Food and Beverage Manager

The Food & Beverage Manager oversees the daily culinary operations of AC Kitchen, the hotel’s European-inspired breakfast experience; AC Lounge, the evening lobby bar serving thoughtfully prepared food in a relaxed, modern setting; and the hotel’s banquet and catering operations. The hotel offers banquet event space with a full-service food and beverage menu. This hands-on leader is responsible for consistent food quality, efficient production, strong sanitation practices, and an exceptional dining and event experience for hotel guests and the local Chesterfield community.

Responsibilities include food preparation and production for breakfast, lounge service, and banquets; associate hiring and development; scheduling; ordering and receiving; inventory control; recipe and portion compliance; health department requirements; and management of food, labor, and operating costs. The Food & Beverage Manager partners closely with hotel leadership and event teams to deliver successful events, achieve departmental financial goals, and ensure seamless service.

Job Overview

Lead AC Kitchen, AC Lounge, and Banquet Operations

· Lead daily culinary operations for AC Kitchen breakfast service, AC Lounge evening food service, and banquet and catering events.

· Oversee food preparation and service for the hotel’s banquet event space, including events with a full-service menu.

· Coordinate with hotel leadership and event teams on event requirements, menus, timelines, staffing, setup, service, and food production.

· Ensure each meal period and event is organized, properly staffed, and fully prepared.

· Execute AC Hotels culinary standards while maintaining consistent recipes, portions, presentation, taste, and timeliness across breakfast, evening service, and banquets.

· Maintain a visible, hands-on leadership presence in the kitchen during peak service periods and event production.

· Plan production and prep levels based on occupancy, business volume, event details, and forecasted demand while minimizing waste and shortages.

· Partner with front-of-house, lounge, and banquet teams to ensure clear communication, proper pacing, accurate orders, and a seamless guest experience.

Inspire and Develop Your Team

· Recruit, onboard, train, schedule, coach, and develop a high-performing culinary team capable of supporting early-morning, evening, and banquet operations.

· Foster a positive, inclusive kitchen culture built on accountability, teamwork, professionalism, safety, and continuous learning.

· Provide regular feedback, conduct performance conversations, and address associate concerns, attendance issues, and disciplinary matters promptly and consistently.

· Ensure associates understand recipes, ingredients, allergens, preparation methods, portion standards, equipment use, banquet service expectations, and food-safety requirements.

· Lead by example through hands-on involvement in preparation, cooking, plating, cleaning, and service whenever business needs require.

Drive Operational Excellence

· Oversee kitchen opening and closing procedures, daily prep lists, production schedules, station assignments, line checks, event preparation, and shift handoffs.

· Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and efficient kitchen, storage, refrigeration, dishwashing, and service-support environment.

· Ensure compliance with AC Hotels and company standards, health department regulations, HACCP guidelines, food-safety practices, and all applicable laws.

· Manage food and kitchen-supply ordering, receiving, storage, labeling, rotation, inventory, and equipment needs using proper FIFO procedures.

· Maintain accurate schedules, standardized recipes, prep lists, temperature logs, cleaning schedules, training materials, inventories, event documentation, and other operational records.

· Coordinate preventive maintenance and promptly report kitchen-equipment or facility issues to minimize service disruption.

Own the Business

· Manage food cost, culinary labor, kitchen operating expenses, waste, and other controllable costs to achieve financial objectives.

· Develop culinary budgets, forecasts, staffing plans, purchasing plans, and action plans in partnership with hotel and food and beverage leadership.

· Analyze sales, occupancy, labor, inventory, waste, purchasing, event, and food-cost trends to improve productivity and profitability.

· Adjust staffing, production, and purchasing based on business levels while protecting food quality and the guest experience.

· Build strong vendor relationships and verify product quality, availability, consistency, and competitive pricing.

Qualifications

· 3+ years of progressive culinary experience, including supervisory or management responsibility, in a hotel, restaurant, or similar hospitality environment.

· Previous Kitchen Manager, Sous Chef, Lead Cook, or comparable culinary leadership experience preferred.

· Banquet or catering experience, including food production and service for events, preferred.

· Hotel or restaurant opening experience highly desirable.

· Strong knowledge of breakfast production, short-order cooking, evening bar or lounge menus, banquet menus, food preparation, kitchen organization, and team development.

· Demonstrated ability to lead multiple meal periods and event operations with different menus, staffing models, and production needs.

· Experience with budgeting, forecasting, culinary labor management, scheduling, purchasing, inventory control, waste reduction, and food-cost management.

· ServSafe Manager Certification or another approved food-protection manager certification, or the ability to obtain certification within the established timeframe.

· Proficiency with Microsoft Office and restaurant purchasing, inventory, point-of-sale, and scheduling systems.

· Strong culinary, communication, organization, decision-making, time-management, and problem-solving skills.

· Flexible schedule with the ability to support early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays based on operational needs.

Physical Requirements

This position requires the ability to stand and walk for extended periods; frequently lift and carry up to 25 pounds; and occasionally lift up to 70 pounds. The role involves working in hot and cold kitchen environments and performing repetitive bending, reaching, lifting, pushing, pulling, and other physical movements associated with a busy culinary operation.

Work Authorization Requirements

Authorized to work in the United States of America.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. The above requirements outline management’s assignment.

Affirmative Action / EEO Statement

PHG is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. Our policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. PHG makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Paid training
• Vision insurance

Physical Setting:

• Fine dining restaurant

Work Location: In person

In the heart of Chesterfield, MO (St. Louis), the AC Hotel Chesterfield by Marriott offers a European-style stay and graceful designs in the comfort of the Midwest. Prime Hospitality Group is proud to operate the hotel’s food and beverage program, featuring the AC Kitchen and AC Lounge, which offer European-inspired breakfast, a range of small plates, and a full cocktail menu.
Explore career opportunities with our team.