Culinary Director APAC

Position Title: Culinary Director - APAC

Purpose As the Culinary Director for the client account in the APAC region, you will be the visionary leader responsible for crafting and executing a world-class culinary strategy. This senior-level profile requires a unique blend of high-level technical expertise, strategic foresight, and exceptional articulation to align Sodexo's global standards with the innovative culture of our strategic client. You will lead a diverse community of chefs across multiple countries, driving culinary excellence that prioritizes sustainability, innovation, and user experience.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Strategy & Vision: Define and articulate a cohesive culinary identity for the APAC region that inspires chefs and delights users. Translate global strategies into regional operational toolkits, ensuring consistency across a diverse portfolio of food concepts.

Operational Excellence & Innovation: Oversee multi-site food quality and operational standards. Introduce industry best practices and food trends to the business, leveraging technology to boost productivity and service standards.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication: Act as a great articulator and strategic partner to clients leadership and Sodexo's regional teams. Lead and facilitate sessions to ensure the culinary strategy aligns with workplace experience goals.

Team Leadership & Community Building: Coach and mentor a community of senior development chefs and site-level head chefs, fostering a culture of recognition and continuous growth. Animate the internal culinary community through workshops, cook challenges, and digital initiatives.

Financial & Resource Stewardship: Own regional culinary budgets and drive financial performance through menu engineering, food cost analysis, and waste management (e.g., using Sodexo's DRIVE system).

Sustainability & Compliance: Champion ethical sourcing, waste reduction, and health/wellness initiatives. Ensure strict adherence to global food safety (HACCP), hygiene, and Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE) standards. Qualifications & Requirements Experience: Minimum of 10 years of experience in senior culinary leadership roles within reputable F&B brands, luxury hospitality, or large-scale contract catering.

Technical Mastery: High technical culinary skills across multi-concept/multi-cuisine environments, with a proven track record in menu development and recipe creation.

Articulation & Communication: Exceptional storytelling, presentation, and writing skills. Ability to communicate complex culinary strategies to diverse audiences, from frontline staff to C-suite executives.

Leadership Style: A team player with a collaborative mindset, capable of rallying cross-functional teams (Marketing, HR, Supply Chain) toward a shared vision.

Regional Expertise: Deep understanding of APAC's diverse culinary landscape, food trends, and regulatory environments.

Education: Formal qualification from a recognized Culinary Institute; a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Food Science, Hospitality, or Business Management is highly preferred.

Mobility: Ability to travel up to 50% within the APAC region to support site mobilizations and audits.