- Location: Dorset, UK
- Salary: Up to £60,000 gross per annum, depending on experience, plus package
- Contract: Full-time, Permanent
- Start Date: Immediate
Oplu is partnering with an exceptional farm-to-fork luxury country hotel and wellness retreat in Dorset to appoint a Head of Food and Beverage (F&B).
This is a senior, hands-on Food and Beverage leadership role for a confident hospitality professional with proven experience in luxury hotel F&B operations, premium restaurant service, or retreat environments. The successful candidate will lead daily food and beverage operations across breakfast, lunch and dinner service, while also overseeing bespoke events for private groups, family stays and corporate retreats.
The business already has a strong concept, offering and setting. The priority now is to appoint a Head of Food and Beverage who can lead from the front, bring structure to the operation, raise service standards, and implement robust standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure consistency, accountability and operational excellence.
The Head of F&B will report directly to the General Manager and work closely with the Head Chef and Hotel Manager in weekly operational meetings.
About the Role
This Head of Food and Beverage job in Dorset will suit a hands-on operator who thrives in service, enjoys leading teams on the floor, and is confident managing both the guest experience and the operational detail behind it.
You will oversee:
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner service
- Private dining and bespoke guest experiences
- Retreat groups, family stays and corporate events
- Team leadership, rota planning and service standards
- SOP development, compliance and operational governance
- Stock control, supplier coordination and commercial awareness
Key Responsibilities
Food and Beverage Service Leadership
- Lead from the floor across breakfast, lunch and dinner service, ensuring a consistently high standard of hospitality
- Set the tone, pace and expectations for service through visible, hands-on leadership
- Deliver a warm, polished and discreet guest experience in keeping with a luxury country hotel and wellness retreat environment
- Drive consistency in presentation, service flow and guest interaction across all F&B touchpoints
SOPs, Structure and Operational Excellence
- Build, implement and maintain clear SOPs across service delivery, set-up, timing, closing procedures and compliance
- Introduce stronger planning and mise-en-place processes to improve efficiency and reduce reactive service issues
- Establish and monitor performance benchmarks across service quality, cleanliness, consistency and guest feedback
- Create structure across the F&B operation to support smooth daily service and stronger team performance
Team Management and Development
- Lead, coach and develop a small service team, including multiple supervisors
- Set clear responsibilities, expectations and accountability across the department
- Produce rotas in advance with contingency planning and strong labour cost awareness
- Maintain high standards of communication through daily briefings, handovers, feedback and performance management
- Manage underperformance fairly, confidently and decisively where required
Events, Retreats and Bespoke Guest Service
- Coordinate food and beverage delivery for retreat groups, special occasions and corporate stays
- Bring creativity and attention to detail to service moments and events without compromising operational discipline
- Work closely with the Head Chef on menus, dietary requirements, allergens and special guest requests
- Ensure a seamless guest journey across regular dining service and bespoke event experiences
Commercial and Stock Management
- Support the General Manager and Head Chef on revenue optimisation and F&B profitability
- Maintain strong control of stock, procurement, supplier relationships and audit processes across food, beverage and OS&E
- Identify sensible opportunities to enhance spend through food, beverage and guest experience upselling
- Balance high service standards with operational efficiency and cost control
Compliance, Food Safety and Best Practice
- Maintain the highest standards of hygiene, cleanliness and food safety across all service areas
- Ensure compliance with relevant FSA and HACCP standards and internal procedures
- Uphold best practice across health and safety, service preparation and operational discipline
Candidate Profile
We are looking for a confident, energetic and emotionally intelligent Head of Food and Beverage who enjoys being front-facing and setting standards in service-led hospitality environments.
You will be commercially aware, highly organised and comfortable working in a demanding luxury hospitality setting where flexibility is expected. You will also be capable of running weekly 1:1 check-ins with the General Manager, with clear agendas, actions and follow-up.
Essential Requirements
- Proven experience in Food and Beverage operations within luxury hotels, retreats, private members’ clubs or premium restaurants
- Strong hands-on floor leadership style with a visible presence in service
- Experience implementing and enforcing SOPs, service standards and operational governance
- Strong people leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop and manage teams effectively
- Excellent planning capability across rotas, service preparation, team efficiency and guest volumes
- Calm, professional communication skills and strong presence under pressure
- Flexibility to work early mornings, evenings and weekends as required
Desirable Requirements
- Experience with event service, special occasion dining or retreat programming
- Confidence working with VIP or UHNW guest expectations
- WSET Level 2 or similar wine knowledge
- Experience improving service standards within an operation that requires tighter structure and leadership
What’s on Offer
- Salary up to £60,000 gross per annum, depending on experience
- Full-time, permanent opportunity
- Senior leadership role within a luxury country hotel and wellness retreat
- Relocation assistance available where required, including staff accommodation or rental support
- Opportunity to shape and strengthen the full food and beverage operation
Please note: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are only able to contact candidates who are successfully shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within 14 days of submitting your application, please assume your application has not been successful on this occasion.