Director Food and Beverage

About the role

The Bethesdan Hotel is a contemporary, boutique-style property located in downtown Bethesda, just minutes from Washington, D.C. We are part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, offering a unique blend of independent character with the support and standards of a major global brand. Our hotel features stylish guest rooms, a vibrant lobby, a full-service restaurant and bar, flexible meeting spaces, and a strong focus on personalized guest service. We are seeking a Director of Food & Beverage to help shape this next chapter of hospitality at our boutique-style property and become part of the Hilton family, named No. 1 World’s Best Workplace by Fortune and Great Place to Work!

Responsibilities

• Interview, hire, train, recommend performance evaluations, resolve problems, provide open communication and recommend discipline and/or termination when appropriate.
• Plan and direct the functions of administration and planning of the Food and Beverage Department to meet the daily needs of the operation.
• Clearly describe, assign and delegate responsibility and authority for the operation of the various food and beverage sub-departments, e.g. room service, restaurants, banquets, kitchens, steward, etc.
• Develop, implement and monitor schedules for the operation of all food and beverage sub-departments to achieve a profitable result.
• Participate with Food and Beverage managers in the creation of menus designed to attract a predetermined customer market.
• Implement effective control of food, beverage and labor costs among all sub-departments to Crescent standards.
• Abside by all State, Federal and Corporate requirements pertaining to serving alcoholic beverages.
• Aid managers in establishing and achieving predetermined profit objectives and desired standards of quality food, service, cleanliness, merchandising and promotion.
• Regularly review and evaluate the degree of guest satisfaction of the individual restaurants and banquet service, to recommend new operating and marketing policies whenever declining or constant sales imply dissatisfaction by the customers, a material change in the make-up or the customer market, or a change in the competitive environment.
• Develop operating tools necessary and incidental to modern management principles, e.g. budgeting, forecasting purchase specifications, recipes, portion specifications, menu abstracts, food production control etc.
• Continuously evaluate the performance and encourage improvement of the associates in the food and beverage department.
• Plan and administer a training and development program within the department which will provide well-trained associates at all levels.
• Communicate both verbally and in writing to provide clear direction to staff.
• Comply with attendance rules and be available to work on a regular basis.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 2 to 4 years of restaurant management experience, preferably in a hotel or upscale dining environment.
• Strong knowledge of restaurant operations, financial management, and hospitality standards.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to motivate and develop a high-performing team.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in POS systems and restaurant management software.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Food Safety and Alcohol Service certifications (or ability to obtain).