ABOUT THE ROYAL GORGE ROUTE RAILROAD

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a full-service passenger train that carries 250,000 guests from around the world through Colorado's spectacular Royal Gorge. Since 1999, we’ve been providing outstanding service, consistently fantastic dining experiences, and safe, memorable journeys.

We have the best leadership team in the business – people who are excellent at their jobs and care deeply about our team, our guests, and everyone’s success. Overall, the Royal Gorge Route employs approximately 200 staff members, with about 75 on duty at any one time. Our train currently supports up to 800 passengers per run, and includes several dome cars, classic dining cars, bar cars, coach cars and open-air cars -- all of which are serviced by onboard kitchens and full bars, as well as a scratch-cooking commissary kitchen, ticketing operation and retail experience in the Santa Fe Depot. The Royal Gorge Route runs anywhere from one to four departures daily year-round and is busiest throughout the summer and holiday months.

Food & Beverage Manager

Full-Time / Year-Round

Compensation: $90,000 - $120,000/year

Benefits: Paid Health, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance for employee and immediate family. PTO. 8% 401K employer match. Initial, short-term housing available.

SUMMARY

On a day-to-day basis, the Food & Beverage Director will be responsible for leading and managing kitchen operations, while overseeing and mentoring kitchen staff in a full-service casual and fine-dining environment aboard our rolling restaurant. The Food & Beverage Director will manage all facets of our restaurant operations, including COGS, budgets, cost controls, inventory, par values, quality control, training, and guest service aboard the train, in the cafe, and starting in Spring 2025, at the Royal Gorge Mansion.

Responsibilities

• On-board, in-kitchen presence is vital
• Leads and manages onboard kitchens bars, commissary kitchen, and sister properties – Royal Gorge Mansion and Happy Endings Caboose Cafe
• Attracts, retains and motivates staff while providing a safe environment. Work closely with HR department to hire, train, develop, empower, coach, conduct performance and salary reviews, resolve problems, provide open communication, and discipline and terminate as appropriate
• Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaches, mentors, or otherwise helps others to improve their knowledge or skills
• Ensures culinary excellence across all menus and dayparts
• Manages and cultivates vendor relationships, including local and innovative sourcing
• Knowledge of wine, beer and spirits - including pairing, costs and procurement
• Plans and manages the procurement, production, preparation and presentation of all food in a safe, sanitary, cost-effective manner
• Short- and long-term planning and day-to-day operations of the kitchen and related areas
• Remains aware of market trends and introduces new food and beverage products to meet or exceed customer expectations, generate increased revenue and ensure a competitive position in the market.
• Menu development and planning, designed to exceed guest expectations while continually improving revenues and profit margins.
• Budget planning and development, inventory management, food and labor costs.
• Continually analyzes, forecasts, monitors and controls the labor and food costs to meet/exceed management/budget objectives
• Prepares and monitors quarterly revenue goals and expenses as well as generating various (weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual) business volume reports and forecasts.
• Reviews financial reports and statements to determine how food and beverage is performing against budget
• Makes recommendations for funding of food and beverage equipment and renovations in accordance with brand business strategy.
• Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors.
• Ensures that regular, on-going communication occurs in all areas of food and beverage (e.g., pre-meal briefings, staff meetings, culinary team).
• Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with the entire food & beverage team. Ensures direct reports do the same for their team.
• Monitors and controls the maintenance/sanitation of kitchen, equipment and related areas to ensure a healthy, safe work environment which meets/exceeds federal, state and corporate standards and regulations.
• Employs strong safety standards, including accident prevention programs, to minimize liabilities and related expenses.
• Effective daily collaboration with key management across the operation, including reservations and ticketing, retail, finance, marketing, human resources, and train operations.
• Supports and aligns with company and brand goals.

Qualifications

Education/Formal Training

• Two or four-year degree from an accredited college or university is preferred but not required

Experience

• Ten or more years’ experience in the restaurant / hospitality business successfully managing and growing front and back of house operations, supervising a team of 130+ staff members, food and beverage budgets exceeding $2M annually, and quality, labor and cost control across various day parts in a full-service environment.
• Must have a minimum of five years executive chef experience.
• Must have a minimum of three years culinary team training experience

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.

• Ability to demonstrate an organized, high-energy, goal-driven management style and develop systems that support and grow a thriving food and beverage operation.
• Knowledge and comfort in hospitality POS system: Aloha
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Moderate hearing to communicate with employees and to hear machinery, for safety reasons.
• Excellent vision, for safety reasons.
• Excellent speech communications skills to communicate with other employees.
• 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 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 each day
• Carrying objects, up to 35 pounds.
• Kneeling during times of inspections for proper cleanliness and monitoring once a week, as well as during lifting.
• Full mobility to usually inspect and monitor the kitchen environment.
• Continuous standing while working including while expediting, cooking or inspecting for at least 50% of the day.

Environment

Inside 95% of the day with brief periods of walking to and from the train, commissary or other buildings. Going in the freezer temperatures can be -10 degrees. On the front line, temperatures can be over 100 degrees.