Director Hospitality & Restaurant Service

Job Type: Location Type: On-site

 

RDG introduces its first restaurant-concept brand, MILA, which offers guests a culinary journey through exquisite MediterrAsian cuisine, opened in January 2020 in Miami Beach. Combining genuine hospitality, fine dining, and a sophisticated nightlife atmosphere, MILA has quickly become a premier destination within Miami’s upscale social scene.

At RDG, we are a collective of individuals dedicated to excellence and the art of sensory engagement. We embrace the rhythms of life and are motivated by the thrill of adventure. Our core principles focus on providing customers with immersive experiences, organic design, and a refined culinary journey.

DREAM IT
MILA has exceeded expectations in its initial two years, achieving remarkable success despite pandemic-related challenges, and securing the #5 spot in The Restaurant Business Top 100 ranking. Building on this success, RDG has expanded into new concepts including AVA MediterrAegean in Winter Park, Florida, CASA NEOS on the Miami River (opened June 2024), and MM, a Membership Community. Upcoming projects include NOORA and Claudie (scheduled for fall 2024), AVA’s second location in Coconut Grove (2025), and HONŌ Japanese Steakhouse (2026).

BUILD IT
RDG’s distinguished brand portfolio and exclusive membership program aim to create a network of venues and experiences that offer a unique lifestyle to guests and members in Florida. Our goal is to establish RDG as a leader in the luxury restaurant industry in the United States.

GROW IT
RDG has demonstrated rapid growth and is poised for significant economic expansion globally. We are actively exploring national markets such as New York City, Las Vegas, and international markets including Paris, London, Dubai, and Mexico City for potential expansion opportunities.

Summary:

The Director Hospitality & Restaurant Service is responsible for observing front-of-house operations in existing restaurant locations while also leading service planning and execution for new restaurant buildouts. This role requires a combination of operational expertise, team leadership, and project management skills to ensure outstanding guest experiences, efficient service workflows, and successful new openings. The Restaurant Service Director is an integral part of RDG Operations while collaborating with the HR Learning and Development Team. This individual is responsible for the assessment of salaried and hourly team members across all locations. This position will report to the Senior Director, Operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Existing Restaurant Operations

• Observe day-to-day service operations to ensure exceptional guest experiences.
• Maintain high service standards across all locations in collaboration with venue management.
• Collaborate with corporate chefs, Executive Chef, and culinary team on a seamless and integrated operation between FOH & BOH staff.
• Owns the hospitality aspect of the operations and makes suggestions if staffing or roles need adjustment.
• Supervise and train front-of-house staff, including servers, hosts, and bartenders etc.
• Develop and implement upscale/luxury service training programs.
• Monitor service metrics, customer feedback, and implement improvements.
• Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and sanitation regulations.
• Evaluate training performance for each market against standards while acting through partnership with venue management and Senior Director, Operations.
• Perform certified training restaurant visits as needed to ensure quality training experiences.
• Train restaurant leadership to run efficient restaurants, achieving stretch goals including but not limited to retention, sales growth, and profitability.
• Collaborate with HR Learning & Development team in areas of assessment, RDGU Train the trainer program, new content and curriculum roll-out and external vendor reviews.
• Visits restaurants, both announced and unannounced, to evaluate and ensure operational compliance. This includes assessing FOH facilities, staff appearance, and staff training.
• Implement strategies to enhance revenue, including upselling and guest engagement initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for cost efficiencies without compromising service quality.

Future Buildout Operations

• Collaborate with ownership, designers, and contractors to optimize front-of-house layouts.
• Develop service workflows and standard operating procedures for new locations.
• Establish pre-opening service strategies, mock service runs, and grand opening plans.
• Execute critical path with property General Manager and Senior Director, Operations.
• Collaborate with Chief People Officer and L&D Team on new hire launch day and pre-opening training schedule.
• Ensure all service technology (POS systems, reservation platforms) is properly implemented.
• Work with marketing, culinary and operations teams to create a seamless guest experience from day one.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• 10+ years proven senior level experience in restaurant management as a Director of F&B, or General Manager.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management, Hospitality or related field of study or any equivalent combination of education and/or experience is required.

• Expertise in upscale/luxury/fine dining service operations, training, and guest relations.
• Experience with restaurant openings, buildouts, or multi-unit management is required.
• Strong project management skills for coordinating new openings.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Proficiency in restaurant management software and POS systems.
• Certification in food safety and alcohol service (SERV Safe, TIPS, etc.).

• Superior verbal and written communications skills (Bilingual in Spanish is a plus)

• Must operate with a high degree of confidentiality and trust.
• Must have solid business acumen; problem solving skills, and exhibit high emotional intelligence, influence, and strategic thinking skills.

• Strong leadership skills with ability to influence behavior and outcomes.
• Proven organizational and follow-up skills, comfortable initiating and responding to high volume of emails.
• Adept at working in demanding, deadline-driven environment with a task-driven focus.
• Accustomed to serving as a Change Agent – highly adaptable, dependable with an entrepreneurial spirit.

• Flexible schedule, including availability for travel, nights, and weekends.

Physical Demands And Work Environment:

• Sitting in a stationary position for several hours within the day.
• Ability to walk for hours in a repetitive motion, lift 50 pounds and navigate a restaurant footprint.