Sous Chef, Operations

gategroup•Chantilly, VA

11d

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. This role provides culinary expertise and leadership, promotes quality food services, ensures food safety and sanitation requirements are followed, and drives food production with the assistance of Food Supervisors. The position oversees production quality and quantity, staffing and scheduling, production sheets, raw material requisitions, training, safety, cleanliness, and daily hot and/or cold kitchen operations. It also supports employee performance, retention, compliance with wage and hour policies and applicable collective bargaining agreements, and accurate employee cost-center, job-title, and pay-rate records. This is an exempt, full-time position with a typical rotating schedule of over 55 hours per week and shifts of 10 or more hours. Travel may be required up to 25%. The role reports to the Executive Sous Chef, Operations or Executive Chef, Operations, and may have up to 40 direct reports. The work takes place in a production kitchen where temperature and noise may cause physical discomfort; the position involves standing, bending, lifting, and moving during shifts, including handling items over 25 pounds.

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 during shifts of 10 or more hours, and to lift, push, pull, and move products, equipment, and supplies weighing more than 25 pounds.
Ability to work a rotating schedule typically exceeding 55 hours per week.
Complete all Company-required 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 skills.

Responsibilities

Ensure food specifications and labor objectives meet Company and customer requirements.
Supervise the department for food quality and quantity, ensure items are produced and dated to specification, and follow the applicable coding systems and governmental regulations, including FDA, USDA, and HAACP requirements.
Track attendance, prepare paperwork, set up each shift, and assign employees to sections to optimize schedules.
Order raw materials from the storeroom and produce additional meals at short notice when needed.
Prepare daily production sheets, assign employee tasks, and direct production using the sheets and passenger counts.
Take responsibility for food items after requisitioning them from the storeroom.
Train and recurrently train employees on proper preparation procedures and monitor work procedures to support productivity while controlling labor and food expenses.
Ensure safety procedures are followed and maintain cleanliness throughout the shift.
Manage daily hot and/or cold kitchen production for quality and consistency.
Ensure compliance with the Company Wage & Hour policy, including employee rest and meal breaks and required processes.
Monitor daily manpower planning and schedule employees.
Support employee retention and reduce turnover.
Coach and counsel employees and prepare corrective actions in compliance with applicable union or collective bargaining agreements.
Ensure employees in the chain of command are assigned to correct cost centers and job titles, and ensure union employees' pay rates align with wage scales and seniority.
Complete all required Company training, including ServSafe, and comply with required Company policies, procedures, and processes.
Work with airline customers and internal production areas.