Culinary Director- Jockey Club Experiences

The Culinary Director leads the vision, development and delivery of exceptional food experiences across The Jockey Club Experiences racecourses and a venue within the Levy portfolio. Reporting to the Operations Director, Jockey Club Experiences, the role holder works collaboratively with Executive Chefs, Head Chefs and wider commercial and operational teams. The position is responsible for shaping a forward-thinking culinary strategy, fostering collaboration across multiple sites and driving innovation that elevates hospitality beyond traditional raceday and event catering.

• Develop and deliver a group-wide culinary strategy aligned with the ambitions of Jockey Club Experiences and Lyvera Experiences, driving innovation and differentiation across venues.
• Create forward-thinking, experience-led dining concepts across premium hospitality, retail, conferences and events, challenging traditional approaches to racecourse catering.
• Develop signature food experiences, including fine dining, chef's tables, pop-ups and themed events, that elevate the hospitality offering.
• Provide clear culinary direction across all venues, building strong relationships with Executive Chefs and Head Chefs and ensuring alignment around standards, priorities and shared objectives.
• Lead chef forums, workshops and innovation sessions to encourage knowledge sharing, creativity and collaboration across culinary teams.
• Coach, mentor and develop culinary leaders, supporting succession planning and building a strong pipeline of talent across the business.
• Establish culinary guidelines, standards and benchmarks to ensure exceptional food quality, presentation and consistency while celebrating the individuality of each venue.
• Balance culinary creativity with commercial objectives, driving profitability through effective menu planning, food cost management, labour optimisation and waste reduction.
• Lead menu development and engineering processes to maximise profitability, improve consistency and ensure offerings meet guest expectations and business objectives.
• Work closely with procurement teams and suppliers to develop sourcing strategies that balance quality, sustainability, cost control and supply chain efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial performance through premium food experiences, innovative concepts, pricing strategies and new revenue-generating initiatives.
• Develop and implement culinary processes and best practices that improve productivity, efficiency, quality and consistency across all locations.
• Partner with events, marketing, sales and commercial teams to ensure food is central to the overall guest experience and supports the wider business strategy.
• Use customer feedback, guest satisfaction data and performance insights to identify opportunities for improvement and continually raise culinary standards.
• Champion seasonal ingredients, sustainable sourcing, ethical supply chains and waste reduction, embedding responsible catering principles into menu development and kitchen operations.
• Keep ahead of emerging food trends, dining concepts and changing guest expectations to ensure venues remain innovative, relevant and competitive.

• A proven track record in senior culinary leadership, such as Culinary Director, Group Executive Chef or Head of Food Operations, with responsibility for culinary strategy and business performance.
• Experience delivering exceptional standards within premium hospitality, luxury dining or high-profile food operations.
• A strong culinary vision and the ability to develop distinctive, market-leading food concepts that elevate the guest experience.
• Extensive experience leading multi-site, high-volume or complex culinary operations, balancing consistency with creativity and the individual identity of each venue.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience managing food costs, labour efficiency, menu profitability, procurement and overall operational performance.
• The ability to translate strategic objectives into practical plans that deliver measurable improvements in quality, efficiency and profitability.
• Exceptional leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to influence senior stakeholders and build strong cross-functional partnerships.
• Experience establishing culinary standards, governance and continuous improvement frameworks across multiple locations.
• A strong understanding of sustainability, responsible sourcing, supplier relationships and emerging food trends.
• Creativity, adaptability and the confidence to challenge traditional ways of working.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to bring people together around a shared culinary vision.
• A commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences while maintaining high standards of quality, safety and operational excellence.
• A passion for developing culinary talent through coaching, mentoring, succession planning and creating high-performing teams.

• Competitive salary and full company benefits.

• Annual leave, with additional birthday leave and a holiday purchase scheme.
• Healthcare benefits through Medicash
• Including dental, optical and therapy treatments.
• Aviva Digicare
• Including a free annual healthcare check.
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and mental health support.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, plus additional family-friendly benefits.
• Exclusive shopping, entertainment and travel discounts through the Benefits & Wellbeing platform.
• Discounts on cinema tickets, Nuffield Health memberships, PureGym memberships and more.
• Pension scheme, Life Assurance and preferred rates on salary finance products.
• Ongoing training, leadership development and structured career pathways.
• Paid professional subscriptions where applicable.
• Financial wellbeing support and additional colleague discounts.