Executive Sous Chef

gategroup•Seattle, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Executive Sous Chef supports the Executive Chef in the daily monitoring of the preparation of pre-designed meals for multi-customer accounts. This role involves culinary expertise through the management of all Chefs, Cooks, and production employees in all food production areas of a Large Catering unit. The Executive Sous Chef is responsible for promoting and ensuring quality food services to airline clients and managing product management and waste in a hub unit or facility of high complexity due to volume and international customer mix. The position reports to the Executive Chef and acts as the lead chef in the absence of the Executive Chef.

Requirements

Associate Degree or Bachelor Degree in the Culinary Arts or a related field (formal culinary education) required.
Certification as CCC from ACF, ProChef II or equivalent.
Minimum 7-10 years in progressive Chef growth positions is required.
Minimum of 1-3 years supervisory experience working in a high volume, manufacturing, food production, and restaurant or catering environment required.
In-flight catering experience or experience in a high-volume food service environment required.
Ability to cook meals according to detailed specifications.
Ability to work in a fast paced, deadline driven environment.
Must have strong and effective leadership skills, and the ability to successfully manage a staff of 2 to 3 Sous Chefs and over production employees.
Candidate must be comfortable with all levels of employees and have the ability to drive positive program change.
Ability to train others required.
Must have the ability to give negative and positive feedback to employees on a daily basis.
Excellent time management skills required.
Ability to handle multiple tasks without losing focus on priorities.
Strong organizational, analytical, communication and leadership skills required.
Must be innovative and have the ability to make changes to the operation as needed to further improve the work environment and unit performance.
Basic computer skills required.
Ability to obtain ServSafe Certification required.
Must have excellent written and oral communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Current or previous labor relations experience is a plus.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office products preferred.
Multi-lingual a plus.

Responsibilities

Acts in support of the Executive Chef to drive menu and product quality in all production areas by overseeing food preparation and production.
Consults with the Buyer; Chefs, cooks, and team leaders; minimizes waste through portioning, overboarding over-production, and inventory control.
In the absence of the Executive Chefs, acts as the Culinary Lead for the unit.
Ensures Menu presentations are properly planned, set up, and specifications reviewed to ensure compliance to recipes and portion specifications as required by the customer.
Understands menu and product specifications and ensures menu employee training is completed.
Ensures waste is minimized through oversight of proper portion and production management with all chefs throughout the production areas.
Using a “Pull System”, ensures accurate and timely inventories are completed so requisitions are based on demand.
Achieves culinary operational objectives by contributing information and analysis to strategic plans and reviews; preparing and completing action plans; implementing production, productivity, quality, and customer-service standards; serving as culinary resource support to Executive Chef and operations management.
Acts to identify and resolve problems, completes timely audits, and serves as a “Change Agent”.
Assists as the support lead for menu presentations, works with the Executive Chef to ensure products, production, and costs are efficiently managed and all variances are noted.
Responsible for coaching, counseling, and preparing corrective action for employees.
Maintains safe, secure, and healthy work environment by establishing, following, and enforcing standards and procedures; complying with sanitation and federal, state, and local legal regulations; overseeing food preparation, safety, and security; reviewing and implementing accident and disaster plans.
Ensures quality production standards are followed and maintained.
Ensures employees adhere to HACCP, FDA and safety regulations and compliance with company policies and procedures.
Ensures meal cycles are communicated in a timely and accurate basis.
Monitors yields of products to ensure maximum usage.
Works with management staff to improve performance of the unit.
Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; benchmarking state-of-the-art practices; being sought for opinions as a culinary expert; contributing to professional publications; participating in professional societies and sharing this information with direct reports.
Ensures all cooks, and Sous Chef employees have the skills and abilities to perform all cooking and food preparation requirements of all the Airline Accounts serviced in the Unit.
Trains and monitors employees on proper work procedures and production of products to ensure maximum productivity with minimum labor and food expenses.
Assists in the development and training of cooks as required.
Responsible for culinary employee onboarding and retention.
Completes all company required training including but not limited to ServSafe Sanitation Manager Certification.
Maintains culinary equipment by following operating instructions; instructing staff in equipment use; troubleshooting breakdowns; maintaining equipment supplies; ensuring preventive maintenance and repairs; evaluating the unit cooking equipment against the current needs and future expectations.
Initiates and supports NPT and timesaving production techniques, training others in specialty techniques.
Improves menu quality and consistency by analyzing food production records and menu expenses; promoting kitchen staff interest in quality improvement; studying, evaluating, and re-designing processes; implementing changes.
Prepares menu and food preparation reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing food, dining, and customer data and trends.