Culinary Director

The Culinary Director works closely with the VP of F&B on the overall culinary strategy from concept innovation, development and delivery to enhance our guest experiences. The job holder is responsible for overseeing the culinary division, ashore and shipboard, ensuring that best practices are efficiently implemented, and budget is respected.
- Fluent English, any additional language is an advantage;
- Bachelor’s degree preferably in Hospitality Management or Business Administration;
- Minimum 10 years in culinary and hospitality related positions in the cruise industry;
- Effective speaker, coach and leader focused on positive culture change;
- Well versed in global cuisine ingredients, preparations, cooking techniques in both fine-dining and casual dining;
- Ability to manage high-volume and constant changes within a growing company;
- Proven leadership within the food and beverage management with experience at the executive level;
- Proven strategic business management knowledge and skills, including financial, product, quality assurance, human resources and analytical skills;
- Strong organizational, planning and communication skills;
- Familiarity with different countries and exposure to different cultures is important.
- Create, define and develop menus and recipes to please all our international guests;
- Continuously evaluate operational performance, implement strategies to improve the efficiency and quality of culinary operations;
- Proactively research industry innovations, best practices and applies this knowledge;
- Provide leadership and expertise to various company projects and initiatives, including new ship construction, business improvement initiatives, interdepartmental projects and other related functions;
- Assist with the preparation and monitoring of the yearly Food budget and costs;
- Works with the supply chain on food product forecasting, testing and efficiencies;
- Conduct shipboard audits on food quality, consistency and food safety protocols;
- Collaborate with Food Safety Department on all aspect of food safety requirement;
- Work with the New Building Team on galley design and galley equipment requirements;
- Ensure the overall effectiveness of training procedures;
- Lead, manage and supervise a team of shoreside and shipboard team members;
- Provide guidance and support to the Crew Office to ensure an accurate and effective scheduling.

VISA REQUIREMENTS (if any)
- Right to work in Switzerland

Part of the MSC Group, MSC Cruises is the market leader in the Mediterranean, South Africa and South America, and sails year-round in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Its seasonal itineraries cover northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, South America, southern Africa, and the Persian/Arabian Gulf. MSC Cruises was born in the Mediterranean, and draws inspiration from this heritage to create a unique experience for holidaymakers worldwide. As a result of a euro 6.5 billions investment programme launched in 2003, MSC Cruises' fleet comprises 13 state-of-the-art cruise ships belonging to four different classes: Lirica, Musica, Fantasia and Meraviglia. The fleet's average age is 7 years, the youngest in the industry. In 2014, MSC Cruises launched a euro 9 billion, 10 year investment plan to support the second phase of its growth through the order of up to 11 next generation mega cruise ships. As a result, MSC Cruises' fleet will double by 2026, while the passenger capacity will triple to reach five million passengers per year. MSC Cruises is the first cruise company to develop an investment plan of this length and magnitude. MSC Cruises feels a deep responsibility for the environments in which it operates, and was the first company ever to earn the Bureau Veritas "7 Golden Pearls" for superior management and environmental stewardship. In 2009, MSC Cruises began an enduring partnership with UNICEF to support various programmes assisting children worldwide.