Director of Banquets - Sítio El Tropicano | Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group

About Sítio El Tropicano

Sítio El Tropicano is a vibrant renewal of one of San Antonio's most iconic riverfront landmarks. An urban resort and members' club where hospitality, wellness, dining, and creativity flow together effortlessly, Sítio invites guests to linger, explore, and connect.

About Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group

Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group is an award-winning, chef-driven, multi-concept restaurant group hailing from Austin, Texas. All food and beverage at Sítio El Tropicano is created and operated by Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group, carrying our commitment to local sourcing, seasonality, and genuine hospitality throughout the property. Our concepts at Sitio El Tropicano include Barberry, a seasonally driven all-day restaurant;
Flamingo Bar, a cocktail bar celebrating Texas spirits;
Prado Provisions, a grab-and-go café; and Bar Nado, serving handrolls, bento boxes, and frozen drinks poolside.

Position Summary

The Director of Banquets provides strategic and operational leadership for all banquet and catering service at Sítio El Tropicano, including meetings, weddings, social events, hotel functions, member events, and other special programs.

This position is accountable for event execution, guest satisfaction, service standards, staffing, labor management, beverage coordination, inventory, departmental financial performance, and the development of the banquet service team. Working closely with the Director of Food & Beverage, Events team, culinary leadership, and hotel departments, the Director of Banquets ensures every event is executed accurately, efficiently, and in accordance with the banquet event order.

The Director of Banquets serves as the primary operational leader for banquet service and maintains a visible presence throughout event setup, service, and breakdown.

Event Execution & Service Leadership

• Lead the planning and execution of all banquet and catering service, including meetings, weddings, social events, hotel functions, member events, and special programs.
• Ensure every event is executed according to the approved banquet event order, floor plan, timeline, menu, beverage package, and guest specifications.
• Review upcoming BEOs for operational feasibility, staffing requirements, equipment needs, timing, and potential service challenges.
• Lead banquet captains, bartenders, servers, house persons, and other event-service team members through setup, service, and breakdown.
• Maintain a visible leadership presence during events, particularly for weddings, VIP functions, large programs, and complex event days.
• Conduct event briefings to ensure the service team understands the timeline, menu, beverage program, assignments, guest requests, and service expectations.
• Monitor event flow and adjust staffing, timing, and service execution as conditions change.
• Resolve guest concerns promptly and professionally, communicating significant issues to the appropriate hotel leaders.
• Ensure event spaces, pre-function areas, service corridors, and back-of-house staging areas remain organized, clean, safe, and guest-ready.
• Conduct post-event reviews to identify successes, service issues, and opportunities for improvement.

Planning & Interdepartmental Coordination

• Serve as the primary operational liaison between Banquets, Events, Culinary, Stewarding, Engineering, Housekeeping, Security, Audio Visual, Front Office, and other hotel departments.
• Partner with the Events team to review event details, guest expectations, timelines, room sets, guarantees, and special accommodations.
• Participate in BEO meetings, pre-convention meetings, resume reviews, site visits, tastings, and operational planning sessions.
• Partner with culinary leadership to coordinate production schedules, food-service timing,…