Culinary Area Manager

Culinary Area Manager Location:

4750 Whitehall Rd, Muskegon, MI 49445

Property:

Michigan's Adventure Reports To:

FoodBeverage Manager Position Overview At Michigan's Adventure, we create fun-filled memories that last a lifetime. From immersive attractions to memorable dining experiences, our park brings together excitement, connection, and tradition for families and guests.

The Culinary Area Manager oversees all front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) operations for catering and associate dining across the park. This key operations leader is responsible for delivering exceptional culinary experiences in a high-volume environment, including company picnics, school group picnics, and daily associate dining operations.

This role leads, develops, and inspires FOH and BOH teams while driving operational excellence, food quality, and guest satisfaction. The Culinary Area Manager partners closely with Marketing, EventsExecution, and Group Sales teams to plan and execute successful events and dining programs that exceed guest expectations. The position also ensures strong financial performance, food safety compliance, and a positive, high-performing team culture.

In addition to the Catering and Associate Dining operations, the Culinary Area Manager also works in a support capacity for all of the amusement and water park's FoodBeverage operations through a Manager on Duty (MOD) Program, menu planning, and safetysanitation capacity. Duties and Responsibilities Keeps FoodBeverage Manager informed of all major developments within culinary, catering, and associate dining operations. Owns Guest Experience across all touchpoints, from event planning through culinary, execution, and service. Leads all FOH and BOH teams for catering and associate dining operations, ensuring alignment, accountability, and consistent delivery of high-quality food and service standards. Oversees catering operations for high-volume events including company picnics, school group outings, and special park events. Partners with Marketing, EventsExecution, and Group Sales teams to develop, plan, and execute group dining experiences that drive attendance and guest satisfaction. Leads menu development for catering and associate dining, ensuring variety, quality, innovation, and operational efficiency. Manages labor, cost of goods, and operating expenses to meet financial targets while maintaining quality standards. Ensures all food safety, sanitation, and health regulations are consistently met or exceeded. Creates and maintains an efficient, safe, and positive work environment that promotes teamwork, accountability, and associate engagement. Ensures staffing levels are appropriate-recruits, hires, trains, schedules, and evaluates assigned staff. Initiates corrective and continuous improvement actions to enhance operational performance and guest satisfaction. Prepares operating budgets and forecasts and ensures adherence. Maintains appropriate channels of communication with leadership, staff, and park guests. Prepares and implements Standard Operating Procedures to ensure alignment between FoodBeverage teams and other departments. Ensures compliance with all governmental, corporate, and divisional policies and procedures. Partners with other division leaders in Human Resources, Finance, Operations, and Maintenance to elevate culinary offerings and the overall guest and associate experience. Performs other duties as may be assigned by the FoodBeverage Manager Drives a relentless focus on delivering high-quality culinary experiences that delight guests and create lasting memories. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, or related field and/or extensive experience in high-volume food service, catering, or multi-unit restaurant operations.

Proven leadership experience managing both FOH and BOH teams.

Strong financial acumen with experience managing labor, food cost, and operating budgets.

Demonstrated ability to execute large-scale catering operations and events is preferred.

Excellent communication, organizational, and leadership skills.

Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume, and seasonal environment with a flexible and demanding schedule.

ServSafe or equivalent food safety certification preferred. Key Competencies Strategic thinking and execution Leadership and team development Operational excellence in high-volume food service Financial management and cost control Communication and cross-functional collaboration Innovation in menu development and guest experience Problem-solving and decision-making Performance Metrics Guest satisfaction scores and Net Promoter Score (NPS) Quality and consistency of food and service execution Labor cost %, cost of goods sold (COGS), and operating expense targets Health, safety, and sanitation audit results Associate engagement, retention, and satisfaction scores Successful execution of catering events and group dining programs Work EnvironmentExpectations Ability to work a flexible schedule including weekends, holidays, and peak operating periods Regular on-site presence to support operations, catering events, and guest experiences Ability to lead in a fast-paced, high-volume hospitality environment Why Join Enchanted Parks At Enchanted Parks, you're not just leading a team-you're creating memorable dining experiences that bring people together. This role plays a critical part in shaping the culinary experience at Michigan's Adventure, from everyday associate dining to large-scale guest events.