Sous Chef (Japanese Cuisine), Operations

gategroup•Honolulu, HI

2d•$90,000 - $95,000

About The Position

The Sous Chef, Operations assists the Executive Sous Chef or Executive Chef for the unit in designing and preparing meals for airline customers. The role provides culinary expertise and leadership, promotes quality food service, ensures food safety and sanitation requirements are followed, and drives food production with the assistance of Food Supervisors. The position is responsible for meeting company and customer food specifications and labor objectives, directing daily hot and/or cold kitchen production, and supporting quality and consistency across food items. The Sous Chef supervises and schedules employees, assigns work and production tasks, monitors staffing and attendance, and trains employees in proper preparation and work procedures. The role also oversees requisitioned food items, orders raw materials from the storeroom, prepares production documentation, and may produce additional meals at short notice. It ensures compliance with food regulations, company policies, wage-and-hour requirements, and applicable union agreements, and supports employee retention, coaching, and corrective action. This is a full-time, exempt role with travel of up to 25%. A rotating schedule exceeding 55 hours per week is typical, and shifts may last 10 or more hours. The work takes place in a production kitchen where temperature and noise may cause physical discomfort. The position requires standing, bending, lifting, and moving during shifts, as well as moving products, equipment, or supplies weighing more than 25 pounds. The role reports to the Executive Sous Chef, Operations or Executive Chef, Operations, and may have up to 40 direct reports, depending on the unit.

Requirements

At least 1–3 years of experience as a Chef and/or Sous Chef.
At least 7 years of experience as a cook.
Ability to cook meals according to detailed specifications.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
Strong leadership skills and ability to manage a team of cooks.
Ability to train others and provide positive and negative employee feedback on a daily basis.
Excellent time-management skills and ability to handle multiple tasks while maintaining focus on priorities.
Strong organizational, analytical, communication, and leadership skills.
Ability to make operational changes to improve the work environment and unit performance.
Basic computer skills.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Ability to stand, bend, lift, and move intermittently during shifts of 10 or more hours.
Ability to lift, push, pull, and move products, equipment, and supplies weighing more than 25 pounds.
Ability to work in a production kitchen where temperature and noise may cause physical discomfort.
Availability for a rotating schedule typically exceeding 55 hours per week.
Must complete required company training and comply with company policies, procedures, and processes.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree in Culinary Arts or a Culinary Arts certification.
Previous supervisory experience in a high-volume, manufacturing, food production, restaurant, or catering environment.
In-flight catering experience or experience in a high-volume food service environment.
Current or previous labor relations experience.
Experience with menu design.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office products.
ServSafe certification.
Bilingual Spanish language skills.

Responsibilities

Ensure food specifications and labor objectives meet company and customer requirements.
Supervise the department for quality and quantity; ensure items are produced and dated according to specifications and the applicable coding system and regulations, including FDA, USDA, and HACCP requirements.
Track attendance, prepare paperwork, organize each shift, and assign employees to sections to optimize schedules.
Order raw materials from the storeroom and produce extra meals at short notice when needed.
Prepare the daily production sheet, assign tasks, and direct employees using the production sheet and passenger counts.
Oversee food items after requisitioning them from the storeroom and provide initial and recurrent training on proper preparation procedures.
Ensure safety procedures are followed and maintain cleanliness throughout the shift.
Manage daily hot and/or cold kitchen production to ensure quality and consistency.
Ensure compliance with company Wage & Hour policy, including required rest and meal breaks, and follow company processes.
Train and monitor employees on work procedures to maximize productivity while minimizing labor and food expenses.
Monitor daily manpower planning and schedule employees.
Support employee retention and reduce employee turnover.
Coach and counsel employees and prepare corrective actions in compliance with applicable union or collective bargaining agreements.
Review employees in the chain of command to ensure their cost centers and job titles are correct.
Verify union-represented employees’ pay rates against wage scales and seniority.
Complete required company training, including ServSafe training where applicable, and comply with company policies, procedures, and processes.
Travel as required, up to 25%.