Sous Chef

Pitzer College•Claremont, CA

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sous Chef supports the Executive Chef in overseeing daily kitchen operations and maintaining a safe, clean, and efficient work environment. The role assists with meal preparation and execution in accordance with corporate programs and culinary standards, and helps ensure food is high quality, creatively prepared, appropriately presented, and cost-effective. The Sous Chef contributes to menus that meet the college community’s cultural and dietary needs and supports display, catering, and café culinary setups that meet account standards. The position works with the Executive Chef and management team on purchasing, sourcing local and seasonal foods, inventory, food-cost controls, seasonal tastings, and special events. It promotes proper, sustainable waste disposal and compliance with health, sanitation, and safety requirements. The Sous Chef works collaboratively with staff, faculty, students, suppliers, and guests, and supervises staff and student employees. This is a regular, non-exempt, full-time staff position scheduled for 11 months per year, with no work in June. It is on campus in Claremont, California. The hourly schedule consists of assigned shifts totaling 40 hours between Saturday and Friday, within the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. while classes are in session. Schedules may vary according to college or department needs and are not guaranteed. Department closures generally occur for approximately one to two weeks three times per year; alternative work may be available by signed agreement during closures. The budgeted pay range is $31.25–$31.88 per hour.

Requirements

A.S. degree or equivalent experience.
Institutional and batch cooking experience.
Comprehensive knowledge of food and catering trends, with a focus on quality, production, sanitation, food-cost controls, and presentation.
Computer experience, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Outlook, email, and the Internet; the posting also calls for expert-level use of Excel.
ServSafe certification.
At least two years of progressive culinary or kitchen management experience, depending on formal education or training.
Ability to follow and provide written and oral instructions and recipes in English.
Ability to provide high-quality products and service in a fast-paced environment with a heavy workload and frequent interruptions.
Knowledge of common food allergens and how to minimize cross-contact.
Ability to communicate effectively in English with team members about meals.
Ability to work productively and efficiently without compromising quality or safety.
Ability to work cordially and productively with a diverse community of managers, coworkers, students, staff, faculty, and guests.
Ability to seek, accept, and use constructive feedback for professional development.
Organizational and leadership skills to coordinate efforts with team members.
Expertise in safe food handling, sanitation, and workplace safety, including HACCP guidelines, ServSafe, and personal protective equipment requirements.
Ability to ensure compliance with safety rules and regulations and proper use of personal safety equipment, food-preparation equipment, and cleaning compounds.
Expertise using knives and a variety of commercial kitchen equipment.
Ability to contribute new or creative ideas to the assigned area.
Strong leadership and collaboration skills and commitment to a team-based work environment.
Ability to problem-solve and use analytical skills to develop and implement creative solutions.
Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills and attention to detail.
Ability to take initiative, meet deadlines, organize and prioritize multiple projects, think strategically, and work with numbers and data.
Personal integrity and ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
Positive attitude, strong work ethic, and sound professional judgment.
Must have access to a reliable and secure computer and internet connection, and maintain password protection for work files and records and prevent others from accessing login credentials at a remote work site.
Must be willing to participate in client satisfaction programs and activities.
Ability to meet the physical requirements of the position, including standing, walking, bending, climbing, pushing, pulling, stooping, twisting, stretching, reaching, lifting up to 50 pounds from ground to waist without assistance, and working on one’s feet for prolonged periods.
Manual dexterity to safely operate commercial kitchen equipment and knives and serve food and beverages; fine motor skills for cutting and chopping; sufficient vision to inspect food and labels; and adequate hearing to communicate and respond to alarms.
Ability to work in hot, humid, and noisy conditions; move quickly in tight kitchen spaces; endure long shifts during peak periods; and react quickly in emergencies.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual ability in Spanish.
Extensive catering experience.
Strong background in high-volume, complex foodservice operations.

Responsibilities

Support the Executive Chef in overseeing daily kitchen operations and maintaining a safe, clean, and efficient working environment.
Assist with preparing and executing meals in accordance with corporate programs and culinary standards.
Ensure menus, programs, concepts, and assigned tasks are carried out in a timely manner.
Prepare and present high-quality food creatively and cost-effectively.
Prepare balanced menus that meet the cultural and dietary needs of the college community.
Ensure products and ingredients are purchased according to Pitzer’s purchasing standards and sustainability commitments.
Work with the management team to ensure display, catering, and café culinary setups meet account standards.
Ensure kitchen waste is disposed of properly using sustainable methods supported by the client.
Assist the Executive Chef with placing orders, sourcing local and seasonal foods, and following purchasing guidelines.
Complete inventory on an appropriate schedule.
Work with the Executive Chef to meet weekly food-cost budget goals.
Assist the Executive Chef and Catering Management team with special events, including staff and culinary support.
Work with the Executive Chef and General Manager to plan seasonal tastings of new menu items.
Comply with federal, state, and local health and sanitation regulations and departmental sanitation procedures.
Follow safety policies and procedures, including occurrence reporting.
Attend departmental meetings, staff development, and professional programs as appropriate.
Supervise staff and student employees.
Perform other duties as assigned.