands-on opening expertise to new location launches — developing kitchen systems, building culinary teams, establishing food quality standards, and ensuring culinary readiness prior to go-live
• Support program-wide culinary initiatives, menu development, and innovation projects as directed by the VP of Hospitality and National Program Culinary Director
• Contribute to the development of culinary SOPs, recipe standards, training programs, and food quality benchmarks

• Advise on and support purchasing practices, product sourcing, vendor relationships, and cost-conscious procurement decisions
• Maintain food cost discipline at deployed locations, contributing to budget adherence and financial reporting accuracy
• Identify opportunities to improve culinary efficiencies without compromising food quality or guest experience

• Mentor and develop site chefs and kitchen leaders, building culinary confidence, technical skills, and operational discipline
• Support staffing coverage, succession planning, and the development of culinary bench strength at key locations
• Ensure training completion in HACCP, allergen management, food safety, and culinary standards across deployed teams

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience in high-quality food service environments, with emphasis on multi-site or complex programs
• Proven background in restaurant or hotel food & beverage new openings — experience as a pre-opening Executive Chef, Corporate Chef, or Culinary Director for a multi-unit or flagship program strongly preferred
• Deep expertise in kitchen operations, food quality standards, food safety compliance, and culinary team development
• Demonstrated ability to walk into a kitchen, quickly assess operations and food quality, and implement practical, immediate improvements
• Experience managing diverse culinary formats including full-service kitchens, micro-kitchens, café programs, and high-volume catering
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing food costs, supporting P&L accountability, and driving procurement discipline
• A chef who balances creativity with operational rigor — passionate about food quality and innovation while maintaining consistency and cost discipline
• Ability to build credibility quickly with kitchen teams, site operators, and clients — calm under pressure, decisive in the moment
• Background in corporate dining, tech campus hospitality, or contract food service is a strong plus
• Must be based in the San Francisco Bay Area within reasonable distance of a major airport
• Ability to travel approximately 60% of the time to program locations including NYC, Chicago, Detroit, Carpinteria, Omaha, Bellevue, DC, Atlanta, Toronto, San Francisco, and other micro-locations
• Ability to commute to headquarters in Sunnyvale or San Francisco as needed

Apply to Bon Appetit today!

Bon Appetit is a member of Compass Group USA. Click here to Learn More about the Compass Story.

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance/ AD
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Associate Shopping Program
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Discount Marketplace
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Personal Leave

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, information about paid time off benefits is available upon request.

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. The Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details: information available from the employer.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Bon Appetit maintains a drug-free workplace.

Req ID:

Bon Appetit
BRYAN GONI

#J-18808-Ljbffr