Director of Food & Beverage

Offering a calm haven and chic sophistication, Le Meridien Chicago - Oakbrook Center sits next to the eponymous shopping center in Oak Brook, Illinois. From our superb vantage point, guests can easily access attractions throughout Chicago, including Drury Lane Theatre, Elmhurst Art Museum and downtown.

At Crescent Hotels & Resorts, we are a team of hospitality professionals that are deeply connected to & proud of the exceptional experiences we provide for our guests. More than that, we know our Associates are the shining stars of what we do!

We understand what it takes to be a part of something great. We will encourage you to bring your true self to work every day, we will celebrate you and we will cheer you on as you shine bright in your career journey. Whether it be our health & wellness programs, best in class learning and development or our travel discounts that 'feed your inner explorer', we work hard to create and deliver on what YOU need. We are ready for you to start your journey with us where You Belong. We Care. Shine Bright.

We are looking for our next great leader to manage our Food and Beverage department. We are committed to providing you with:

• Highly competitive wages - Salary Range Annually $95,000 - $115,000
• An exceptional benefit plan for eligible associates & your family members
• 401K matching program for eligible associates
• Discounts with our Crescent managed properties in North America for you & your family members
• Hotel Room Discounts at Marriott brand properties Worldwide
• Free meals in our associates' cafeteria

Here is what you will be doing each day:

• Interview, hire, train, recommend performance evaluations, resolve problems, provide open communication and recommend discipline and/or termination when appropriate.
• Plan and direct the functions of administration and planning of the Food and Beverage Department to meet the daily needs of the operation.
• Clearly describe, assign and delegate responsibility and authority for the operation of the various food and beverage sub-departments, e.g. room service, restaurants, banquets, kitchens, steward, etc.
• Develop, implement and monitor schedules for the operation of all food and beverage sub-departments to achieve a profitable result.
• Participate in the creation of menus designed to attract a predetermined customer market.
• Implement effective control of food, beverage and labor costs among all sub-departments to Crescent standards.
• Provides ethical and consistent leadership in the food and beverage area of the hotel by directing and organizing the activities of the Food and Beverage. Department to maintain high standards of food and beverage quality, service and merchandising to maximize hotel profitability.
• Abide by all State, Federal and Corporate requirements pertaining to serving alcoholic beverages.
• Assist managers in establishing and achieving predetermined profit objectives and desired standards of quality food, service, cleanliness, merchandising and promotion.
• Regularly review and evaluate the degree of guest satisfaction of the individual restaurants and events service, to recommend new operating and marketing policies whenever declining or constant sales imply dissatisfaction by the customers, a material change in the make-up or the customer market, or a change in the competitive environment.
• Develop operating tools necessary and incidental to modern management principles, e.g. budgeting, forecasting purchase specifications, recipes, portion specifications, menu abstracts, food production control etc.
• Continuously evaluate the performance and encourage improvement of the associates in the food and beverage department. Plan and administer a training and development program within the department which will provide well trained associates at all levels.

Does this sound like you?

• Must have 5 years of hotel food & beverage leadership experience
• Marriott experience preferred
• We are looking for someone passionate about creating a genuine customer experience while achieving revenue objectives.
• We are looking for someone to represent Le Meridien Chicago Oakbrook Center with confidence and the spirit of hospitality.
• Work closely with the Sales Department to negotiate pricing and optimize production to positively impact hotel revenues.
• Self-starting personality with an even disposition.
• Can communicate well with guests and associates.
• Can do, problem solver personality.
• Friendly disposition with a passion for hospitality.
• Team player who strives to support others and likes to win as a team.
• Must have Food Manager certification or ability to obtain within 30-days.

Our Differences Are What Make Us Great:

At Crescent Hotels & Resorts we strive to create a great place to work where associates at all levels of our organization are respected for their differences, just like the guests and owners we serve. That's why we are dedicated to creating an environment that facilitates open and honest conversations about race, equity, diversity, and inclusion. By examining our own beliefs and behaviors, we can create change through training, recruiting, and promoting diverse talent to strengthen our culture.