Executive Sous Chef

Hawkers Asian Street Food • Nashville, TN

2d

About The Position

The Executive Sous Chef (ESC) is the second-highest culinary leader at the restaurant level and the Executive Chef’s direct operational partner. The ESC manages shift operations with full accountability and serves as the primary acting leader when the Executive Chef is absent. This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position requiring open availability, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

The ESC is accountable for food quality, shift execution, ticket-time performance, team development, vendor relations, and contributing to financial responsibility for food and labor costs, kitchen maintenance, and supply management. The role oversees kitchen operations and food procurement, production, and service; supports inventory, ordering, and waste reduction; and ensures compliance with food safety, sanitation, OSHA, HACCP, and Health Department requirements. The ESC directly manages, coaches, and develops Sous Chefs and BOH hourly team members and partners with the Executive Chef, General Manager, and front-of-house leadership.

The role requires standing and walking for full shifts, typically 8–10 hours or more, frequent bending, squatting, reaching and twisting, and regularly lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds. Work involves sharp kitchen tools, extreme heat and cold, and a high-noise, fast-paced kitchen environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.

Hawkers Asian Street Food describes its purpose as sparking adventure and its working mantras as caring for guests and team members, never compromising on details and potential, and being disruptive by challenging norms and raising standards.

Requirements

• Minimum of 2–4 years of progressive BOH leadership experience, including at least 1–2 years in an Executive Sous Chef, Sous Chef, or equivalent kitchen management role in a high-volume restaurant environment.
• Demonstrated understanding of kitchen financials, including food cost, labor cost, and inventory management.
• Proven ability to lead and develop a team of 20–30 in a fast-paced, high-volume kitchen, including management-level personnel.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation standards, and HACCP principles.
• Must have or be willing to obtain Food Handler’s Certification before or within 30 days of hire.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate clearly across organizational levels.
• Proficiency with restaurant management systems, scheduling platforms, and kitchen operations tools.
• Open availability, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Ability to stand and walk for a full shift, typically 8–10 hours or more.
• Ability to frequently bend, squat, reach above shoulder level, and twist throughout the shift.
• Ability to regularly lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to safely handle sharp kitchen tools, including knives, slicers, and mandolines.
• Ability to work around extreme heat and extreme cold, including open flames, ovens, fryers, walk-in coolers, and freezers.
• Ability to work in a high-noise, fast-paced kitchen environment.
• Ability to read, write, and communicate clearly in English for documentation, reports, and team communications.
• Manual dexterity for food preparation, keyboarding, and using restaurant management systems.

Nice To Haves

• Fast-casual or multi-unit restaurant experience.
• Culinary degree or equivalent professional culinary training.
• ServSafe Manager Certification.

Responsibilities

• Uphold and enforce food quality standards, recipe adherence, plate presentation, and production-time targets across BOH positions and dayparts.
• Assist the Executive Chef with food procurement, production, and service, including inventory and ordering, storage and rotation, food preparation, and service-time standards.
• Plan and direct kitchen operations when the Executive Chef is absent.
• Serve as the kitchen’s final quality checkpoint and provide immediate, constructive feedback on food quality, execution, and presentation.
• Conduct daily culinary line checks and sanitation checks before service.
• Lead daily pre-service meetings covering priorities, 86s, ticket-time targets, and service execution.
• Ensure target ticket times are achieved without compromising food quality.
• Partner with the Executive Chef and General Manager to contribute to food cost, labor cost, sales, revenue, and profitability targets.
• Assist with vendor relations and ensure kitchen equipment is maintained and supply needs are met within budget.
• Support kitchen inventory management, ordering, and waste reduction.
• Keep kitchen equipment and storage areas clean, organized, and operational; oversee repairs and maintenance and escalate issues proactively.
• Ensure the kitchen meets or exceeds Health Department standards and passes inspections and audits.
• Enforce food safety, sanitation, and storage practices through supervision, training, and accountability.
• Ensure BOH team members are trained on and comply with OSHA and HACCP standards.
• Foster and maintain a safe, respectful, and harassment-free kitchen environment.
• Directly manage, coach, and develop Sous Chefs and BOH hourly team members, holding them accountable to performance and conduct standards.
• Execute the Hawkers training guide program and ensure team members pass before working independently in a position.
• Assist the Executive Chef with formal staff evaluations and provide ongoing coaching, recognition, and corrective feedback.
• Train and develop Sous Chefs in shift management, team coaching, financial awareness, and operational systems.
• Execute and train BOH leaders on company systems, platforms, and operational tools as applicable.
• Communicate proactively with the Executive Chef, General Manager, and front-of-house leadership to promote a unified restaurant culture.
• Demonstrate the ability to perform every BOH position and step into any role as operational needs require.
• Address performance concerns promptly and apply consistent, reasonable judgment in disciplinary matters.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience and market.
• Performance-based bonus eligibility tied to restaurant financial and operational metrics.
• Meal benefits during scheduled shifts.
• Paid time off per company policy.
• Eligibility for health, dental, and vision benefits under the company benefits plan.
• Pathway for advancement to Executive Chef within a rapidly growing multi-unit brand.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed