Culinary Operations Manager

Your Purpose

The Culinary Operations Manager provides strategic leadership and oversight for all culinary operations across the fleet. The Manager of Culinary Operations is a strategic role on the overall financial cost of the culinary department, monitoring and guiding the team, and actively participating in recruitment for leadership positions within the culinary function. Acting as the strategic link between the corporate office in Geneva and the traveling and shipboard teams, this role ensures consistent quality, compliance with corporate standards, and continuous culinary innovation. This role directly reports to the Vice President of F&B.

Your Impact

Strategic Culinary Leadership

• Provide visionary leadership and guidance for the culinary team across the fleet, ensuring alignment with brand philosophy.
• Define, implement, and uphold fleet-wide culinary operational standards and best practices.
• Play an active role in strategic planning for all F&B service and beverage needs.
• Lead menu development, recipe creation, and implementation of culinary projects.

Operational Oversight & Quality Assurance

• Conduct structured operational reviews, remote audits, and ship visits as required.
• Ensure food quality, presentation, and consistency across all vessels.
• Monitor guest satisfaction metrics and implement strategic improvements.
• Ensure compliance with global health, safety, and hygiene protocols.
• Oversee beverage order and loading coordination.

Training & Leadership Development

• Mentor and develop future culinary leaders and onboard chefs.
• Design and implement fleet-wide training programs in line with brand standards.
• Foster long-term succession planning for culinary leadership positions.

Human Resources & Team Management

• Drive a high-performance culture emphasizing recognition, development, and fairness.
• Oversee leadership performance reviews, promotions, and career pathing.
• Support HR in recruitment for senior culinary positions and host rotations.

Fleet Support & Headquarters Coordination

• Act as the principal liaison for all culinary matters between corporate headquarters and the fleet.
• Coordinate galley equipment planning, material sourcing, and integration of brand standards.
• Compile operational and financial reports for corporate leadership.

Financial Oversight

• Overseeing food orders and maintaining the food master list to ensure accuracy, proper order planning, and sequence management.
• Responsible for overall financial cost of the culinary department.
• Implement continuous improvement plans to meet or exceed economic targets.
• Oversee cost control, inventory optimization, and resource planning.
• Play a key role for the overall financial cost of the culinary department.
• Implement continuous improvement plans to meet or exceed economic targets.
• Oversee cost control, inventory optimization, and resource planning.

Your Journey so far

• Minimum 15 years in high-end culinary operations with advanced skills.
• At least 5 years in senior leadership roles within luxury hospitality or cruise operations.
• Proven experience in fleet-wide or multi-site culinary management.

Your Essentials

Leadership & Communication

• Dynamic, strategic leader with experience managing multicultural teams.
• Excellent communication skills, fluent in English; additional languages an asset.

Technical & Operational Knowledge

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and industry-specific systems.
• Knowledge of HR protocols, time and attendance compliance, and labor regulations.
• Expertise in culinary operations, menu development, and luxury hospitality standards.

Professional Competencies

• Strategic thinker with operational agility and strong business acumen.
• Highly detail-oriented, results-driven, and guest experience-focused.
• Strong collaborator capable of working cross-functionally across corporate and shipboard teams.

Our commitment

We are committed to building a future that values diverse perspectives, embraces the world beyond borders, and fosters an inclusive environment where every individual feels valued, respected and empowered to be their authentic selves. Our commitment extends to taking meaningful, measurable actions that have a long-term positive impact on our guests, our employees and our planet.

Ready to turn your passion into something extraordinary? Join us at MSC Cruises, where new opportunities await. Apply today to be part of a global team that is pushing boundaries and achieving something remarkable. Your journey starts here!