Director of Food & Beverage

LEFT LANE is a vertically integrated real estate design, development and management firm specializing in the acquisition and transformation of iconic, historic properties. We are committed to fostering a welcoming, dynamic, and inspiring workplace and company culture where our team members are inspired to create lasting impressions through warm, anticipatory service. How we want our guests to feel when staying with us is the same as...how we want our team to feel every day.

LEFT LANE's flagship property is Hotel Bardo Savannah , named one of the best hotels in the world in 2024 by Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler. Hotel Bardo team member benefits include PTO and paid holidays, 401k matching, health and telehealth benefits, discounts on resort offerings like rooms, dining, shop and spa, complimentary onsite fitness classes, complimentary meals in our team member café and more.

About the role

Hotel Bardo is seeking a Director of Food & Beverage who is energized by building structure, developing leaders, and creating consistency in a dynamic, high-touch environment. This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership role for an operator who is equally comfortable setting strategy, coaching outlet leaders, analyzing the P&L, and stepping onto the floor during service to support the team, observe standards, and drive accountability.

The ideal candidate brings strong Food & Beverage fundamentals, luxury or lifestyle service instincts, and the courage to lead through complexity. This person will help strengthen the leadership rhythm across outlets, clarify expectations, elevate service execution, and build a culture where managers own the business, teams understand the standard, and guests feel the difference.

What you'll do

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of all food & beverage outlets, driving alignment across concept, service, and financial performance while ensuring each outlet delivers a distinct, cohesive experience.
• Own the full P&L across outlets, including budgeting, forecasting, labor management, cost controls, and revenue optimization. Identify opportunities to drive profitability while protecting the integrity of the guest experience.
• Set the vision for service, training, and operational excellence-translating brand standards into clear, executable expectations and holding leaders accountable to consistent delivery.
• Build, develop, and lead a high-performing team of outlet leaders. Coach through performance, create clear development pathways, and foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Partner cross-functionally with Culinary, Marketing, Events, and Brand teams to evolve programming, drive covers, and create compelling, revenue-generating experiences across all outlets.
• Lead the development and execution of training programs that elevate service standards, product knowledge, and leadership capability across the division.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (guest satisfaction, revenue per outlet, labor efficiency, cost of goods, etc.), using data to inform decisions and drive measurable results.
• Act as a visible presence on the floor-setting the tone for service, engaging with guests and members, and stepping in to support operations during peak periods.
• Ensure all outlets consistently meet or exceed standards for food safety, sanitation, and alcohol service, maintaining full compliance with all local and company regulations.
• Oversee inventory strategy and controls across all outlets, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and cost discipline.
• Champion a culture of collaboration across departments, ensuring seamless communication and alignment between Front Office, Housekeeping, Culinary, and Events.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive Food & Beverage leadership experience, including multi-outlet oversight; luxury, lifestyle, boutique, or upscale hotel experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading Food & Beverage teams through growth, transition, opening, repositioning, or operational stabilization.
• Proven ability to create structure, clarify expectations, and build consistent operating rhythms across outlets in a fast-paced, high-touch environment.
• Hands-on leadership style with a visible floor presence; comfortable observing service, coaching in real time, supporting peak periods, and reinforcing standards directly with leaders and teams.
• Strong track record of developing outlet leaders and middle managers, including coaching underdeveloped leaders, building accountability, and addressing performance gaps with clarity and urgency.
• Demonstrated financial ownership, including budgeting, forecasting, labor management, cost controls, inventory discipline, revenue optimization, and P&L performance.
• Strong operational acumen with a deep understanding of service standards, outlet dynamics, guest experience design, food safety, sanitation, and alcohol service compliance.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution; equally comfortable setting the vision, building the plan, and rolling up sleeves to help implement it.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence across departments, navigate leadership friction, and create alignment between F&B, Culinary, Events, Marketing, Front Office, Housekeeping, and Brand.
• Solutions-oriented, decisive, and resilient, with the courage to lead through complexity, ambiguity, and change.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accountability and service discipline.
• Professional presence and polished presentation aligned with Hotel Bardo's brand standards, with the humility and energy to lead from both the floor and the table.