Director of Culinary

Director of Culinary

Executive Culinary Systems Leader

Idle Hour Country Club — Lexington, Kentucky

Reports to: Clubhouse Manager, General Manager / COO

About Idle Hour-

Founded in 1946, Idle Hour Country Club is a private, member-owned club defined by tradition, hospitality, and multi-generational community. As we enter an exciting new chapter — including a major kitchen renovation — we are seeking a senior culinary leader to help architect the next evolution of our dining experience.

Position Overview-

The Director of Culinary is Idle Hour’s senior culinary authority and systems leader. This is an executive-level leadership role focused on building standards, mentoring culinary leadership, and designing the operating frameworks that deliver timing, quality, and consistency at scale across all culinary venues.

This is not a daily line position.

It is a leadership, architecture, and continuity role.

The Director of Culinary partners closely with the Executive Chef, F&B leadership, and General Manager to ensure culinary excellence is not dependent on any one person — but built into the system itself.

Core Responsibilities-

Culinary Systems Leadership

• Serve as the Club’s senior culinary authority and standards architect
• Design and maintain culinary operating systems that ensure consistency, accountability, and quality across all outlets
• Establish final quality control and substitution governance standards
• Build, document, and evolve operating frameworks that protect the member experience

Leadership Development & Continuity

• Mentor the Executive Chef, Sous Chefs, and culinary leadership team
• Build succession pipelines and leadership bench strength
• Develop training frameworks, standards documentation, and accountability loops
• Serve as the continuity backstop — fully capable of stepping into kitchen leadership when required

Renovation-Phase Architecture

• Design and oversee interim operating models during the renovation phase
• Architect temporary production, menu tiering, labor, and service continuity frameworks
• Partner with FOH leadership to control guest expectations and protect experience during construction

Menu & Culinary Direction

• Partner with the Executive Chef to guide menu architecture, innovation, and seasonal planning
• Ensure recipe standardization, plating consistency, and production timing discipline
• Support signature dining experiences, tastings, and culinary programming

Financial & Operational Stewardship

• Provide strategic oversight of food cost controls, labor architecture, and waste management
• Partner with Finance on budgeting, purchasing strategies, and inventory governance
• Protect operational efficiency and accountability across all culinary cost centers

Cross-Departmental Partnership

• Partner with FOH, Events, and Membership leadership to align pacing, execution, and member recovery
• Monitor Dining Experience Survey feedback and ensure structural corrective action loops
• Support committee and Board communication as a culinary systems leader

Success Profile-

The ideal candidate is:

• A systems thinker who designs operations rather than merely managing shifts
• A leadership multiplier who develops people and protects standards
• Calm, structured, and decisive
• Comfortable in executive-level accountability environments
• Energized by building something lasting

Qualifications-

• 10+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience in private clubs, luxury hospitality, or fine dining
• Demonstrated success in building culinary systems, mentoring leaders, and driving consistency at scale
• Strong financial acumen in food cost, labor architecture, and purchasing strategy
• Able to step into kitchen leadership when continuity requires
• ACF or comparable certification preferred
• Experience with Jonas or similar systems a plus
• Deep appreciation for tradition, hospitality, and member-first culture

Compensation & Benefits-

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• Annual performance bonus tied to KPIs
• Full benefits package (health, dental, vision, 401(k))
• Relocation assistance negotiable
• Continuing education and professional development support

To Apply

Interested candidates should submit a résumé and brief cover letter to:

Chris Kennedy, CCM

General Manager / COO

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