Royal Caribbean Group

Lead, Chef Development & Operations

Royal Caribbean Group$100K — $120K *
Miami, FL 33186In-Person
Food & Beverages
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of culinary management experience in high volume settings (resorts, cruise lines, etc.)
  • Preferred 2 years of multi-unit culinary management experience
  • Bachelor's degree in culinary arts or related field is preferable but not necessary
  • Ability to travel approximately 15-25% of the time
  • Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills required

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate on culinary concepts and recipe development
  • Implement new concepts across the fleet in partnership with leadership
  • Support waste management initiatives and data tracking
  • Lead project management for various culinary projects
  • Conduct culinary testing, prototype development and scaling recipes
  • Oversee culinary training and compliance with food safety standards
  • Coordinate culinary photography and media for marketing

Benefits

  • Competitive compensation and benefits package
  • Career development opportunities
  • Unique ways to explore the world through work
  • Travel opportunities for culinary events and initiatives
  • Collaborative work environment with diverse teams
Full Job Description
This position is on - site in our Royal Caribbean Headquarters 1050

The Royal Caribbean Group's Celebrity F&B team has an exciting career opportunity for a full-time Lead, Chef Development & Operations reporting to our Director, Culinary Development.

Position Summary

This position is responsible for providing functional leadership and support in the Celebrity onboard culinary operation to ensure the highest level of guest satisfaction in all areas. This includes supporting the development of all company standards and ensuring they are being adhered to in daily operations as well as concept development, culinary strategy and input of all culinary design, innovation and food cost control.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
  • Manage all culinary creation, culinary concept development and ideation.
  • Responsible for waste management programs, all aspects including but not limited to data upkeep, tracking and waste reduction solutions and guidelines.
  • Lead in the identification, design, development, creation, and testing of product prototypes.
  • Collaborate with chefs across the fleet to create recipes that can scale up for both limited introductions and fleet product launches, guest, crew and island food and support.
  • Lead the development of raw materials with procurement and finished goods.
  • Manage scale-up trials of products and partners with ship leadership to train on any new processes.
  • Work closely with culinary directors on new products and technical characteristics and troubleshoot ingredient performance through gold standard evaluations.
  • Manage numerous development projects simultaneously.
  • Creatively solve technical problems in a rapid, efficient manner.
  • Assist in pipeline prioritization and technical assessment of future innovation projects and ideas.
  • Collaborate with Product Development, Food & Beverage leaders, and operations in the innovation product development process of all types of products and cuisines.
  • Develop menu items to eliminate slow moving inventory and other continuous improvement projects.
  • Plays a key role with Gold Standard evaluations and look for non-conformities and alert procurement.
  • Write detailed recipes and SOPs, documents, and perform costing analysis with all new recipes.
  • Manages the day-to-day activities in the Test Kitchen along with coordinating any food tastings and products.
  • Responsible for all culinary photography, media and video
  • All onboard culinary training for new concepts and SOPs.
  • New culinary initiative and concept development
  • Responsible for all culinary capital, shipboard equipment and budgets related thereto.
  • Attends designated food and equipment shows as approved by VP of Food and Beverage.
  • Leads culinary taskforce assignments as needed.
  • Leads and manages the Global Culinary Demonstrations and Activations in Designated Marketing events. Traveling as requested by VP, FB ops.
  • Is the point of contact for new equipment innovation.

Performs other duties as required. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor or management.

Qualifications and Education
  • 10 years of culinary management experience, preferably in a high volume, 4- or 5-star resort, cruise line, hotel or restaurant.
  • 2 years' multi-unit experience culinary management experience is preferred.
  • Bachelor's degree in culinary arts or related education and/or certification is preferable but not necessary. To successfully adhere to the responsibilities stated, this individual must be prepared to travel as needed, appx 10-15% of the time.

Knowledge and Skills
  • Must be highly motivated, accomplishing tasks quickly and accurately.
  • Ability to write reports which are clear and concise, outlining solutions and recommendation of actions.
  • Must have excellent business acumen, and excellent organization skills.
  • Must possess excellent interpersonal skills to communicate with all levels of employees. Analytical thinking is a plus.

Financial Responsibilities
  • Direct responsibility for leading new concepts creation and menu development that achieve targeted profitability as well as the full fleet food cost of over 250M+ annually.

Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those requirements employees must meet to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodation. While performing job functions the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, write, review and type reports, compile data, operate a pc, communicate, listen, and assess information. The employee may move about the office complex, may travel to other office locations and may lift, push, pull or move 10 - 15 pounds. Visual requirements include distant, close and color vision, and ability to adjust focus. Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. The environment includes work inside/outside the office.

Ability to read and comprehend instructions, correspondence and memos. Ability to communicate effectively with various departments within the organization, both shipboard and shore side. Excellent interpersonal skills. Ability to build, challenge and develop a high caliber team both shoreside and shipboard.

Travel up to 25% of the time. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. The environment includes work inside/outside the office, travel to other offices, possibly travel domestic and international, and work in shipboard functions. A high noise level is possible if visiting shipboard.

We know there's a lot to consider. As you go through the application process, our recruiters will be glad to provide guidance, and more relevant details to answer any additional questions. Thank you again for your interest in Royal Caribbean Group.

About Royal Caribbean Group

Royal Caribbean Group is a cruise vacation company with a global fleet of 63 ships traveling around the world. The company provides celebrity cruises and silversea cruises. Royal Caribbean Group was established in 1968 in Miami, Florida.

Royal Caribbean Group Careers

There has never been a more exciting time to explore job opportunities with Royal Caribbean Group, a leader in the global cruise industry known for innovation and excellence.

Work You’ll Do

Join Royal Caribbean Group's dynamic team to help redefine the travel experience for millions of guests worldwide. The company's commitment to growth and leadership in the cruise industry offers a unique platform for professionals to advance their careers. Transform the future of travel with Royal Caribbean Group, where diversity, innovation, and a passion for service converge to create extraordinary vacation experiences. Lead in a market where skills in technology, customer service, and operational excellence are prized. Royal Caribbean Group stands at the forefront of the travel industry, offering team members unparalleled opportunities for career advancement. Work alongside a global team of professionals dedicated to pioneering new paths in the cruise sector. Royal Caribbean Group fosters a culture of innovation and leadership, making it an ideal workplace for those aiming to make a significant impact.

Royal Caribbean Group Professional Pathways

The team is actively building a robust professional network, inviting individuals to master their career journey in the vibrant world of cruise travel.

Do Innovative Work

Engage with a diverse team at Royal Caribbean Group—professionals dedicated to reshaping the future of travel through continuous innovation and a deep understanding of the global travel market.

Drive Innovation and Leadership

Deliver targeted solutions and exceptional guest experiences by leveraging deep industry knowledge and a commitment to innovation that’s second to none.

Be Part of a Great Team

Join a workforce that thrives on collaboration and diversity. Royal Caribbean Group offers a variety of job opportunities that harness the capabilities of its expansive global network.

Future-proof Your Career

Royal Caribbean Group provides a wealth of opportunities for personal and professional development, supported by comprehensive training programs and a commitment to promoting from within.

Explore

Discover how Royal Caribbean Group is leading the way in employee satisfaction and guest service, setting new standards in the cruise industry.

The Royal Caribbean Group Advantage

With a focus on diversity, leadership, and professional growth, Royal Caribbean Group helps team members navigate their careers in an ever-evolving industry. The company's global scale and commitment to innovation offer unmatched opportunities for career advancement.

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