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Restaurant Concept Development Jobs in California

Tiki Kai

Corporate Chef

Hermosa Beach, CA · On-site

$115K - $125K/yr

  • Medical

  • PTO

New restaurant openings, culinary rollouts, and concept development * Collaboration with ownership, operations, marketing, and beverage teams What We're Looking For The ideal candidate brings both ...

Funko

Manager, Concept Design

Burbank, CA · On-site

$105K - $130K/yr

  • Retirement

The Concept Manager will lead the concept team in supporting and evolving Funko's existing product ... development, and a proven track record of leading high-performing teams from ideation through ...

Panda Restaurant Group

Sr. Ops Innovation Manager

Rosemead, CA · Hybrid

$127K - $178K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... Restaurant Development, Marketing Brand Innovation, Operations Services, Information Systems ... concept in America. With close to 2,800 locations globally, we continue our mission of delivering ...

Panda Inn

Restaurant Kitchen Help

Pasadena, CA

$20 - $23/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

On-Going Career & Leadership Development * Opportunities for growth into management positions * Pre ... Chinese Restaurant concept in America. With close to 2,800 locations globally, we continue our ...

Panda Inn

Restaurant Kitchen Help

Ontario, CA

$19 - $22/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

On-Going Career & Leadership Development * Opportunities for growth into management positions * Pre ... Chinese Restaurant concept in America. With close to 2,800 locations globally, we continue our ...

Panda Inn

Restaurant Kitchen Help

Glendale, CA

$20 - $23/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

On-Going Career & Leadership Development * Opportunities for growth into management positions * Pre ... Chinese Restaurant concept in America. With close to 2,800 locations globally, we continue our ...

Panda Inn

Restaurant Kitchen Help

La Palma, CA

$19 - $22/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

On-Going Career & Leadership Development * Opportunities for growth into management positions * Pre ... Chinese Restaurant concept in America. With close to 2,800 locations globally, we continue our ...

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Restaurant Concept Development information

What is a restaurant concept development?

A Restaurant Concept Development job involves creating and refining a unique restaurant concept, including its theme, menu, target market, and overall dining experience. Professionals in this role conduct market research, develop branding strategies, and collaborate with chefs, designers, and investors to bring the vision to life. They focus on ensuring the concept is both appealing to customers and financially viable. This job requires creativity, industry knowledge, and strong business acumen to develop a successful and sustainable restaurant brand.

What are the typical day-to-day responsibilities of someone in restaurant concept development?

A typical day in Restaurant Concept Development involves researching industry trends, analyzing competitor offerings, and collaborating with culinary teams to brainstorm innovative menu ideas. Professionals also work closely with branding, operations, and finance teams to shape the concept and ensure feasibility. Responsibilities may include developing business plans, overseeing prototype launches, and refining concepts based on feedback. This multifaceted role combines creative vision with practical project management to bring new dining experiences to market.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in restaurant concept development, and why are they important?

To thrive in Restaurant Concept Development, you need a blend of creativity, market research expertise, culinary knowledge, and strong business acumen, often supported by experience in hospitality, marketing, or culinary management. Familiarity with industry analytics tools, menu engineering software, and trend analysis platforms is highly beneficial, and some professionals may hold certifications in hospitality management or restaurant operations. Exceptional communication, project management, and collaboration skills help professionals excel when working cross-functionally. These abilities are crucial for transforming innovative ideas into viable, market-ready restaurant concepts that resonate with target audiences.

What are the most commonly searched types of Restaurant Concept Development jobs in California?

The most popular types of Restaurant Concept Development jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Restaurant Concept Development jobs in California?

For Restaurant Concept Development jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Restaurant Concept Development jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Restaurant Concept Development jobs in California are:

Restaurant Concept Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Restaurant Concept Development job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, and 50% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.

Corporate Culinary Director

Proper Hospitality

Santa Monica, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 11 days ago

Job description

Proper Hospitality operates a portfolio of 12 hotels and 27 food and beverage outlets, with continued expansion underway across multiple markets. We are seeking a Corporate Culinary Director to provide portfolio-level culinary leadership, ensuring every concept is strong conceptually, operationally disciplined, and financially successful.
Position Overview
This role exists to guide and elevate culinary direction across properties while empowering property-level chefs to lead their kitchens and deliver distinctive dining experiences. Working closely with the SVP of Food & Beverage, General Managers, and Executive Chefs, the Corporate Culinary Director establishes culinary standards, supports concept and menu development, and drives operational discipline across the portfolio.
The position balances culinary leadership with operational accountability, possessing responsibility for menu engineering, food cost management, kitchen standards, and consistent food quality across all properties. This role also champions Proper Hospitality's ingredient philosophy centered on whole ingredient, health conscious cooking while supporting each property in maintaining its own culinary identity.
Primary Responsibilities
Portfolio Culinary Leadership
  • Guide and elevate culinary direction across all Proper Hospitality properties while empowering Executive Chefs to lead their kitchens
  • Establish culinary standards that ensure consistent food quality, presentation, and guest experience across the portfolio
  • Maintain alignment between property culinary programs and Proper Hospitality's brand positioning
  • Serve as the senior culinary resource for General Managers and Executive Chefs across the portfolio

Concept Development & Menu Strategy
  • Support development and evolution of restaurant, bar, and poolside concepts across the portfolio
  • Lead menu engineering and development to ensure strong concept clarity, culinary creativity, and financial performance
  • Collaborate with property chefs on seasonal menu updates, concept refinement, and new outlet development
  • Ensure menus reflect Proper Hospitality's ingredient philosophy while remaining relevant to each property's market

Operational Excellence & Kitchen Standards
  • Establish and maintain kitchen operational standards across all properties
  • Support property culinary teams in maintaining consistency in food quality, preparation, and presentation
  • Conduct regular property visits and culinary reviews to evaluate kitchen operations and provide guidance to Executive Chefs
  • Identify operational improvement opportunities related to kitchen workflows, production systems, and service execution

Financial Discipline & Menu Engineering
  • Drive strong financial performance across culinary operations through disciplined menu engineering and cost control
  • Monitor food cost performance across properties and partner with Executive Chefs to implement improvement strategies where needed
  • Review menu contribution margins and pricing strategies to ensure outlets meet profitability targets
  • Support property leadership teams in achieving culinary labor and food cost budgets

Vendor & Ingredient Strategy
  • Develop and maintain relationships with key vendors and purveyors that support ingredient quality and cost control
  • Identify purchasing strategies that leverage portfolio scale while allowing flexibility for local sourcing
  • Support procurement strategy in partnership with the SVP of Food & Beverage and property teams

Talent Development & Culinary Leadership
  • Recruit, mentor, and develop Executive Chefs and culinary leadership across the portfolio
  • Support leadership development and succession planning for property culinary teams
  • Lead portfolio culinary meetings and knowledge sharing across properties
  • Foster a culture of operational excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement

New Openings & Concept Support
  • Provide culinary leadership during pre-opening phases of new properties and new outlet launches
  • Support kitchen design consultation, equipment selection, and operational planning
  • Assist property teams in developing menus, systems, and staffing strategies prior to opening

Food Safety & Compliance
  • Ensure kitchens maintain strict adherence to food safety standards and health regulations
  • Support implementation of sanitation procedures and HACCP protocols where applicable
  • Monitor compliance with internal food safety and operational standards

Outcome Accountability
Performance will be evaluated against portfolio and property-level metrics including:
  • Food cost performance relative to budget targets
  • Culinary labor performance within approved budgets
  • Guest satisfaction scores related to food quality and dining experience
  • Menu profitability and outlet contribution margins
  • Consistency of culinary standards across all properties
  • Successful support of new restaurant openings and concept evolutions
  • Retention and development of Executive Chefs and culinary leadership teams
  • Health inspection scores and food safety compliance

Qualifications
Education & Experience
  • Culinary degree from an accredited culinary institution preferred
  • Minimum 15 years of progressive culinary leadership experience
  • At least 5 years in a corporate, multi-property, or multi-unit culinary leadership role
  • Experience in luxury hospitality, acclaimed restaurants, or premium hotel food and beverage programs
  • Demonstrated experience with menu engineering, food cost management, and kitchen operations at scale
  • Experience supporting new restaurant openings and concept development preferred

Skills & Competencies
  • Strong culinary foundation with the ability to guide diverse restaurant concepts
  • Deep understanding of food cost control, menu engineering, and restaurant financial performance
  • Proven leadership ability with experience mentoring Executive Chefs and culinary leadership teams
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills with property leadership and executive teams
  • Experience working across multiple restaurant formats and hospitality environments
  • Proficiency with culinary systems, inventory management platforms, and standard business tools
  • ServSafe Manager Certification and strong knowledge of food safety protocols

Travel Requirements
  • Ability to travel regularly across Proper Hospitality portfolio properties to support culinary operations, property leadership teams, and new openings

Salary
  • $185,000-205,000

Proper Perks & Benefits
Culture of Growth & Belonging
  • Culture of Growth: A collaborative, design-forward environment that values creativity, intelligence, and curiosity - where learning and excellence are a daily practice.
  • Guided Skills Development: Access to training, leadership programs, mentorship, and cross-property mobility to encourage achievement and discovery.
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging: We honor individuality while fostering a culture of respect and belonging across all teams.
  • Community Engagement: Opportunities to give back through local volunteerism, sustainability, and charitable partnerships.

Health & Wellness
  • Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision plans through Aetna, designed to fit a range of personal and family needs.
  • Wellness Access: Company-subsidized memberships with Equinox and ClassPass, plus wellbeing workshops and mental health resources.
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential support for emotional wellbeing, financial planning, and life management through Unum.

Time Off & Flexibility
  • Paid Time Off: Flexible PTO plus 11 paid holidays each year for corporate team members.
  • Paid Parental Leave: Paid time off for eligible employees welcoming a new child through birth, adoption, or foster placement.
  • Flexible Work Practices: Hybrid schedules for eligible roles and an emphasis on work-life balance.

Financial Wellbeing & Core Protections
  • 401(k) Program: Company match of 50% of employee deferrals, up to the first 4% of eligible compensation.
  • Employer-Paid Life & Disability Insurance: Core protections with optional additional coverage.
  • Financial Education: Access to planning tools and workshops to support long-term stability and growth.

Lifestyle & Travel Perks
  • Hotel Stay Benefits: 75% off BAR (floor of $100) across the Proper portfolio.
  • Design Hotels Partnership: 50% off participating Marriott Design Hotels.
  • Dining Discounts: 75% off food & beverage at all Proper Hospitality outlets.
  • Lifestyle Perks: Complimentary or subsidized parking, cell phone reimbursement, and exclusive hospitality and retail discounts.

Why Join Proper Hospitality
At Proper, we build experiences that move people - and that begins with the team behind them. As a best-in-class employer, we're committed to creating one of the Best Places to Work in hospitality by nurturing a culture where creativity, excellence, and humanity thrive together.
Everything we do is grounded in the belief that hospitality is more than a profession - it's an opportunity to care for others and make lives better. Guided by the Pillars of Proper, we show up with warmth and authenticity (Care Proper), strive for excellence in everything we do (Achieve Proper), think creatively and resourcefully (Imagine Proper), and take pride in the style and culture that make us who we are (Present Proper).
We believe our people are our greatest strength, and we invest deeply in their wellbeing, growth, and sense of belonging. From comprehensive benefits to meaningful development programs, Proper is designed to help you build a career, and a life, that feels as inspiring as the experiences we create for our guests.
Our Commitment: Building the Best Place to Work
Our Best Place to Work initiative is a living commitment - a continuous investment in our people, our culture, and our purpose. We listen, learn, and evolve together to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to imagine boldly, achieve confidently, care deeply, and present themselves authentically.
At Proper, joining the team means more than finding a job - it means joining a community that believes in building beautiful experiences together, for our guests and for one another.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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