Sr Sous Chef
About The Position
Bon Appetit Management Company is a contract food service restaurant company that encourages chefs to create and bring current culinary trends to its cafes. The Senior Sous Chef plays a key leadership role in the Culinary Department, with primary oversight of the cold production kitchen. The position leads cold food production—including salads, sandwiches, composed deli offerings, cold catering, sauces, dressings, grab-and-go offerings, and specialty items—while ensuring quality, food safety, and operational efficiency. The dining program serves approximately 2,000 guests daily. Working closely with the Executive Chef, the Senior Sous Chef helps lead a team of approximately 10 culinary associates and oversees production across multiple cuisines and service platforms. This hands-on leadership role calls for strong organization, high standards of execution, staff development, and timely completion of daily production needs in a fast-paced, high-volume environment. The role also supports catering and special events, menu development, cost management, inventory, and culinary initiatives.
Requirements
- Associate's Degree (A.O.S.) in Culinary Arts, a Culinary Certificate, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 3+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience in high-volume foodservice, hospitality, higher education, corporate dining, or large-scale catering.
- Experience overseeing high-volume cold production, including salads, sandwiches, deli programs, cold catering, sauces, dressings, and prepared foods.
- Proven ability to lead and develop culinary teams of 10 or more associates.
- Experience supporting dining programs serving 1,500 or more guests daily.
- Strong catering and special event execution experience.
- Ability to manage food and labor costs while maintaining quality and guest satisfaction.
- Knowledge of production planning, forecasting, inventory management, and labor optimization.
- Knowledge of food trends, menu development, production techniques, sanitation standards, and culinary presentation.
- Ability to execute a broad range of cuisines and adapt to diverse menu concepts.
- Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and related technology platforms.
- Passion for mentoring culinary talent and fostering excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Nice To Haves
- Previous experience as a Sous Chef or Senior Sous Chef.
- ServSafe Certification.
- Experience with institutional, batch cooking, campus dining, or commissary-style production environments.
Responsibilities
- Assist the Executive Chef with overall culinary operations and uphold food quality, presentation, and service standards.
- Lead cold production operations, including salads, sandwiches, cold catering, sauces, dressings, grab-and-go offerings, and specialty menu items.
- Direct the daily work of approximately 10 cold production associates and ensure efficient workflow, quality execution, and adherence to production schedules.
- Partner with the Executive Chef on production strategies and daily dining and catering operations serving approximately 2,000 guests per day.
- Maintain quality, recipe compliance, presentation standards, and portion control across cold food offerings.
- Plan and forecast daily production to meet operational needs while minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency.
- Maintain food safety and sanitation standards in cold production areas.
- Supervise daily kitchen operations, including food production, preparation, staffing, and service execution.
- Train, coach, and develop culinary associates and promote accountability and continuous improvement.
- Support recruitment, scheduling, training, and performance management of culinary team members.
- Assist the Executive Chef with food, labor, and operating cost management while maintaining quality and financial goals.
- Monitor inventory, product rotation, ordering needs, and ingredient utilization in assigned production areas.
- Assist with menu planning, seasonal offerings, daily specials, and culinary programs.
- Produce and execute catering events, VIP functions, and special engagements.
- Collaborate with culinary leadership to develop menus featuring global cuisines and current food trends.
- Roll out culinary initiatives and programs with company culinary and marketing teams.
- Provide hands-on kitchen support during peak periods and special events.
Benefits
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Life insurance and accidental death coverage
- Disability insurance
- Retirement plan
- Paid time off
- Holiday time off (varies by site/state)
- Associate Shopping Program
- Health and Wellness Programs
- Discount Marketplace
- Identity Theft Protection
- Pet Insurance
- Commuter Benefits
- Employee Assistance Program
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
- Paid Parental Leave
- Personal Leave
- Additional paid and/or unpaid time off benefits may be available in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Associate degree
