Sous Chef

Surety Hotel•Des Moines, IA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sous Chef works directly with the Executive Chef, collaborating on menu planning and development, productivity, menu cost controls, and ordering processes to ensure production meets business levels. A background and basic knowledge of culinary technique related to the F+B concept(s) for the hotel are critical. The Sous Chef is a highly organized individual and an expert in constant and consistent communication, able to reinforce efficiencies while ensuring consistency in kitchen operations. They lead the team through a collaborative approach, understanding that the ability to act as a soldier is as critical as being a general. Mentoring and teaching the team of culinarians is a must, as is demonstrating humility and genuine care for the items created and the individuals who execute them. At Aparium, culinary teams are expected to hold themselves, the guests, and each other in high regard. The Sous Chef will actively develop trusting and transparent relationships with all associates throughout the hotel. This role offers the opportunity to work with a phenomenal group of individuals where collaboration, humbleness, and open-minds are the norm, with no egos allowed. The ability to work with controlled measure and respect for leadership and peers is imperative, with a no-tolerance policy for the “old school way”.

Requirements

Five or more years progressive culinary experience required, preferably in a multi-service hotel or restaurant.
Passion for culinary arts, experience in a wide range of cuisines.
Basic skills in Microsoft Excel and Word to create spreadsheets and proposals.
Adaptable interpersonal communication skills to address all employee levels of the hotel.
Proficiency of the English language in reading, writing and verbal communication.
Ability to calculate basic math principles to meet proper menu ingredients and perform inventory.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment for extended periods of time to meet high volume business.
Ability to lift, balance and carry up to 25 lbs. to transport dry goods inventory, equipment, etc.
Ability to lift, balance and carry (with assistance) up to 100 lbs. to transport dry goods inventory, equipment, etc.
Ability to stand or walk for prolonged periods to cook required menu items.
Ability to withstand warm to hot environments for prolonged periods while utilizing ovens, stoves, or fryers.

Nice To Haves

Your past experiences have led you to understand that there is an art + science to the how and what a hospitality operations professional is responsible for.
You are committed to the Chef life and go through your day-to-day activities saying, “behind” and “hot” in your own home.
Your cookbook collection is dog-eared and worn from use and has outgrown its boundaries on your shelves.
Your days off are spent sharpening, obsessing over, or purchasing knives (your friends have become legitimately concerned about this, by the way).
You are a mentor to your team and capable of working any station in your kitchen, but are hungry for the next step.
You are an intrinsically motivated individual who finds their moment of Zen in a dining room filled with happy guests.
You lead your team with a composed disposition and gentle correction, passing along your culinary acumen in the process.
You have the utmost respect for the ingredients and the process: you strive to work directly with local farmers and artisans to obtain your ingredients at their height of freshness and peak of flavor.
You have tremendous culinary aptitude and are just beginning your journey to understanding the financial side of the business, and are eager to learn more.

Responsibilities

Uphold and role model the company’s principles of People, Place, and Character, while encouraging direct reports to embody values that drive collaboration, intuitive service, and translocal hospitality.
Be a key partner with the Executive Chef, Sous Chefs, and F+B Management team, demonstrating a united front committed to providing the best possible guest experience.
Collaborate with and coach the team to uphold the integrity of the food, guest experience, cleanliness, and maintenance of the culinary spaces.
Demonstrate aptitude in delivering on a guest’s expectation for an amazing culinary experience, including balancing flavor combinations, considerations for temperature and texture, guest satisfaction, and menu flow.
Understand operational metrics (KPI’s and P&L’s), demonstrating critical thinking skills by connecting those with operational observations.
Coach and mentor the team on development of their skill set, technique, and menu execution, fostering an environment of continuous growth; effectively use corrective action to address root causes of issues, course-correcting any missed opportunities.
Foster open lines of communication within the department by helping to facilitate daily line ups, weekly culinary leadership meetings, and quarterly culinary all staff meetings to create a transparent dialogue among the team to voice ideas and concerns, while addressing the department’s key priorities.
Actively participate in recruitment, training, scheduling, supervising, coaching, and motivation of all culinary associates in order to create an environment that nurtures ideas and develops future talent for succession planning in the culinary program.
Observe conditions of all physical facilities and equipment in the culinary operation, working in collaboration with the Chef, engineering department, and any third-party vendors to make corrections and improvements as needed.
Maintain regular communication with the Executive Chef and F+B Management team to provide updates, discuss plans, communicate needs, and align on priorities, understanding that flexibility with responsibilities is paramount to support a successful operation.
Offer direct support for the team through coaching, counseling, gentle correction, and constructive feedback.
Collaborate effectively with all hotel departments including Sales, Banquets & Catering, Food & Beverage, and Hotel Operations to provide an exemplary guest experience.
Be respectful in daily interactions with managers, direct reports, and peers, exemplifying the utmost level of professionalism and being a pillar within the community.
Be a subject matter expert in food and culinary techniques as well as understanding the history of the cuisine most closely related to the hotel food and beverage concept(s), effectively guiding others in their personal search with a gentle hand, never admonishing their lack of knowledge.
Demonstrate the beginnings of business acumen by ensuring that initiatives align with operational goals and budgets; shows passion to further develop this skill-set.