Sous Chef - LSC

Valencia Group•Austin, TX

17h

About The Position

The Sous Chef is the senior culinary leader at Lone Star Court, responsible for all kitchen operations for the Water Trough, in-room dining, and banquet events. The role oversees menu development, food quality, kitchen staffing, and cost controls, while working hands-on during service and upholding food safety and guest satisfaction standards. The Sous Chef develops menus and specials in partnership with the Food & Beverage Manager, manages food costs and inventory, and oversees kitchen preparation, production, plating, presentation, equipment maintenance, and cleanliness. The role directly supervises Line Cooks and the Stewarding team; recruits, trains, schedules, and reviews culinary staff; and supports staff development and kitchen leadership coverage. The position ensures food quality, presentation, and ticket times meet guest expectations; oversees special dietary and allergen requests; and coordinates with restaurant, bar, banquet, and Food & Beverage leadership on production, specials, event planning, and reporting. It also ensures compliance with food safety, sanitation, and HACCP standards and prepares the kitchen for health inspections.

Requirements

Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Effective time management and problem-solving skills.
Advanced knowledge of food preparation techniques, menu costing, and kitchen management software.
Ability to work well with a team and demonstrate attention to detail.
Excellent organizational skills and interpersonal abilities.
Minimum 4 years of progressive culinary or kitchen experience, including at least 2 years in a sous chef, kitchen manager, or lead cook role, or leading a kitchen team.
Food Handler’s certification and, where required, food manager certification, or ability to obtain certification within 30 days of hire.
Ability to perform the essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
Frequent standing and walking throughout the shift; ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds; frequent bending, reaching, and repetitive motion; and ability to work around heat, open flames, and sharp tools.

Nice To Haves

Culinary degree or equivalent culinary training preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain menus and specials for the Water Trough, in-room dining, and banquet events with the Food & Beverage Manager, ensuring quality, consistency, and cost-effectiveness.
Manage food costs, inventory, ordering, and receiving.
Run the line and expedite during service.
Oversee daily preparation, production, plating, and presentation standards.
Ensure proper equipment maintenance and kitchen cleanliness.
Directly supervise Line Cooks and the Stewarding team.
Recruit, hire, train, and schedule culinary staff; conduct performance reviews and manage staffing to labor budget targets.
Lead pre-shift line-ups and ongoing culinary training for the kitchen team.
Designate a lead cook to run the kitchen when the Sous Chef is off property.
Ensure food quality, presentation, and ticket times consistently meet guest expectations.
Personally oversee special dietary requests and allergen orders.
Ensure in-room dining orders leave the kitchen complete, with all items and condiments.
Respond to guest feedback regarding food quality in partnership with the Food & Beverage Manager.
Train Line Cooks on recipes, station setup, and plating standards; mentor and develop lead cooks.
Build a culture of accountability, cleanliness, and culinary excellence across all shifts.
Partner with the Food & Beverage Manager on menu pricing, food cost reporting, and banquet event planning (BEOs).
Communicate with Water Trough, bar, and banquet leadership about production needs, specials, unavailable items, and timing.
Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and HACCP standards; oversee food storage, labeling, dating, and temperature logs.
Prepare the kitchen for health inspections; promote safe knife handling and equipment use; report hazards immediately.
Maintain cleanliness and organization in all work areas and courteous behavior with guests and team members.
Report unsafe conditions, ensure hotel equipment is in proper working condition, attend required meetings, follow company policies and procedures, and perform additional duties as assigned.