Culinary Director

CULINARY DIRECTOR: THE GRANVILLE INN

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Who We Are

Granville Inn is a historic property located in the heart of Granville, Ohio, proudly serving both our hotel guests and the wider Denison University community through our long-standing partnership. Our culinary program showcases seasonally inspired cuisine, exceptional service standards, and a commitment to thoughtful hospitality reflective of the Inn’s heritage and the vibrancy of campus life.

The Role

The Culinary Director is the senior culinary leader responsible for the overall direction, integrity, and financial performance of the Granville Inn’s food program, including restaurant outlets, banquets, catering, and university-affiliated events.

This role oversees all culinary operations, leads a high-performing back-of-house team, drives menu innovation, ensures impeccable quality and consistency, and champions an elevated guest experience. The Culinary Director partners closely with the General Manager and Director of Food & Beverage to maintain excellence across service, profitability, and team culture while honoring the Inn’s tradition of craftsmanship and warm hospitality.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Leadership & Menu Development

• Leads all culinary strategy for the Inn’s restaurant and banquet operations, aligning offerings with property identity and seasonal market trends.
• Develops innovative, regionally inspired menus that appeal to hotel guests, local diners, and Denison University partners.
• Properly costs all menu items (recipes, components, plating) and ensures consistent execution through training, documentation, and recipe systems.
• Maintains impeccable standards for taste, presentation, and quality across all meal periods and event types.

Operational Management

• Directs all kitchen operations including ordering, inventory, production, sanitation, food safety compliance, and equipment upkeep.
• Actively leads service during peak periods with a hands-on approach; able to work every station including expo.
• Oversees banquet culinary operations, ensuring flawless execution of weddings, university events, corporate functions, and large-scale gatherings.
• Implements systems that drive efficiency, reduce waste, and improve workflow across all BOH operations.

Financial Performance

• Accountable for all culinary financial targets, including food cost, labor cost, inventory levels, and budget adherence.
• Uses forecasting, demand planning, and menu engineering to maximize revenue opportunities and maintain cost integrity.
• Partners with leadership to analyze financial reports, identify improvement opportunities, and implement corrective action plans.

Leadership, Culture & Team Development

• Recruits, trains, develops, and retains a high-performing culinary team; establishes clear expectations and fosters a positive, professional, learning-oriented environment.
• Conducts performance reviews, provides ongoing coaching, and creates advancement pathways for cooks and supervisors.
• Models collaborative communication with FOH leadership to ensure seamless service and synchronized guest experiences.

Cross Department Collaboration

• Works closely with the General Manager, Director of Food & Beverage, Sales, Banquets, and Denison University partners to support events, programming, and strategic initiatives.
• Coordinates banquet menu design and execution in alignment with sales commitments and client expectations.
• Participates in leadership meetings and contributes to property-wide decision-making, culture-building, and long-term planning.

Ideal Candidate

• A seasoned culinary leader with extensive experience in high-quality hotel, resort, or standalone restaurant environments.
• A thoughtful mentor who develops cooks through training, structure, consistency, and positive accountability.
• A strategic thinker who balances creativity with operational discipline and financial acumen.
• A polished communicator who thrives in a collaborative, guest-centric environment.
• Passionate about exceptional hospitality and creating memorable, locally connected dining experiences.

Requirements & Experience

• 5+ years culinary leadership experience, preferably as an Culinary Director or Executive Sous Chef in a hotel or high-volume environment.
• Strong financial and analytical skills (menu costing, payroll management, budgeting, inventory control).
• Thorough knowledge of food safety standards, kitchen operations, and culinary techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage multiple outlets, and execute large-scale banquets.
• Culinary degree or equivalent professional training strongly preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods; lift up to 50 lbs; work in varied temperatures; operate kitchen equipment safely; perform repetitive motions; and meet the physical demands of a full-service kitchen environment.

Other Duties

This job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all job functions that a team member in this position may be asked to perform from time to time. This job description reflects the job content at the time of writing and will be subject to periodic change based upon changing operational and environmental requirements. Such changes will be discussed with the team member and the job description amended accordingly. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the team member occupying this position. Team members will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.