Culinary Director - FIFA World Cup 26™

Who We Are:

On Location is a global leader in premium experiential hospitality, offering ticketing, curated guest experiences, live event production and travel management across sports, entertainment, fashion and culture. On Location provides unrivaled access for corporate clients and fans looking for official, immersive experiences at marquee events, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games, FIFA World Cup 2026, Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, and more. An official partner and/or service provider to over 150 iconic rights holders, such as the IOC (the Milano Cortina 2026 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games), FIFA, NFL, NCAA, UFC, WWE, and PGA of America, the company also owns and operates a number of its own unique experiences. On Location is a subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company.

The Role and What You’ll Do

We are searching for a passionate, creative, and highly experienced Culinary Director to join our team in crafting and delivering an exceptional culinary experience for FIFA World Cup 2026™. The Culinary Director will play a pivotal role in designing the culinary framework across all hospitality experiences, aligning with FIFA’s commitment to excellence, cultural diversity, and inclusivity.

Key responsibilities include:

• Culinary Experience Design: Develop a comprehensive, culturally relevant menu structure that celebrates host cities and participating countries. Each hospitality experience should reflect dietary considerations, regional culinary highlights, and the unique flavor profiles of each match and event.

• Catering Partner Management: Collaborate with and elevate catering partners across all 16 tournament venues. Drive excellence by conducting tastings, co-designing menu concepts, and providing on-site coaching.

• Hospitality & Event Integration: Ensure a seamless culinary experience across V/VIP, Affiliate hospitality, and public venues, enhancing guest experiences through quality, consistency, and innovation.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with local chefs, restaurateurs, and caterers to leverage regional expertise. Cultivate a network of top culinary talent across host cities to deliver authentic, memorable food experiences.

• Operations and Logistics: Oversee menu development, sourcing, and logistical planning to ensure smooth operations at scale. Address the unique culinary and operational needs of each venue, ensuring quality and consistency across all food service points.

• Culinary Strategy & Execution: Set and implement culinary standards that align with FIFA’s hospitality values, focusing on high-quality execution and guest satisfaction across all food and beverage offerings.

• Financial Oversight: Manage budgets and financial performance across culinary operations, ensuring cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality.

You Have These

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Restaurant/Hospitality Management, or a related field.

• Experience: 10+ years in culinary or food and beverage management, ideally within large-scale, high-profile events. A proven track record in designing and scaling exceptional culinary experiences is essential.

• Skills: Exceptional organizational and leadership skills, with the ability to multi-task and perform under pressure. Strong negotiation, communication, and conflict resolution abilities.

• Knowledge & Network: In-depth knowledge of international cuisine, dietary preferences, and cultural culinary practices. A robust network of chefs and catering professionals across FIFA26 host cities is highly preferred.

• Technology Proficiency: Familiar with tools such as Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, Zoom, and other relevant software.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a leadership role at large sporting or entertainment events.

• Ability to adapt to long hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays, as needed. Availability to travel (up to 30-40%) to support culinary operations across tournament locations.

Per local requirements and in the interest of transparency, the range shown below reflects the prevalent current hiring range for this position. Hiring pay rates are based on a number of factors, including location and may vary depending on job-related qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience. The company strives to provide locally competitive rewards packages, which include base rate along with, as applicable, short- and long-term incentives, growth and developmental opportunities, and robust benefits, such as health care, retirement, vacation and other paid time off, and addit