Culinary Director

An Exciting Culinary Leadership Opportunity Carmine’s Gourmet Market & Trattoria / Big Mamma Group is seeking an accomplished Culinary Director to lead culinary strategy, execution, and performance across its restaurant, gourmet market, prepared foods, and catering operations. Carmine’s Gourmet Market has proudly served South Florida since 1972, building its reputation on quality, authentic Italian food, fresh ingredients, and exceptional customer service. This is a senior culinary leadership opportunity for an experienced professional with a strong foundation in Italian cuisine, multi-location operations, and team development. Reporting directly to the CEO, the Culinary Director will lead and develop Head Chefs, establish and maintain culinary standards, drive menu innovation, and oversee food quality, cost control, and operational consistency across all locations. This individual will also play a key leadership role in planning and opening the new Boca Raton location. The ideal candidate combines exceptional culinary expertise with strong business acumen, proven multi-unit leadership experience, and a commitment to developing talented teams, preserving authentic Italian culinary traditions, and supporting the company's continued growth. Key Responsibilities Culinary Leadership and Quality Control Provide strategic, hands-on culinary leadership across all locations, including Italian restaurants, gourmet markets, prepared foods, and catering operations. Lead, mentor, and develop Head Chefs and culinary teams, establishing clear expectations, accountability, and consistent performance standards. Develop and refine menus, signature dishes, seasonal offerings, and culinary concepts that reflect authentic Italian cuisine while supporting the brand's identity and business objectives. Lead culinary research and development initiatives, including recipe creation, standardized recipe cards, and successful implementation of new menu offerings across all locations. Establish and maintain consistent standards for food quality, flavor, presentation, portion control, preparation, and execution across all locations. Monitor culinary performance metrics, including food quality, service execution, ticket times, and customer experience, to maintain consistent standards and service efficiency. Oversee the quality, production, presentation, and consistency of prepared foods across the gourmet market and other culinary operations. Conduct regular kitchen inspections and hygiene audits, maintaining a monthly hygiene compliance score of greater than 90% across all locations. Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, allergen management, and applicable health and safety regulations. Operational and Financial Management Oversee food and labor costs, purchasing, inventory management, budgets, and culinary profitability, maintaining accountability for established financial targets while improving operational efficiency and minimizing waste. Monitor kitchen productivity and service efficiency, identifying opportunities to improve processes, reduce costs, and maintain operational performance. Develop and maintain strong supplier relationships to support ingredient quality, product consistency, reliable sourcing, and competitive pricing. Ensure proper care, maintenance, and use of kitchen equipment while reinforcing compliance with company operating procedures and established standards. Establish and implement operational standards, inspection procedures, and performance reporting to evaluate kitchen efficiency, food quality, sanitation, and compliance across all locations. Develop operational roadmaps and performance improvement initiatives, providing regular updates to executive leadership on culinary performance, staffing, financial results, and operational priorities. Leadership, Recruitment and Talent Development Lead culinary recruitment and staffing strategies, including direct sourcing and identification of qualified culinary professionals to support current operations and business growth. Oversee workforce planning and kitchen staffing alignment, ensuring the appropriate personnel are assigned to the right roles to support operational demands and business needs. Conduct regular talent assessments and leadership development reviews, identifying opportunities for advancement, cross-training, and succession planning. Build a strong and increasingly autonomous culinary leadership team through mentorship, delegation, training, and development of Head Chefs. Partner with executive leadership to support recruitment initiatives and strengthen the company's reputation as an employer within the culinary industry. Business Growth and Expansion Lead culinary planning and opening readiness for the new Boca Raton location, including kitchen design and setup, equipment and supply coordination, staffing, onboarding, training, menu implementation, and operational preparation. Partner with the CEO and operational leadership to evaluate performance, improve processes, enhance the customer experience, and support business expansion and prospective business partnerships. Maintain a visible leadership presence across all locations, providing guidance, evaluating execution, and reinforcing culinary excellence and operational consistency. Qualifications Minimum of seven years of progressive culinary leadership experience, including at least three years leading multi-location operations as a Culinary Director, Corporate Executive Chef, Corporate Chef, Multi-Unit Executive Chef, or in a comparable senior leadership role. Extensive professional experience with Italian cuisine required, including traditional cooking techniques, regional specialties, pasta, sauces, seafood, and meat preparations. Demonstrated culinary leadership across Italian restaurants, gourmet markets, prepared foods, and catering operations. Experience leading high-volume, full-service, scratch-kitchen operations. Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop Head Chefs while maintaining consistent culinary standards across multiple locations. Strong financial and operational expertise, including food and labor cost management, budgeting, purchasing, inventory control, and menu profitability. Proven experience as a Culinary Director, Corporate Executive Chef, or comparable senior culinary leader, with experience in international culinary operations, large-scale restaurant openings, or multi-location expansion

Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, allergen management, and applicable regulatory requirements. Strong leadership, communication, organizational, analytical, and decision-making skills. Ability to establish operational strategies, manage competing priorities, collaborate with executive leadership, and maintain high standards across multiple operations. Ability to travel between company locations as required. Benefits Employee discount Health insurance 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching Paid Time Off Join Our Team Be part of a growing, multi-concept culinary group with established South Florida locations, a strong Italian heritage, and a reputation for quality, authenticity, and exceptional food experiences. From its flagship operation to its expanding restaurant, specialty market, prepared foods, and catering concepts, the company is entering an exciting phase of growth. This is an opportunity to shape culinary vision across multiple concepts and locations, build and develop high-performing teams, and play a key leadership role in the launch of its newest location in Boca Raton.