Director of Food and Beverage

Description

ABOUT US:

Nestled along the Pacific Coast, La Bahia Hotel & Spa celebrates its dramatic setting where the tip of Monterey Bay touches Sana Cruz's coveted Main Beach. Steeped in the romantic beauty of Spanish-Mediterranean architecture, locals and travelers alike will savor globally influenced cuisine, cocktails and wellness rituals infused with the region's agricultural bounty and coast-cultured Spirit.

THE ROLE:

La Bahia Hotel & Spa, a luxury beachfront property in the heart of Santa Cruz, is seeking an experienced and dynamic Director of Food & Beverage to lead all F&B operations across the resort. This role oversees multiple outlets — including in-room dining, banquets, bars, and signature restaurant venues — and is responsible for delivering exceptional guest experiences, driving revenue, and building a high-performing, service-oriented team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead, mentor, and develop F&B leadership across all outlets, including restaurants, lobby bar, pool operation, banquets, The Guesthouse, and in-room dining teams
• Oversee daily operations to ensure consistent, high-quality guest service aligned with luxury brand standards
• Develop and manage departmental budgets, labor forecasts, and P&L performance for all F&B outlets
• Partner with Culinary leadership on menu development, food cost management, and quality control
• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, and California labor regulations, including tip pooling, service charge distribution, and wage and hour requirements
• Drive scheduling accuracy and payroll integrity in partnership with HR, ensuring timely and compliant use of scheduling and timekeeping systems
• Manage vendor relationships, purchasing, and inventory controls to optimize cost efficiency
• Plan and execute banquet, catering, and special event service in coordination with Sales & Catering
• Build and maintain a strong recruitment and training pipeline to support seasonal staffing needs
• Foster a culture of accountability, professionalism, and guest-first service across all F&B teams
• Monitor guest feedback and satisfaction scores, implementing service recovery and continuous improvement initiatives
• Serve as an active member of the Executive Committee, contributing to property-wide strategic planning, budgeting, and business decisions
• Represent F&B priorities and performance in leadership meetings, ownership updates, and property-wide forecasting discussions
• Partner with fellow department heads (Front Office, Housekeeping, Engineering, Spa, Sales & Catering, HR) to align on cross-departmental initiatives, guest experience standards, and operational priorities
• Contribute to the development and execution of the hotel's overall business plan, capital projects, and annual budget
• Uphold and champion company culture, values, and brand standards at a leadership level
• Participate in manager-on-duty rotation and property-wide crisis/emergency response planning as needed

The following reflects management’s definition of essential functions for this job but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 5+ years of progressive Food & Beverage leadership experience, ideally within a luxury or upscale resort/hotel environment
• Prior experience operating at an Executive Committee or senior leadership level strongly preferred
• Proven track record managing multi-outlet F&B operations, including budgeting, forecasting, and P&L accountability
• Strong knowledge of California labor law as it applies to F&B operations (tip pooling, service charges, meal/rest break compliance)
• Experience with scheduling and payroll systems (Paylocity experience a plus)
• Exceptional leadership, coaching, and team-building skills
• Excellent communication skills; bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays as business demands require
• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered

This role offers a dynamic work environment where your contributions directly impact the guest experience. If you are dedicated to cleanliness, customer satisfaction, and enjoy working in a team-oriented atmosphere, we invite you to join our Executive team at La Bahia Hotel.