Creative Director of Culinary R&D

Gracious Hospitality Management is first and foremost an outstanding hospitality company that conceptualizes Michelin-starred and James Beard-nominated restaurants. We focus on both passion and profitability. We are professionals committed to ensuring exceptional hospitality and service to our customers.

GHM has been honored with receiving a Michelin star eight years in a row for its restaurants Piora, Cote Korean Steakhouse & COTE Miami.

We are seeking to hire a dynamic and experienced Creative Director of Culinary R&D to join our award winning hospitality team. We are building a team of highly passionate (and highly compensated!) individuals with a commitment to excellence, genuine hospitality, and teamwork. If you are ready to take the next step in your career, apply now to join our team! 

The Creative Director of Culinary R&D is responsible for developing recipes, refining cooking techniques and steps of fermentation, exploring ingredients, and conducting tastings. Accountable for overseeing COTE’s fermentation department. Ensures superior and consistently high quality products.

Benefits:

• Salary range $150,000-$200,000
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Flexible Savings Account/Healthcare Savings Account/Dependent Care Savings Account
• Commuter Benefits
• Two Weeks Paid Vacation (per annum)

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities:

Job duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

Operations:

• Support CDC, Sous Chefs, cooks, and porters in their day-to-day tasks.
• Proactively support local culinary team in developing concepts within current food trends to demonstrate company flavors, technology, and strategic platforms.
• Create and execute long-term R&D strategies that support Company objectives.
• Create fermentation programs and recipes that are suitable for current restaurant locations.
• Create and develop current fermentation recipes.
• Work with Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Affairs to develop and manage a portfolio of R&D projects linked to key customer and Company needs .
• Collaborate with Simon Kim, Executive Chef, and Director of Culinary Affairs to develop new menu recipes for new restaurant concepts.
• Support Marketing and PR teams for launch and throughout Company concept lifecycle.
• Work together with the restaurant managers to ensure the expedition from kitchen to dining room runs smoothly.
• Assist the Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Affairs to create and build current culinary structure.
• Promotes and practices safe work habits through trainings, education and day-to-day management; Identifies and resolves potential safety hazards; Ensures accidents are documented following proper procedure, conducts initial investigation and determination of root cause of safety incidents in the interest of maintaining a safe work environment.
• Actively support the team culture, and help to achieve Simon Kim’s vision, values and goals for cuisine.
• Travel domestically and internationally as required to support local operations and meet with vendors.
• Participate in community events and helps to ensure corporate social responsibility goals of the Company are met.

Staff Management: 

• Train, supervise, manage, coach, counsel, and evaluate all members of the culinary team on how to execute fermentation recipes and cooking techniques.
• Participate in training of Front of House staff as it pertains to menu, food knowledge, and fermentation techniques.
• Establish regular communication with the Back of House team, including pre-shifts, meetings, trainings, etc.
• Ensure all new hires are thoroughly trained on the expectations of the kitchen, recipes, product quality and presentation required of each dish.
• Ensure proper staffing levels by assisting in the recruiting, interviewing and hiring talented kitchen staff members in accordance with COTE’s hiring policies.
• Responsible for training new employees as assigned. 

Finance & Purchasing

• Establish invoicing procedures and other controls to ensure accuracy; address and correct discrepancies or invoicing issues immediately.
• Cultivate positive, professional relations with vendors including interactions on local properties with Back of House staff to streamline purchasing, ingredient acquisition, ordering, receiving, and storage based on cost and seasonality.
• Maintain and establish relationships with local and international research and development vendors to ensure the Company receives the best quality ingredients at competitive pricing.
• Work with CDC, Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Affairs to control labor and operating expenses through effective planning, budgeting, purchasing decisions, and inventory control while focusing on creative cost control and revenue generation solutions to maximize profit.
• Assist with purchasing of local fermentation equipment and oversee setup of fermentation facilities.

Standards:

• Display knowledge of Cote brand, culture, and product.
• Demonstrate the Company’s core values of people, learning, culture, relationships, sustainability and stewardship.
• Maintain professional and respectful behavior when in contact with customers, management, and teammates.
• Present a polished personal appearance, adhering to company grooming standards outlined in the Employee Handbook. 
• Adhere to all company policies and procedures outlined in handbooks, manuals, and other company documents.
• Attend and participate in all scheduled meetings, training sessions, and continuing education activities.
• Take care of all company property.
• Maintain safety, cleanliness, and sanitation standards.
• Comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Qualifications:

• Must have the ability to read, speak, understand, follow written directions, and verbal instructions in English.
• Must be reachable by email and able to communicate via phone as well.
• Communicates information effectively and efficiently. 
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Possesses a positive, results-oriented, team-player mentality.
• Ability to perform job duties and responsibilities well and maintain professionalism and composure under pressure and in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
• Ability to under pressure and maintain professionalism when working under stress.
• Knowledge of workplace safety procedures and local Department of Health standards.
• Food Handler’s Certification or the ability to obtain in accordance with federal, state, or local regulations and/or Company policy.
• Able to work a flexible schedule in order to accommodate business levels (weekend, nights, and holiday availability required). We will endeavor to provide reasonable accommodations for sincerely held religious beliefs.  
• Familiarity with restaurant management software such as point of sales, reservations management, inventory management, Microsoft Office, and Google Workspace. 
• Working understanding of human resource principles, practices, and procedures.
• Ability to execute steps of service in adherence with company policy.
• Demonstrates positive leadership characteristics and supervisory skills, which inspire team members to meet and exceed standards. 
• Ability to effectively train others.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems.
• Ability to exercise tact, courtesy, and ethics when dealing with vendors, co-workers, and customers. 
• Ability to maintain a positive working relationship with all third-party vendors.
• Degree in Hospitality, Culinary Management, or similar subject preferred.
• Ability to execute recipes and service in adherence with company policy. 
• Excellent knife-handling skills and understanding of various cooking techniques, ingredients, equipment, and procedures.
• Familiarity with Korean cuisine preferred.
• Hold a valid passport and ability to travel internationally.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential job duties and responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform those essential functions.

While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:

• Exert well-paced mobility for periods of up to 12 hours per day and at least 60 hours per week.
• Lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Frequently stand, walk, reach, bend, stoop, push, pull, and kneel.
• Frequently utilize the stairs, often while lifting and carrying heavy items.  
• Occasionally crouch and climb.
• Be exposed to hazards including, but not limited to, burns, cuts, scrapes, and frequent exposure of hands to water.
• Withstand fluctuations in temperature within the work environment, from high heat to below freezing.
• Handle heavy equipment and machinery.
• May be asked to travel to visit vendors or different company locations.

GHM fully complies with all applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws by providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, and genetic information (including family medical history), or any other legally protected status.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job should contact the Human Resources department at 

More detail about Gracious Hospitality Management part of Gracious Hospitality Management, please visit