The Driskill

The Director of Culinary and Event Services at The Driskill is a strategic leadership role responsible for overseeing all culinary operations and event services. This position ensures the delivery of exceptional dining experiences and the seamless execution of events, upholding The Driskill’s reputation for luxury, historic charm, and innovative Texas cuisine. This role demands a blend of creative artistry, business acumen, hands on a approach to service and exemplary leadership. The Director of Culinary and Event Services is an assistant executive level role reporting to the Director of Hotel Operations. This position will collaborate with the Director of Sales, Events and Marketing and is the face of event operations.

Culinary Leadership

· Oversees the event culinary operations, including menu development, food preparation, and presentation for a restaurant style event venue.

· Conceptualize, develop and execute innovative seasonal and custom menus that reflect current culinary trends and guest preference while maintaining the hotels unique identity.

· Collaborate with clients to understand their vision, develop tailored menus and ensure all details are flawlessly executed.

· Lead, mentors and inspire a diverse culinary team, including cooks, stewards and leaders. Foster a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.

· Manage kitchen schedule and ensures efficient workflow in a fast pace environment.

· Design and implement training programs to elevate the team’s skills, maintain high morale and ensure professional growth within the team.

· Ensure food quality, safety, and sanitation standards are consistently met

· Stay informed on culinary trends and incorporate them into menu offerings and event concepts.

Event Service Management (Banquets)

· Leads the event services (banquets) department including banquet managers, captains, meeting concierge, servers and bartenders.

· Ensure flawless execution of all hotel events, including weddings, corporate functions, and social gatherings.

· Demonstrates the ability to create memorable, guest-centric experiences that blend innovation with tradition.

· Passion for excellence and an unwavering commitment to deliver a fine dining service experience for all guests

· Responsible for the overall meeting and guest dining experience of all events

· Oversee and coordinate logistics, including event setup, service, and breakdown, working with internal teams and external vendors as needed

· Ensures the event services team projects a warm, professional and welcoming image

Client Relations & Guest Experience

· Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, providing attentive service and creative solutions to exceed expectations.

· Along with the event service director serve as the primary point of contact for high-profile and VIP events, ensuring a personalized and memorable guest experience

· Establish a rapport with guests and meeting planners, maintaining a good customer relationship and handle all guest complaints, requests and inquiries on food, beverage and service

· Gather post-event feedback and implement improvements to enhance future events.

· Ensure event checks entered timely and accurately and reviewed with the client.

Financial & Operational Management

· Develop and manage annual budgets for culinary and the event operations, analyzing financial performance and identifying areas for improvement.

· Implement efficient operational procedures to maximize productivity and control costs.

· Monitor inventory levels and coordinate purchasing to support both daily operations and special events.

· Ensure an effective payroll control through a flexible work force

· Establish all culinary and front of the house standards

· Coordinate all repair and maintenance requests to ensure the proper maintenance of the kitchen, event space and equipment

· Participates in the formulation of marketing plans and initiatives

· Identify training needs and organize training programs for culinary and service staff

Qualifications

v Experience in a senior culinary leadership role of a luxury hotel or high-end restaurant venue

v A minimum of 8-10 years of progressive experience in culinary leadership roles with at least 2 years’ experience as Executive Sous Chef in luxury hotels or equivalent in high-end environments

v Exceptional leadership, verbal & written communication, and organizational skills.

v Proven expertise in multiple cuisine concepts, modern cooking techniques and menu engineering

v Strong business acumen, including budgeting and cost control

v Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment

v Culinary degree or equivalent experience preferred; food safety certification required