Director of Culinary

Director of Culinary

Dallas, Texas | Hospitality Operations | Not Remote | $120,000 to $150,000 | Job ID: 182431

Job Summary

We are seeking an accomplished Director of Culinary to lead culinary innovation, kitchen operations, and financial performance for a growing, chef-driven restaurant group. This is a hands-on executive leadership opportunity for a creative, business-minded chef who thrives in restaurant kitchens, develops exceptional culinary teams, and understands how to translate culinary innovation into measurable revenue and profitability.

Responsibilities

• Lead culinary strategy, menu innovation, and quality standards across multiple restaurant locations.
• Develop structured R&D programs, seasonal menus, recipe specifications, and menu engineering initiatives.
• Create revenue-generating culinary experiences, including wine dinners, special events, and seasonal programming.
• Oversee food costs, back-of-house labor, inventory, purchasing, and kitchen operating budgets.
• Manage kitchen equipment, smallwares, and operating-supplies budgets for new restaurant openings.
• Negotiate vendor contracts, establish product specifications, and improve purchasing efficiencies.
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop Executive Chefs and culinary leadership teams.
• Partner with executive leadership, operations, marketing, and training teams.
• Maintain a hands-on presence in restaurant kitchens while supporting company-wide growth.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of senior culinary leadership experience at Executive Chef level or above within a multi-unit restaurant environment.

• Proven P&L accountability, including food cost, BOH labor, and kitchen operating budgets.

• Strong culinary R&D, menu development, and recipe standardization experience.

• Direct experience with new restaurant opening capital budgets, equipment, and operating supplies.

• Demonstrated success developing profitable culinary events and special dining experiences.

• Experience negotiating vendor contracts and managing purchasing across multiple locations.

• Proven ability to develop Executive Chefs and build high-performing culinary teams.

• Strong financial acumen, organizational skills, and executive-level communication.

• Comfortable working hands-on in restaurant kitchens.

• Ability to travel approximately 20–25%.

• Formal culinary education preferred; equivalent professional experience considered.

• What Makes This Opportunity Unique

• Executive leadership role with significant culinary influence.

• Opportunity to shape culinary innovation within a growing restaurant organization.

• Direct involvement in new restaurant openings and expansion.

• Ability to mentor and develop Executive Chefs across multiple locations.

• Hands-on restaurant leadership rather than a traditional corporate office role.

• JOB ID: 182431

• Post

• Darryl Downs

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• Additional Information

• At Goodwin Recruiting, our clients seek qualified candidates, and that is what we deliver. A person’s age, gender, race, color, marital or family status, national origin, disability, religion, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity has no bearing on whether they are able to do the job. We evaluate the knowledge, skills, and abilities that meet the requirements of the position and aim to open doors and change lives. We work hard to identify a broad slate of candidates for each of our clients, with many hiring success stories to share.