Sous Chef

Caesars Entertainment•Danville, VA

19d•$50,000 - $63,000

About The Position

The Sous Chef establishes leadership, direction, and accountability for lead- and line-level employees in assigned culinary areas. Under the direction of the Executive Chef, the role maintains the consistency and quality of food items, ensures menu-development timelines are met, and manages teams to meet budget, food-quality, and customer-service expectations. The position combines hands-on kitchen leadership with administrative duties, with an expectation of spending 80% of the day on the floor and 20% on administrative work. The Sous Chef oversees hiring, training, scheduling, performance reviews, coaching, employee concerns, and disciplinary processes. The role monitors food safety, sanitation, health inspections, and compliance with culinary standard operating procedures, and ensures required operational tools and reports are used. The position provides coverage for lead- and line-level staff during vacations or staffing gaps.

Requirements

A degree or certification from an accredited culinary arts institute, an American Culinary Federation apprenticeship certification, or equivalent years of experience as a professional chef for a hotel, resort, or chain-concept restaurant corporation.
Experience must include room service, continental cuisine, high-volume three-meal/coffee shop operations, steakhouse, and Italian cuisine.
Working knowledge of Asian, Mexican, Southern, Italian, Cajun, Continental, seafood, and East Coast cuisines.
Ability to uphold and demonstrate the highest level of integrity and recognize standards required in a regulated business.
Expert working knowledge and proficiency in food storage and identification; food cooling and thawing; food re-thermalization; managing and expediting orders; recipe formulation and yield; knife handling and sharpening; stock, soup, and sauce production; dry, moist, and combination cooking; pantry and garde manger preparation; and weights and measures.
Must be able to stand for the entire shift and withstand frequent temperature changes.
Must be able to bend, stoop, reach, crouch, kneel, push, and pull.
Must be able to lift 70 pounds above or below the shoulders and push or pull 125 pounds on a cart.
Must be able to tolerate cleaning and sanitizing chemicals and work in an area containing secondhand smoke.
Must be flexible with schedule and able to maneuver throughout all kitchen and outlet areas.
Must have visual acuity and manual dexterity to work with kitchen utensils and equipment.

Responsibilities

Interview, train, and select department employees.
Maintain consistency and quality of food items under the direction of the Executive Chef.
Ensure menu-development timelines are met.
Direct and manage lead- and line-level employees to meet budgetary, food-quality, and customer-service expectations.
Ensure employees receive comprehensive training and exposure to expected areas of competence.
Provide lead- and line-level support and coverage during vacations or staffing gaps.
Conduct performance reviews, provide feedback and coaching, and offer development guidance.
Respond to employee complaints and grievances in a timely and efficient manner.
Recommend or take appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with established policies and procedures.
Plan, supervise, and monitor the work of team members in assigned areas.
Help ensure schedules are complete based on forecasts and allowable productivity standards, and are posted on time and applied fairly and consistently.
Approve vacation and floater requests and communicate relevant information to team members.
Ensure direct reports complete daily sanitation checklists and temperature-log reports for each area.
Conduct random health inspections and health-card audits.
Instruct team members in safe food handling and sanitation.
Spend an expected 80% of the day on the floor and 20% on administrative duties.
See direct reports daily and meet with them monthly, including one-on-one meetings.
Mentor and coach direct reports and staff, and provide documentation when necessary according to CET Standard Operating Procedures.
Complete or ensure timely completion of 90-day and annual reviews.
Ensure assigned areas comply with CET Culinary Standard Operating Procedures and educate and hold direct reports accountable to each standard.
Ensure assigned areas use CET SOP tools, including recipe cards, logs, production sheets, cost reports, menu manuals, service guides, product lists, station diagrams, and culinary performance reports.