Culinary Operations Manager

Catbird is a welcoming independent boutique hotel that’s full of art, heart, and good vibes. This is what happens when you blur the line between hotel and home and add a hefty dose of counterculture. From thoughtful spaces that seamlessly facilitate work/life balance to the lively rooftop with panoramic views, there's a lot to discover here.

Paying homage to the history of the neighborhood around it, Catbird encompasses a 2,500 square foot, four-bedroom historic home, originally built in 1890, which has been preserved as part of the hotel. The historic Klee House is an ideal space for all your events and celebrations with up to 40 guests. The 2,380 square-foot home has plenty of mixed-use spaces for entertaining.

Rook is your new favorite spot in RiNo, Denver — perched at the top of the Catbird Hotel. Our tagline is “Rounds not Rivals” and we’re looking for people who want to join our down-to-earth crew of cocktail aficionados, slinging classic and playful drinks in a laidback environment. The bar encompasses both an expansive skyline rooftop, as well as an intimate indoor space—we are looking for people who are just as comfortable at a corn hole pit as they are in a cocktail lounge.

The application period will be open for approximately 30 days or until a suitable candidate is identified. We encourage qualified individuals to submit their applications within this timeframe.

• Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
  • Lead and execute all banquet and event culinary production from prep through service
  • Oversee daily food production for Catbird 
  • Ensure all food meets brand standards for quality, consistency, and presentation
  • Maintain and evolve recipes, prep standards, and execution systems
  • Act as the on-the-ground culinary lead during high-volume or complex service periods
  • Create and manage weekly culinary team schedules aligned with business demand
  • Adjust staffing based on occupancy, events, and seasonality
  • Monitor labor costs and productivity to meet budget targets
  • Ensure proper coverage across all outlets 
  • Own all food ordering across all outlets 
  • Maintain appropriate pars and inventory levels to prevent shortages or waste
  • Track and manage food cost, waste, and spoilage
  • Build relationships with vendors and ensure product quality and consistency
  • Conduct regular inventory counts and support financial reporting
  • Partner with Sales/Events team to plan and execute all culinary aspects of events
  • Review BEOs and ensure accurate prep and execution
  • Lead kitchen production timelines for events of varying size and complexity
  • Ensure seamless execution, timing, and presentation for all group functions
  • Lead, coach, and develop all culinary team members
  • Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and pride in execution
  • Support onboarding and training of new hires
  • Provide ongoing feedback, performance management, and recognition
  • Reinforce hotel culture and service philosophy within the kitchen
  • Ensure full compliance with health department regulations and food safety standards
  • Maintain a clean, organized, and inspection-ready kitchen at all times
  • Enforce proper food handling, labeling, and storage procedures
  • Partner closely with all department heads and property leadership to align operations
  • Communicate proactively around event needs, menu availability, and operational changes
  • Support a seamless guest experience across all departments

Education/Formal Training

More than two years of post high school education, but less than a degree from a four-year college.

Experience

Experience required by position is five to ten years of employment in a related position with this company or other organization(s).

Knowledge/Skills

Requires advanced knowledge of the principles and practices within the food profession. This includes experiential knowledge required for management of people and/or complex problems and food and beverage management.

• Requires oral and written communication skills.
• Must have moderate hearing to communicate with employees and to hear machinery, for safety reasons.
• Must have excellent vision, for safety reasons.
• Must have moderate speech communications skills to communicate with other employees.
• Must have excellent comprehension and literacy to read and write, as well as analyze to fulfill budget.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Lifting objects, 30-35 pounds, 3 to 5 times during the course of the shift (i.e. top round, prime rib, frozen boxes).
• Carrying, (ranging from clipboard to food products to small equipment).
• Kneeling -during times of inspections for proper cleanliness and monitoring once a week, as well as during lifting.
• Full mobility is required in order to usually inspect and monitor the kitchen environment.
• Continuous standing -while expediting, or cooking or inspecting. Anywhere from brief periods (15 minutes) to longer periods (1 hour). At least 50% of the day.

Environment

Inside 100% of 8 hour shift. Going in the freezer temperatures can be -10 degrees. On the front line, temperatures can be over 100 degrees.

• Eligible to participate in Sage bonus plan. Up to 20% of your salary.
• Unlimited paid time off
• Eligible to enroll in medical insurance with employer covering up to 70% of premiums with wellness credit
• Eligible to enroll in dental insurance with employer contribution towards premiums & vision insurance
• Eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) program with up to 4% employer match, meeting safe harbor requirements and no vesting period
• Eligible to enroll in Health savings accounts with qualifying medical plans and receive up to $1000 company contribution
• Eligible to enroll in Health, Dependent and Commuter flexible spending accounts
• Company paid Basic Life and AD&D insurance coverage, with option to enroll in additional coverage
• Eligible to purchase Pet Insurance, Accidental Insurance, Critical Insurance and Hospital Indemnity Insurance
• Company-paid short-term disability
• (GM & EC Members only): Company-paid long-term disability otherwise Eligible to enroll in long term disability insurance
• WINFertility guidance for those enrolled in Sage medical plan
• Calm Health Application Subscription
• Tuition Reimbursement of up to $2,000 per calendar year
• Paid FMLA leave for up to a period of 12 weeks
• Employee Assistance Program
• Great discounts on Hotels, Restaurants, and much more.
• Eligible to participate in the Employee Referral Bonus Program. Up to $1,000 per referral.