Food & Beverage Director

Location: Grand Center Arts District – St. Louis, MO

Employment Type
:
Full-Time
Swing shifts, ~40–45 hours/week; schedule varies between 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM with occasional late nights and weekends required.

Annual Salary: $70,000 – $80,000, depending on experience.

About the Kranzberg Arts Foundation The Kranzberg Arts Foundation provides essential infrastructure, resources, and opportunities for the arts to thrive in the St. Louis region. By building and operating premier arts, music, and performance spaces in the Grand Center Arts District, KAF nurtures artists and connects audiences.

Working in the Food & Beverage department at KAF offers a unique opportunity to directly support local arts, culture, and community vitality. Every cocktail served, burger flipped, and concession provided helps fuel our nonprofit mission and elevates the visitor experience across our arts ecosystem.

The Food & Beverage Director leads and shapes the overall culinary and beverage programs across all Kranzberg Arts Foundation venues. This role requires a dynamic hospitality leader with a balanced background in back-of-house kitchen operations and craft cocktail/beverage management.

All KAF venues are located within blocks of each other in the Grand Center Arts District. The Director manages operations for a fast-casual burger bar, a high-concept cocktail lounge, multiple venue bars/concession stands, and seasonal outdoor festivals and events. Using a centralized, warehouse-style ordering system and master inventory control system, the F&B Director oversees a team of 30+ team members, manages vendor relationships, and drives operational excellence.

• Oversee day-to-day culinary and bar operations across all multi-site venues in the Grand Center Arts District.
• Maintain a balanced operational approach that ensures equal emphasis on food quality/speed and cocktail/beverage quality and program creativity.
• Direct food and beverage services for seasonal festivals, outdoor events (e.g., The Big Top), and special performances.
• Standardize service, quality, presentation, and safety across fast-casual, lounge, and high-volume concession environments.

• Lead, mentor, and build a cohesive team of 30+ full-time, part-time, and seasonal staff (kitchen staff, bartenders, shift leads, and concessions crew).
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, training, performance evaluations, and ongoing professional development.
• Foster a positive team culture grounded in hospitality, teamwork, equity, and accountability.

• Manage supply chain operations through KAF’s warehouse-style centralized ordering system and master inventory controls.
• Monitor product waste, cost of goods sold (COGS), labor percentages, and pricing strategies to meet budget goals.
• Manage key vendor and supplier relationships to secure competitive pricing, quality products, and reliable delivery schedules.
• Maintain strict inventory audits and stock rotation across all physical locations.

• Report directly to the Director of Operations on financial metrics, operational health, and team management.
• Work closely with the Executive Director to align F&B offerings with KAF’s broader artistic mission, donor events, and community goals.
• Develop unified service protocols and cross-venue staffing models to maximize labor efficiency during peak show nights and district festivals.

• Experience:
  
  5+ years of progressive management experience in food and beverage leadership, preferably multi-unit or complex hospitality operations.
• Dual Expertise:
  Strong, hands‑on…