VICE PRESIDENT FOOD + BEVERAGE OPERATIONS
APARIUM HOTEL GROUP | CHICAGO, IL
WHO WE ARE
Aparium was founded in 2011 by Chicago hospitality executive and entrepreneur Mario Tricoci and luxury hotel veteran Kevin Robinson. The duo saw a clear need for a company that could bring c-suite service and accommodations to under served, yet distinct and important cities, while maintaining and celebrating the unadulterated character of each. Driven by the belief that all hospitality experiences should be fueled by the poetics of their surroundings, Aparium was born with an intense focus on unearthing the amazing moments unique to every city, Since its founding, Aparium has grown into a new kind of hotel brand, one that ventures off the beaten path, both geographically and philosophically. It is a sophisticated hotel brand known for its singular ability to combine the business acumen of large hospitality companies with the charm of boutique hotels, bringing the disparate forces together in bustling, smaller markets.
WHO YOU ARE
Your experience has been eclectic. You have experience in all sorts of food & beverage operations; mom & pops, hotel food & beverage, independent restaurants and know every aspect of and the difference between operating each. Your early experiences were not one sided in front-of-house or heart-of-house as you couldn’t help yourself from experiencing all the inner workings of the industry you worked in. You came in on your day off to stage with the culinary team, helped with wine inventory to learn from the sommelier, and/or took off your white coat to wear a suit for a Friday night shift on the floor.
Having a passion and curiosity for food and hospitality led you to working with some of the best chefs and service professionals in the industry. You have held progressive leadership roles within growing companies and have led many hotel and restaurant openings. You thrive in the chaos of an opening; maintaining perspective and your cool under the pressure makes you the calm in the storm.
Thoughtful organization and attention to detail are the hallmarks of your work. You built a reputation on training programs and systems you have put in place and take deep satisfaction in the fact that they are still a part of the operating culture years later. You are adventurous in your own backyard and beyond. You are known to have your pulse on your city and pick your travel destinations on where you want to dine. You get excited about the newest restaurant opening, scour cities in search of the best coffee, and seek out authenticity in every meal. You are inspired by the world around you and how to apply it to your own operation and know that is only achieved by inspiring others and not a standard. You are constantly networking and looking for great talent but more importantly know that the best talent comes from within and get goosebumps when one of your people is promoted.
THE ROLE
The Vice President of Food + Beverage Operations reports to the Executive Vice President of Operations. It is critical the person in this position is tactical and strategic; if you only prefer to “see the forest” and not “plant the trees” then this is not a role for you. All leaders of Aparium are required to get down and dirty to unearth existing needs and personally ensure what needs to be fixed is repaired. We are a young company that is in hyper-growth, so having the ability to be a soldier is as critical as being a general.
As the VP of Food + Beverage Operations, you will support and guide the food and beverage leaders of our restaurant-focused hotel portfolio by ensuring they are living the company’s operating principle of translocal hospitality through each hotel’s people, programming and profitability. You will also develop trusting and transparent relationships with the key stakeholders at HQ and the field. As the leader for the food + beverage operations division you will work with a phenomenal group of peers who insist that you are collaborative, humble, experienced and open-minded – no egos are allowed. With several hotel openings scheduled for 2020 and 2021, and a pipeline in development, you will dive right in with our resources in hand to identify needs, opportunities and course corrections.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Uphold and role model the company’s principles of People, Place and Character; and ensure direct reports are also modeling the way of our values that drive collaboration, intuition and translocal hospitality
- Openly collaborate with EVP of Operations and/or Aparium Officers for direction and clarification on needs; take time to understand the history of why and how programming or practices were implemented; be comfortable in debating ideas before implementing a decision that will impact operations company-wide, as we do not work in silos
- Build and maintain a trusting and transparent relationship with all stakeholders, specifically taking the time to develop rapport and respect with our Culinary and FOH leaders in the field, understanding the responsibilities and development needs of direct reports, and how to best partner with the individuals of your peer group
- As a leader at Aparium HQ you will collaborate with your peers, problem-solve for company-wide issues, address and resolve requests from owners, and bring forth needs from the portfolio that need to be communicated, resolved or celebrated
- Coach and mentor direct reports to develop their full potential; establish clear expectations that will allow them to achieve success in their roles; provide them the necessary tools and training for growth; approach people performance needs by understanding individual needs and barriers
- Establishes and reinforces a no tolerance policy for the “old-school way” of leading kitchen and service operations; Actively develops a culture of servant leadership and respect and models that behavior by engaging with and establishing open lines of communication with employees at all levels while on properties
- Observe conditions of all physical facilities and equipment in the front of house and culinary operation areas, collaborates with and holds operations teams accountable to make corrections and improvements as needed
- Establish regular communication with each Director and/or Executive Chef to understand their business demands, special requests or needs, and people performance challenges; create a method for operators to share their practices and form a community
- Produce timely and accurate reporting on Food + Beverage state of affairs that demonstrates keen insight to the health of the food & beverage operations through its financial results, programming, guest insights and employee engagement practices and feedback
- Continually evaluate the food and beverage operations staffing model to identify the appropriate guidelines to fit the uniqueness of the business models; and review and update the resource guides that impact operating procedures and practices; ensuring they provide direction and clarity to the leaders of our diverse portfolio
- Actively participate in the monthly forecasting process and annual zero-based budgeting process for all hotels
- Demonstrate knowledge of each hotel’s brands and positioning; utilize the knowledge to clarify concept DNA, course correct where needed, set clear expectations and clarify roles to guide food and beverage leaders in delivering on our original concepts and unique brand of translocal hospitality
- Actively engages in the critical path for pre-opening hotels; deep dives into all aspects of food and beverage operations planning and training to ensure the final delivery of food and beverage concepts support the original programming in place for each hotel
- Aparium Hotel Group does not discriminate based on disability, veteran status or on any other basis protected under federal, state or local laws. The hotel and company are a smoke-free, drug-free facility, and equal opportunity employer
HOW YOU WILL LEAD
- Highly analytical in thought and recommendations; although will never act like the smartest person in the room; and continually seek out the facts; can express a point of view without it be driven by an ego
- Engages others in general conversation tactics to build rapport quickly; and can lead and adapt communication and presentation tactics to engage audience; displays adaptable interpersonal skills for a wide range of audiences and stakeholders
- Approaches fact finding and discovery missions in a collaborative effort; values input and experiences of others that creates additional insight to uncover deeper issues that need to be addressed or removed as a barrier to implementation
- Passionate in driving results of their effort and others; can influence others to take direction to execute on strategy through tactical methods; and is comfortable in prioritizing their work and that of others
- Comfortable in being a “general” in identifying strategic needs, yet can be a “soldier” to ensure the implementation of a strategic plan is implemented
- Prioritizes and organizes their own work when necessary by working flexible or extended hours to accommodate increased workload or new project assignments; can flex to the needs of a rapidly growing company
- Values the importance of making decisions with integrity, maintaining confidentiality across internal work groups and knows how to use discretion when appropriate; understands the difference between transparency and confidentiality.
WHAT IS REQUIRED
- Willingness to travel 50% of the time, sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more
- Minimum of five (5) years at a senior multi-unit leader level, within upscale hospitality companies
- Experience in Culinary leadership roles preferred
- Demonstrated success in hotel and restaurant openings
- Willingness to be based in Chicago Office, located in the West Loop
- Bachelor’s degree in hospitality, management or culinary degree or equivalent work experience
- Comfortable in working in an open-space office environment at headquarters
- Professional proficiency of the English language in reading, writing and verbal communication
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