Culinary Director

Mantis is a leading, conservation-focused hotel group with eco-lodges, waterways, and curated eco-resorts located all over the world. Sustainable travellers have been enjoying eco-tourism, safaris, and adventure travel with Mantis since 2000. Rooted in conservation, Mantis pursues sustainable business practices and develops tourism products that are respectful of the environment and communities in which they operate. Whether small and intimate or vast and complex, on a sweeping African plain, beach-side escap,e or bustling city, each is an exceptional place for guests to find themselves. While uniquely different in the experiences they offer, all are linked through a collective obsession to be extraordinary, to be rare in a world that mass-produces sameness.

Hawar Resort by Mantis is seeking an experienced and dynamic Culinary Director to lead and oversee all culinary operations across the resort. The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining the highest standards of food quality, consistency, innovation, guest satisfaction, and operational excellence across all dining venues. The Culinary Director will play a key role in menu development, talent management, cost control, and culinary innovation while ensuring that all food offerings align with the resort's luxury positioning and guest expectations.

What is in it for you:

• Unleash the excitement: enticing rewards and unbeatable benefits are waiting for you!
• Ignite your skills with our cutting-edge Academies for rapid professional growth.
• Cultivate your talents and watch your career flourish, locally and globally.
• Drive change through impactful Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
• Immerse yourself in a vibrant work environment with extraordinary colleagues.
• Join us on a direct path to success as we skyrocket to new heights!

Key Responsibilities: 

• Oversee all culinary operations across the resort, ensuring alignment with brand standards and operational excellence.
• Lead the development and execution of authentic Italian cuisine concepts, menus, and dining experiences.
• Ensure consistency and the highest standards in food quality, taste, presentation, and temperature across all kitchens.
• Drive innovation in menus, concepts, and food presentation to enhance guest experience and market positioning.
• Collaborate with Marketing and F&B leadership to develop promotions, campaigns, and destination dining experiences.
• Maintain and improve kitchen operations to maximize profitability while ensuring high guest satisfaction.
• Ensure effective communication and alignment across all culinary teams.
• Monitor and manage stock levels, purchasing, receiving, and storage to meet company standards and control costs.
• Ensure all goods purchased comply with hotel specifications and quality standards.
• Lead and develop culinary teams through training, coaching, succession planning, and performance management.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP guidelines, hygiene standards, and food safety regulations.
• Promote best practices in kitchen operations, cleanliness, and grooming standards.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships with F&B, Operations, Sales & Marketing, and other departments.
• Identify opportunities for efficiency improvements, cost optimization, and operational excellence.
• Stay updated on culinary trends, particularly within Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, and implement relevant innovations.
• Lead by example, fostering a positive, engaged, and high-performing team culture.

• Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts, Hospitality Management, or a related field.
• Professional Culinary Certification from an accredited institution.
• Minimum 10 years of professional culinary experience, including at least 3 years in a senior culinary leadership role.
• Strong expertise in Italian cuisine, including menu development, authentic preparation methods, and modern Italian dining trends.
• Previous experience in luxury hotels, resorts, or high-end standalone restaurants.
• Proven track record in menu engineering, food cost control, and operational management.
• Experience managing large culinary teams in a high-volume environment.
• Strong understanding of international cuisines and dietary requirements.
• Excellent leadership, communication, coaching, and organizational skills.
• Knowledge of kitchen management systems, inventory controls, and purchasing procedures.
• Advanced knowledge of food safety standards and HACCP requirements.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, multicultural environment.
• Fluency in English; additional languages are an advantage.

Preferred Experience

• Experience opening or repositioning Italian restaurants within luxury hospitality environments.
• Experience working in island resorts, destination resorts, or luxury lifestyle hospitality brands.
• Strong network within the international culinary community and awareness of emerging food trends.

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: We are an inclusive company and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent.

Why work for Accor? We are far more than a worldwide leader. We welcome you as you are and you can find a job and brand that matches your personality. We support you to grow and learn every day, making sure that work brings purpose to your life, so that during your journey with us, you can continue to explore Accor’s limitless possibilities.

By joining Accor, every chapter of your story is yours to write and together we can imagine tomorrow's hospitality. Discover the life that awaits you at Accor, visit https://careers.accor.com/

About Mantis Collection: Mantis is a boutique hospitality group that was founded by conservationist Adrian Gardiner in 2000, with its main focus predominantly in Africa and the Middle East. Mantis grew from Adrian’s vision to restore and rewild degraded farmland which he developed into a widely-acclaimed Private Game Reserve. This was the first private game reserve in the Eastern Cape and the beginning of eco-tourism in a poverty-stricken province that had few opportunities outside of commercial farming. Adrian and the Mantis team successfully created a place where man and nature could co-exist sustainably. From this initial success, the Mantis model was then developed worldwide, understanding that consumers could use the Mantis portfolio as a mark of quality, consistency and character. Today the diverse portfolio of handpicked properties links up to create travel journeys, which offer guests the opportunity to experience the essence of the location in a setting of tailored luxury. Rooted in conservation, Mantis pursues sustainable business practices and develops tourism products that are respectful of the environment and communities in which they operate.

Do what you love, care for the world, dare to challenge the status quo! #BELIMITLES