Culinary Director

Compass Group Italia is seeking an experienced and commercially minded Culinary Director to lead the culinary strategy across the business.

This role is responsible for developing and delivering a market-leading food proposition that drives consumer satisfaction, client value, business growth and operational performance. The Culinary Director will establish compelling food offers, embed culinary excellence and ensure consistent execution across all sectors and locations.

Working closely with Operations, Commercial, Procurement and Marketing teams, the Culinary Director will use culinary innovation, consumer insight and business acumen to strengthen client retention, support new business growth and improve profitability.

The role will also be responsible for developing culinary talent, driving menu and recipe compliance, promoting sustainability and ensuring that food quality, food safety and operational standards are consistently achieved across the business.

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𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀

𝗖𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 & 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽

• Develop and deliver the culinary strategy for Compass Group Italia, aligned to business objectives and growth ambitions.
• Create innovative, relevant and scalable food concepts that enhance consumer satisfaction and differentiate Compass in the market.
• Ensure food quality, presentation and culinary execution consistently meet company and client expectations.
• Drive excellence in nutrition, sustainability, food safety and responsible sourcing across all food programmes.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 & 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

• Support business growth and client retention through culinary leadership, customer engagement and innovative food solutions.
• Participate in client presentations, tenders and retention activities to demonstrate Compass Group's culinary capability.
• Work closely with Commercial and Marketing teams to strengthen the value proposition and create competitive advantage.
• Translate consumer insights and market trends into commercially successful food offers.
• Act as a key ambassador for the Compass Group Italia food proposition, building relationships with clients, industry partners and the wider culinary community to support growth and brand reputation.

𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 & 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

• Drive consistency in the execution of menus, recipes and food programmes across all locations.
• Ensure compliance with approved menus, recipes, purchasing standards and food production procedures.
• Partner with operational leaders to improve food quality, productivity and consumer satisfaction.
• Use data and performance insights to improve food cost management, reduce waste and optimise profitability.
• Establish culinary standards and governance processes that support operational excellence throughout the business.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆

• Work in partnership with Procurement teams to optimise sourcing strategies and maximise value from supplier partnerships.
• Ensure culinary standards support purchasing compliance and category management objectives.
• Embed sustainability commitments into food programmes, menu development and operational practices.
• Drive initiatives that reduce food waste and improve resource efficiency.

𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 & 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

• Build, develop and inspire a high-performing culinary team across Italy.
• Create succession plans and talent development programmes for key culinary roles.
• Coach and mentor chefs and culinary leaders to strengthen capability and support career progression.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

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𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀

• Strong commercial mindset with a clear understanding of business performance drivers.
• Passion for food quality, innovation, sustainability and consumer experience.
• Strategic thinker capable of translating market opportunities into practical business solutions.
• Excellent communication, presentation and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical capability with the ability to use data to improve performance and profitability.
• Proven ability to lead change and deliver results across complex multi-site operations.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to build strong cross-functional partnerships.
• Highly organised with strong prioritisation and project management skills.

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𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 / 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

• Significant senior culinary leadership experience within foodservice, hospitality or contract catering.
• Proven experience developing and implementing successful food strategies across multiple locations.
• Strong commercia