Kitchen Office Executive

Kitchen Office Executive

Mandarin Oriental Cristallo, Cortina is an upcoming luxury alpine resort set above the iconic mountain town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the heart of the UNESCO-listed Dolomites. Scheduled to open in Winter 2026, the resort will mark the debut of Mandarin Oriental in one of Italy's most renowned mountain destinations, combining the legendary heritage of the Cristallo with Mandarin Oriental's exceptional service, refined design, and award-winning hospitality.

The resort will feature elegantly appointed rooms and suites, exceptional dining experiences, a world-class Spa & Wellness Centre, and curated year-round experiences designed for discerning international travellers seeking the finest alpine luxury.

Joining the pre-opening team offers a unique opportunity to help shape one of Europe's most anticipated luxury hotel openings, contributing to the creation of an extraordinary guest experience from day one.

About the Role

Based at Mandarin Oriental Cristallo, Cortina, the Kitchen Office Executive plays an important role in supporting the successful pre-opening and ongoing operation of the resort's Culinary Division. Reporting to the Executive Chef, the role provides comprehensive administrative and organisational support to the culinary leadership team, ensuring effective coordination, accurate reporting and smooth communication between the kitchen and other hotel departments.

During the pre-opening phase, the Kitchen Office Executive will support the establishment of kitchen administrative processes, colleague onboarding, purchasing and operational documentation, training coordination and the overall readiness of the Culinary Division for the successful opening of the resort.

As a Kitchen Office Executive, you will be responsible for the following duties

Pre-Opening Responsibilities

• Support the Executive Chef and culinary leadership team with the coordination and administration of all pre-opening activities.
• Assist in establishing kitchen administrative procedures, filing systems, reporting tools and operational documentation.
• Support the recruitment and onboarding administration of culinary colleagues in close coordination with People & Culture.
• Coordinate culinary training schedules, departmental meetings, tastings, mock services and other pre-opening activities.
• Assist with the preparation and organisation of menus, recipes, food costing documentation, Standard Operating Procedures and training materials.
• Support the preparation of purchase requests, kitchen equipment inventories, operating supplies and other opening requirements.
• Coordinate communication and follow-up with Purchasing, Finance, People & Culture, Engineering and external suppliers.
• Maintain accurate records of pre-opening activities, deadlines and departmental action plans.

Operational Responsibilities

• Provide daily administrative and organisational support to the Executive Chef and culinary leadership team.
• Coordinate departmental correspondence, meetings, appointments, agendas, minutes and follow-up actions.
• Prepare and maintain departmental reports, presentations, statistics and operational documentation.
• Support the preparation and administration of kitchen schedules, attendance records, holidays, absences and other colleague-related documentation in coordination with People & Culture.
• Maintain accurate records relating to the culinary team, training activities and departmental documentation.
• Support the Executive Chef with payroll-related information and ensure accurate and timely submission of required documentation.
• Assist with purchase requests, purchase orders, invoices and other documentation in coordination with Purchasing and Finance.
• Support food cost monitoring, inventory reporting and other departmental financial and operational analyses.
• Maintain and update recipes, menus, food cost sheets, specifications and other culinary documentation.
• Coordinate training activities and maintain accurate departmental training records.
• Facilitate effective communication between Culinary, Food & Beverage, Stewarding, Purchasing, Finance, People & Culture and other hotel departments.
• Support the organisation of tastings, special events, VIP arrangements and culinary initiatives.
• Monitor departmental deadlines and follow up on action points arising from meetings and daily operational briefings.
• Maintain accurate and well-organised electronic and physical filing systems.
• Handle confidential colleague and departmental information with discretion and professionalism.
• Ensure all administrative activities are performed accurately, efficiently and in accordance with Mandarin Oriental standards.
• Perform any other reasonable duties assigned by the Executive Chef.

Requirements

• Degree or diploma in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Tourism or a related discipline is preferred.
• Previous experience in an administrative, kitchen coordination or operational support role within a hotel, restaurant or hospitality environment is preferred.
• Previous experience within a luxury five-star hotel or resort is considered an advantage.
• Previous pre-opening experience is considered an advantage.
• Strong administrative, organisational and time-management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Good understanding of kitchen operations and the ability to work effectively within a fast-paced culinary environment.
• Good numerical skills and confidence working with schedules, costs, invoices and operational reports.
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to coordinate effectively across different departments.
• Professional, proactive and solution-oriented approach.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Fluent English and Italian, both written and spoken.