Sous Chef - Rhodes College

Compass Group•Memphis, TN

4d•$55,000 - $60,000•Onsite

About The Position

Rhodes College is seeking a driven and collaborative Sous Chef to help lead the daily culinary operations for our residential dining program. This is an excellent opportunity for a passionate culinary professional who enjoys mentoring teams, creating exceptional dining experiences, and contributing to an innovative campus food program. The ideal candidate has a strong foundation in scratch cooking, menu development, and product costing, along with a commitment to food quality, kitchen safety, and developing culinary talent. You'll work alongside the Executive Chef to execute diverse menus, maintain high operational standards, and foster a positive, team-oriented kitchen culture.

Requirements

Minimum of 5 years of culinary experience, including at least 1 year in a supervisory or lead role.
Experience in high-volume foodservice operations such as higher education, corporate dining, hotels, restaurants, healthcare, or similar environments.
Strong knowledge of menu development, product costing, inventory management, and food cost controls.
Thorough understanding of culinary techniques, cooking methods, ingredients, and industry terminology.
Demonstrated ability to train, mentor, and develop culinary staff while fostering a positive and inclusive team environment.
Comprehensive knowledge of food safety, sanitation, HACCP principles, and kitchen safety best practices.
Experience creating production schedules and managing kitchen workflow.
Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel.
A commitment to providing an outstanding dining experience for the Rhodes College community.

Nice To Haves

ServSafe Certification preferred.
Associate degree in Culinary Arts or equivalent culinary education preferred.
Passion for preparing exceptional food and delivering memorable dining experiences.
A collaborative leadership style with a commitment to mentoring and developing others.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to balance quality, efficiency, and financial performance.
Creativity, adaptability, and a continuous improvement mindset.

Responsibilities

Assist the Executive Chef in overseeing daily kitchen operations and ensuring consistent execution of high-quality food production.
Participate in menu planning and recipe development with an emphasis on creativity, seasonality, nutrition, and operational efficiency.
Utilize product costing and food cost analysis to support budget goals while maintaining quality and value.
Coordinate purchasing, inventory management, production planning, and ordering to ensure efficient kitchen operations.
Lead, train, coach, and develop culinary team members while promoting accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
Demonstrate and reinforce proper culinary techniques, knife skills, cooking methods, and industry terminology through hands-on leadership.
Maintain the highest standards of food safety, sanitation, HACCP compliance, and workplace safety.
Assist with production scheduling and preparation while ensuring recipes, portions, and presentation standards are consistently followed.
Support special events, catering functions, and campus programs as needed.
Partner with leadership to implement new culinary initiatives and enhance the overall dining experience.