Sous Chef

Loretto Management Corporation•Jamesville, NY

About The Position

The Sous Chef leads, coaches, and trains cooking staff to provide residents and guests with high-quality hospitality, food, and service. The role supports day-to-day menu execution, kitchen cleanliness and organization, accurate preparation and portioning according to standardized recipes, and compliance with health codes and sanitation requirements. The Sous Chef may also perform the same work as subordinate staff while coordinating and monitoring an assigned group of employees. The position oversees food quality and presentation, production levels, ingredient handling, equipment and storage-area upkeep, and daily opening and closing procedures. It assists with ordering, serves as a contact for routine kitchen issues, supports staff scheduling and workflow, and helps resolve food-related complaints. The Sous Chef also contributes to quality improvement activities, special events, celebrations, and operational projects.

Requirements

High school diploma.
2–4 years of experience in food service.
Knowledge of applicable state and federal health and sanitation regulations.
Competence in food service and delivery, including portioning, presentation, and temperature control.
Ability to interact with customers in a friendly and courteous manner and deliver an enjoyable dining experience that exceeds expectations.
Ability to provide consistent execution and exemplary service, and coach staff to do the same.
Attention to detail and ability to monitor multiple elements, adjust priorities, and complete tasks thoroughly.
Ability to lead front- and back-of-house teams, motivate staff, encourage timely service, and resolve conflicts.
Ability to respond quickly, calmly, and appropriately to employee conflict, irate residents, and other sudden issues.
Ability to communicate standards and directions clearly to staff and communicate with customers from diverse backgrounds, including people with physical, sensory, or cognitive impairments.
Outstanding interpersonal skills.
Proficiency in MS Office and ability to learn other software programs.

Nice To Haves

Prior supervisory experience.
ServeSafe certification.

Responsibilities

Maintain high standards for food quality, presentation, and service.
Maintain health-code compliance, including cooler cleanliness, product rotation, and proper labeling.
Model and coach consistent execution of menu items using standardized recipes.
Assist with daily vendor food orders when the Executive Chef is absent.
Assist with food execution and presentation in the main kitchen and remote serving kitchenettes.
Receive and resolve food-related complaints using patience, active listening, and positive communication.
Monitor production and par levels to prevent overproduction or underproduction.
Maintain the appearance, neatness, cleanliness, layout, organization, and safety of cooking areas, equipment, and fixtures.
Complete daily inspections and weekly audits to verify side work is completed.
Ensure equipment and storage areas are cleaned and maintained according to schedule or as needed.
Portion ingredients according to recipes; weigh, measure, bag, date, and label portions and prepared items.
Monitor ingredient dates to ensure items remain within time limitations.
Prepare menu items according to standardized recipes and temperatures to preserve nutrients and taste.
Observe and taste food to ensure it meets appearance and palatability standards.
Help update and refine cooking-staff policy and procedure manuals.
Confirm daily completion of cooking opening and closing procedures.
Actively support and participate in Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI) activities.
Assist with special events, celebrations, and projects, and perform other appropriate assignments as required by Dining management.
Work every other weekend, holidays, and special events as assigned.
Coordinate an assigned group of employees by communicating instructions, distributing and monitoring work, and serving as the primary contact for routine area issues.
Complete and approve schedules when applicable and ensure efficient use of assigned personnel.
Provide technical training and assistance on new equipment or procedures and help ensure employees have appropriate resources.
Provide input on employee performance and alert the manager to performance issues.
Promote service excellence and customer service, and maintain collaborative relationships with peers and staff.
Use communication and critical-thinking skills for conflict resolution, problem solving, decision-making, coaching, and other complex dialogues.