Vice President of Culinary

Vice President Of Culinary

The Vice President of Culinary is responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight of all culinary operations across Tailwind Hospitality's airport concessions, restaurants, bars, cafs, retail food concepts, and catering programs. This executive-level position will drive culinary innovation, menu development, food cost management, operational consistency, and profitability while ensuring exceptional guest experiences throughout the organization.

The Vice President of Culinary will lead the development and execution of Tailwind's culinary vision, oversee menu and recipe management systems, ensure compliance with brand and licensing agreements, and support business growth initiatives through strategic culinary leadership. This role will partner closely with Operations, Procurement, Finance, Business Development, Marketing, and Executive Leadership to optimize food quality, maximize margins, and support expansion across multiple airport locations nationwide.

Culinary Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and execute the company's culinary vision, strategy, and standards across all Tailwind concepts.
• Lead culinary innovation and menu development initiatives that enhance guest satisfaction and drive revenue growth.
• Establish and maintain culinary standards, specifications, recipes, preparation methods, presentation guidelines, and quality expectations.
• Provide leadership and support to culinary teams, chefs, kitchen managers, and operational leaders across multiple locations.
• Evaluate food trends, consumer preferences, and market opportunities to keep Tailwind's offerings competitive and relevant.
• Support new concept development, location transitions, and business growth initiatives from a culinary perspective.

Menu Development & Recipe Management

• Oversee the creation, implementation, and ongoing management of menus across all company concepts.
• Maintain and manage all recipes within Restaurant365 (R365) and the company's Restaurant Food Management System.
• Ensure recipe consistency, standardization, and operational execution across all locations.
• Develop and maintain recipe specifications, preparation procedures, portion standards, and production guides.
• Evaluate menu performance and make recommendations to improve guest satisfaction, operational efficiency, and profitability.
• Collaborate with operational leadership to ensure menus are executable within each location's staffing, equipment, and operational constraints.

Food Cost & Margin Management

• Develop and maintain theoretical food cost calculations for all recipes and menu items.
• Monitor food costs, product mix, and menu profitability across all locations.
• Analyze margins and menu performance to identify opportunities for increased profitability.
• Partner with Operations, Procurement and Finance to establish and maintain food cost targets and performance metrics.
• Develop strategies to improve purchasing efficiencies, reduce waste, and optimize menu contribution margins.
• Ensure menu pricing supports company profitability objectives while remaining competitive within each market.

Pricing & Licensing Compliance

• Partner with the Pricing Team to establish menu pricing strategies for all locations.
• Ensure menu pricing complies with lease requirements, concession agreements, licensing agreements, and contractual obligations.
• Support financial modeling and menu pricing analysis for new business opportunities and location transitions.
• Collaborate with licensed brand partners to ensure menu compliance and adherence to brand standards.
• Serve as the primary culinary resource for franchise, licensing, and branded concept relationships.

Multi-Unit Culinary Operations

• Provide culinary oversight for multiple airport locations across the United States.
• Establish scalable systems, standards, and processes that support consistent execution across all locations.
• Conduct culinary audits and operational reviews to ensure compliance with company standards.
• Support location openings, transitions, remodels, and operational improvement initiatives.
• Partner with Operations leadership to identify and resolve culinary and foodservice challenges.
• Develop action plans to improve culinary execution, guest satisfaction, and financial performance.

Catering & Client Relations

• Provide strategic oversight and support for Tailwind's catering operations and growth initiatives.
• Develop catering menus, standards, and processes that support premium hospitality experiences.
• Build and maintain relationships with airport partners, local businesses, corporate clients, community organizations, and hospitality partners.
• Collaborate with operational teams to support catering opportunities, special events, and revenue-generating initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to expand catering services and strengthen Tailwind's position within local markets.

Financial & Operational Management

• Develop and manage culinary budgets, food cost targets, and performance objectives.
• Analyze operational and financial data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Partner with Finance and Operations to support budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning initiatives.
• Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) related to food quality, menu performance, food costs, and guest satisfaction.
• Support procurement and vendor management initiatives to ensure product quality and cost effectiveness.

Leadership & Team Development

• Recruit, develop, and mentor culinary leadership talent throughout the organization.
• Create training programs and culinary development initiatives that support operational excellence.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Support succession planning and leadership development efforts within culinary and operational teams.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership on culinary and foodservice matters.

Qualifications

Required

• Associate's degree in culinary arts, Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive culinary leadership experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of multi-unit foodservice, restaurant, hospitality, or airport concessions management experience.
• Executive Chef, Corporate Chef, Director of Culinary, VP of Culinary, or similar senior leadership experience.
• Proven experience developing, managing, and optimizing menus across multiple concepts and locations.
• Extensive experience with recipe development, recipe costing, food cost management, and menu engineering.
• Strong understanding of P&L management, food cost controls, contribution margins, and profitability analysis.
• Experience working with licensing agreements, branded concepts, franchise standards, or concession agreements.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams and large-scale operational initiatives.
• Strong leadership, communication, relationship-building, and organizational skills.

Preferred

• Experience in airport concessions, travel hospitality, contract foodservice, or multi-unit restaurant operations.
• Experience with Restaurant365 (R365) or comparable restaurant management platforms.
• Certified Executive Chef (CEC) or similar professional culinary certification.
• Experience supporting catering, premium hospitality, or private aviation foodservice operations.
• Familiarity with airport operating environments and concession agreements.
• Experience working with national brands, franchise partners, or licensed restaurant concepts.

Core Competencies

• Culinary Leadership
• Multi-Unit Operations Management
• Menu Development & Engineering
• Recipe Management & Standardization
• Food Cost & Margin Management
• Strategic Planning
• Financial Acumen
• Licensing & Brand Compliance
• Client Relationship Management
• Operational Excellence
• Talent Development
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement

Mental Effort

• Requires strategic thinking, executive-level decision making, and complex problem solving.
• Ability to balance operational priorities, financial performance, culinary innovation, and guest experience.
• Continuous evaluation of business performance, menu profitability, operational effectiveness, and growth opportunities.
• Requires significant analytical and financial acumen to manage food costs, pricing strategies, margins, and business performance.

Work Environment

• Fast-paced, multi-unit hospitality environment supporting airport