Director of Culinary Experiences / Executive Chef

Director of Culinary Experiences / Executive Chef

Northern Michigan
Full-Time | Long-Term Position

Compensation: Highly competitive and negotiable based on experience
Accommodation: Beautiful, fully furnished private residence provided
Additional Benefits: Company vehicle and comprehensive benefits package

Position Overview

We are conducting a highly selective search for an exceptional Director of Culinary Experiences / Executive Chef to develop, lead, and elevate the culinary vision for a distinctive luxury hospitality property in Northern Michigan.

This is a senior culinary leadership position requiring significantly more than exceptional cooking ability. The client is seeking an accomplished culinary professional who combines the creativity and refinement of an Executive Chef with the operational, commercial, and strategic experience required to build a sophisticated food and beverage program on a significant scale.

The successful candidate will ideally have prior leadership experience within a world-class luxury resort, boutique hotel group, destination property, or comparable hospitality environment. Candidates with backgrounds at Auberge Resorts Collection, Relais & Châteaux, Blackberry Farm, Montage, Aman, Four Seasons, or similarly respected luxury hospitality organizations are particularly encouraged to apply.

The Director will have the opportunity to help shape the culinary identity of the property from the ground up, developing everything from seasonal menus and signature dining experiences to operational systems, product lines, retail offerings, vendor partnerships, and long-term culinary concepts.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a culinary professional who has previously operated on a commercial scale and understands how to transform a culinary vision into a polished, sustainable, and commercially successful hospitality program.

Culinary Vision & Leadership

The Director of Culinary Experiences will be responsible for establishing and leading the overall culinary direction of the property.

The successful candidate will:

• Develop a distinctive culinary identity centered around exceptional ingredients, seasonality, sustainability, and regional sourcing.
• Create and execute sophisticated breakfast, lunch, dinner, private dining, tasting, and event menus.
• Develop culinary programming appropriate for a luxury destination hospitality environment.
• Establish standards for food quality, presentation, consistency, service, and overall guest experience.
• Oversee culinary operations across multiple dining and guest environments.
• Introduce innovative concepts that enhance both the guest experience and the commercial potential of the property.
• Continually evaluate culinary trends, guest preferences, and opportunities for future growth.

Commercial Culinary Development

A critical component of this position will be the ability to think beyond the traditional kitchen environment.

The successful candidate should have demonstrated experience developing culinary concepts and products that can operate successfully on a commercial scale.

Responsibilities will include:

• Develop proprietary food products and culinary offerings that reflect the identity of the property.
• Create specialty retail and gourmet product lines for guests and potential broader distribution.
• Develop concepts for packaged foods, preserves, sauces, condiments, baked goods, specialty provisions, or other signature products.
• Evaluate opportunities for branded culinary products and strategic partnerships.
• Develop seasonal food programs that can be replicated consistently while maintaining exceptional quality.
• Assist with packaging concepts, presentation, sourcing, production standards, and product positioning.
• Establish systems that allow successful culinary concepts to scale efficiently.
• Identify opportunities to generate additional revenue through culinary experiences, retail products, events, and partnerships.
• Work collaboratively with ownership and senior leadership on the long-term commercial development of the culinary program.

Experience successfully developing food products, retail concepts, branded culinary offerings, or scalable hospitality programs will be highly valued.

Signature Guest Experiences

The Director will create distinctive culinary experiences that become an integral part of the property's identity.

Programming may include:

• Chef's tasting dinners
• Farm-to-table dining experiences
• Family-style farm feasts
• Lakeside and outdoor dining
• Wood-fired and open-fire cooking
• Seasonal harvest dinners
• Farm and producer experiences
• Ingredient-focused tastings
• Maple tapping and seasonal programming
• Wine dinners and pairings
• Guest cooking demonstrations and culinary education
• Visiting chef collaborations
• Private celebrations and special events
• Luxury picnic and outdoor dining programs

The objective is to create experiences that guests remember, return for, and associate specifically with the property.

Food & Beverage Operations

The Director will develop and oversee a comprehensive food and beverage program appropriate for a sophisticated luxury hospitality environment.

This may include:

• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner service
• Fine dining and tasting menus
• Seasonal welcome experiences
• Chef-curated canapés and hors d'oeuvres
• In-residence and in-suite dining
• Curated breakfast baskets
• Elevated breakfast buffets
• Gourmet picnic programs
• Premium grab-and-go offerings
• Private dining
• Special events
• Boutique catering
• Culinary retail offerings

The successful candidate must understand how to deliver highly personalized luxury hospitality while simultaneously creating the systems, staffing structure, and operational discipline required for a larger-scale operation.

Team Development & Culinary Operations

The Director will have responsibility for building and developing a high-performing culinary team.

Responsibilities will include:

• Recruit, interview, hire, train, and mentor culinary professionals.
• Establish appropriate staffing models and organizational structures.
• Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and culinary service standards.
• Establish kitchen workflows, production systems, and quality-control procedures.
• Implement professional food safety, sanitation, storage, and inventory standards.
• Develop training programs to ensure consistency across the culinary operation.
• Establish a culture of professionalism, accountability, creativity, hospitality, and teamwork.
• Mentor emerging culinary talent and create opportunities for professional development.

 

Procurement, Sourcing & Financial Management

The Director will establish a sophisticated procurement program with an emphasis on quality, sustainability, seasonality, and responsible financial management.

Responsibilities will include:

• Develop relationships with exceptional local and regional farms, ranchers, fisheries, wineries, artisan producers, and specialty vendors.
• Source outstanding produce, meats, seafood, dairy, and specialty ingredients.
• Establish purchasing and receiving systems.
• Manage culinary budgets, food costs, inventory, and waste.
• Negotiate and manage key vendor relationships.
• Establish systems for forecasting, purchasing, storage, and inventory control.
• Source custom flat ware , glassware, flatware, linens, presentation pieces, and service equipment.
• Maintain strong financial controls without compromising culinary quality or the guest experience.

Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be an accomplished culinary leader with a combination of creativity, commercial experience, operational discipline, and sophisticated hospitality experience.

Qualifications should include:

• Significant experience as an Executive Chef, Culinary Director, Executive Sous Chef, or comparable senior culinary leader.
• Prior experience within a luxury resort, destination property, boutique hotel, luxury hospitality group, or other substantial commercial food and beverage operation.
• Demonstrated experience managing culinary operations on a commercial scale.
• Experience developing and implementing new culinary concepts from inception through execution.
• Strong understanding of luxury hospitality and highly personalized guest service.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, develop, and lead professional culinary teams.
• Experience establishing SOPs, systems, budgets, purchasing programs, and operational standards.
• Strong knowledge of food costs, inventory management, procurement, and financial controls.
• Passion for seasonal, sustainable, ingredient-driven cuisine.
• Exceptional culinary technique, creativity, and presentation.
• Experience developing food products, retail offerings, or branded culinary concepts is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of how culinary programming can contribute to the broader commercial success and identity of a hospitality property.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and genuine enthusiasm for building something from the ground up.

Experience with wood-fired and open-fire cooking, outdoor kitchens, farm-to-table programming, agricultural partnerships, and experiential dining is highly desirable.

The ideal candidate will have a genuine appreciation for the Slow Food movement and a thoughtful, sustainability-driven approach to cuisine. Experience and interest in traditional and artisanal culinary techniques are particularly valued, including:

• Foraging for seasonal and indigenous ingredients
• Developing relationships with local farms, growers, and artisan producers
• Smoking, curing, and preservation techniques
• Pickling and seasonal preservation
• Natural fermentation and maceration preservation/pickling
• Whole-animal and whole-ingredient utilization with an emphasis on minimizing waste
• Organic and naturally fermented bread making
• Sourdough and traditional bread-making techniques
• Seasonal harvesting and preserving
• Responsible, sustainable sourcing
• Creating menus around what is locally available and at its seasonal peak
• Educating and engaging guests around provenance, ingredients, and traditional culinary methods

The culinary philosophy should celebrate seasonality, provenance, craftsmanship, sustainability, and a genuine connection between the land, the producer, the kitchen, and the guest experience.

Preferred Professional Background

Particular consideration will be given to candidates who have developed their careers within respected luxury hospitality organizations such as:

• Auberge Resorts Collection
• Relais & Châteaux properties
• Blackberry Farm
• Montage Hotels & Resorts
• Aman
• Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
• Comparable five-star independent resorts and destination properties
• Michelin-recognized restaurants with significant operational responsibilities

Candidates do not need to come specifically from these organizations; however, they should demonstrate experience operating at a comparable level of culinary excellence, service, scale, and sophistication.

Compensation & Benefits

The client understands that attracting an exceptional culinary leader requires a competitive package and is prepared to structure compensation appropriately for the right individual.

The position includes:

• Highly competitive salary, negotiable based on experience and qualifications
• Beautiful, fully furnished private accommodation
• Company vehicle
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Long-term employment opportunity
• Significant autonomy and creative influence
• Opportunity to recruit and develop a culinary team
• Opportunity to build a culinary program from its foundation
• Opportunity to develop signature products, experiences, and commercial culinary concepts

A Unique Leadership Opportunity

This position offers an accomplished culinary professional the opportunity to do something increasingly rare: build a culinary identity rather than inherit one.

The client is seeking someone who can combine the standards of a world-class Executive Chef with the vision of an entrepreneur and the operational experience of a senior hospitality executive.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop the culinary program, build the team, establish relationships with exceptional producers, create memorable guest experiences, and develop signature products and concepts that can become an important part of the property's long-term identity.

For a culinary professional who has worked at the highest levels of luxury hospitality and is excited by the opportunity to create, develop, and lead something truly distinctive, this represents an exceptional long-term opportunity.

 

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