Sous Chef - Domenica Restaurant

BRG Sous Chef Job Description: 

The Sous Chef  reports to the chef de cuisine and the executive chef.  Sous chefs are responsible for ensuring the quality of the food at every level, be a leader dedicated to creating a work environment where our team is set up for success,and feel inspired to come to work everyday.  The sous will be responsible for hiring, training, scheduling and managing a team that aligns with our values.  Sous must be able to clearly communicate and instruct cooks in steps of prep, cooking, garnishing and presentation to achieve consistent, high quality dishes.  They are responsible for making sure that the kitchen is following all standards and regulations for food safety, and that employees are educated in these standards.  Sous chefs are vital in supporting the financial health of the restaurant, and are responsible for taking inventory, following budgets, costing out recipes, managing labor and monitoring vendors.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Food Knowledge – the Sous Chef must have thorough knowledge and respect for all products. This ensures creation of quality specials and menus that best serve all restaurant objectives. 

  • With the Executive Chef’s direction, the Sous Chef will create specials utilizing products needing to be used, and to take advantage of local, seasonality, availability, and cost

  • Maintain flexibility with the menu to provide for guests’ special requests

  • Be responsible for quality, cost effective family meal, ensuring timely preparation

  • Contribute to menu development, and be responsible for execution and feasibility of these menus

  • Handle and process food in a safe and sanitary manner

  • Be able to accommodate guests with food allergies

• Cooking Knowledge and Skill – the Sous Chef must demonstrate superior cooking knowledge and skill to execute his culinary responsibilities effectively, and to properly supervise and develop cooks:

• Self development – has satisfactorily completed all objectives in the following areas:

  • Cooking skills

  • Soups, stocks, and sauces

  • Butchering

  • Food knowledge

  • Maintenance

  • Administrative

  • Financial

• Accountable (with the Chef) for maintaining the integrity of cooking standards

  • Continue to show enthusiasm, interest and personal development

• Profit – the Sous Chef shares in the responsibility of making the restaurant financially successful. He/She must strive to optimize product and labor dollars without compromising quality. Working smart i.e. through Flexing labor, cleanliness and organization, is essential:

• Food

  • Assist the Executive Chef in building menu around local product availability, quality, and cost of products

  • Take a systematic approach to maintain cleanliness and organization, i.e. rotating cleanup, specifically assigned cleanup dates, product rotation, labeling, deep cleaning schedules, etc.

  • Maintain and manage food pars by:

    • Ensuring only what’s needed is prepared and fired

    • Keeping a close eye in changes in reservation and party numbers

    • Adjusting prep schedules and lists to maintain freshness and reduce spoilage

    • Ensure recipes and procedures are followed

    • Record all waste and develop methods of decreasing it

• Labor Cost:

  • Schedule according to budget parameters. Particularly when covering shift, be sensitive to overtime hours

  • Adjust daily spending to reflect business fluctuations by sending extra people home early as needed by flexing labor

  • Manage overtime daily.

• The Sous Chef supervises the culinary staff. This is one of their greatest areas of responsibility, and requires developed managerial and people skills, as well as training and coaching skills. The Sous Chef must:

  • Recognize his support role as it applies to the Chef and other Sous Chef

  • Demonstrate leadership skills which allow him/her to manage and maintain standards in the kitchen during the Chef’s absence

  • Ensure development of prep cooks to make cost effective quality family meal

  • Supervise the opening and closing of the kitchen, i.e. use of checklist, chef log, maintain security, utilize party sheets and reservation counts

  • Participate in the selection of cooks through recruiting, interviewing, and reference checks

  • Supervise trainers to ensure that all training guidelines are followed and training objectives met