Director of Culinary - Lexington - Idle Hour Country Club

    Idle Hour Country Club
    Idle Hour Country Club Lexington

    1 hour ago

    Tourism / Travel / Hospitality
    Description

    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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