Description

Summary

The Director of Culinary & Event Services is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping and executing exceptional culinary and event experiences at The Driskill - an iconic Texas landmark known for its historic charm, Western heritage, and cultural significance in Austin.

This position provides strategic oversight of banquet culinary operations and event service execution, ensuring every gathering reflects the property's legacy while delivering modern luxury excellence. The role blends creative vision with disciplined operational leadership and financial accountability.

Reporting to the Director of Hotel Operations and partnering closely with Sales, Events, Marketing, and third-party stakeholders, this leader serves as the face of the events operation and plays a defining role in protecting and elevating The Driskill's reputation as one of Austin's premier event destinations.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Leadership

§ Oversees culinary operations, including menu development, food preparation, and presentation for a restaurant style event venue.

§ Lead all banquet culinary operations, including menu development, preparation, presentation, and execution.

§ Design innovative seasonal and custom menus that reflect Texas influence, regional ingredients, and elevated presentation standards.

§ Ensure culinary offerings align with The Driskill's historic identity and luxury positioning.

§ Maintain rigorous quality control standards to ensure consistency, creativity, and execution excellence.

§ Stay ahead of culinary trends while preserving the hotel's distinctive character.

§ Lead and mentor culinary leaders, cooks, and stewards, fostering a culture of accountability, pride, and continuous improvement.

§ Maintain strict food safety, sanitation, and compliance standards

Event Service Management

§ Oversee the full execution of weddings, corporate meetings, galas, and high-profile social events.

§ Lead banquet managers, captains, meeting concierge, servers, and bartenders to deliver polished, seamless service.

§ Establish and enforce elevated service choreography and presentation standards.

§ Ensure flawless coordination between culinary, banquet operations, sales, and external vendors.

§ Maintain visible leadership presence during key events to reinforce standards and support teams in real time.

§ Critical when it comes to service standards and ensures that the events team projects a warm, professional and welcome image

Client Relations & Guest Experience

§ Build strong relationships with meeting planners, social hosts, and VIP clients.

§ Serve as the senior operational contact for high-profile and signature events.

§ Ensure every event delivers a personalized, memorable, and refined guest experience.

§ Gather post-event feedback and implement continuous improvement strategies.

§ Handle guest inquiries and service recovery with professionalism and composure.

Financial & Operational Management

§ Develop and manage annual budgets for culinary and event operations.

§ Drive banquet revenue growth and margin optimization through strategic menu engineering and labor modeling.

§ Partner with Sales to enhance event conversion and identify upsell opportunities.

§ Monitor food cost, labor productivity, and event profitability.

§ Implement efficient operational procedures to maximize productivity while maintaining luxury standards.

§ Oversee inventory controls and purchasing coordination for event operations.

§ Ensure effective payroll and workforce planning aligned with business levels

§ Analyze financial performance and identify areas for improvement.

Leadership Attributes

§ Relationship-focused communicator who thrives in a community-centered environment.

§ Creative thinker with a strategic mindset and a strong "test & learn" approach.

§ Agile, proactive, and able to adapt quickly to changing business needs.

§ Demonstrates leadership expectations: growth mindset, cross-functional collaboration, outcome-focused execution, and commitment to care.

Qualifications

§ 8-12 years of progressive leadership experience in luxury hotel culinary and banquet operations.

§ Prior experience as Executive Chef or Executive Sous Chef in a high-end environment preferred.

§ Proven expertise in menu engineering, cost control, and operational leadership.

§ Strong understanding of event service execution and banquet operations.

§ Exceptional leadership, organizational, and communication skills.

§ Demonstrated financial acumen and experience managing departmental budgets.

§ Culinary degree or equivalent experience preferred; food safety certification required.