Sous Chef (Kitchen Manager) | Notre Dame Dining

University of Notre Dame•Notre Dame, IN

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sous Chef provides leadership within Notre Dame Dining and helps deliver a high-quality, student-centered culinary program across residential dining operations. Reporting to the Executive Sous Chef or Chef de Cuisine, depending on the selected career pathway, this position oversees daily kitchen operations, culinary execution, and team leadership within an assigned dining hall or production area. The role promotes consistency, efficiency, quality food preparation, hospitality, and alignment with University values. The position leads food production and menu execution, supervises and develops culinary staff and student employees, coordinates production schedules, manages inventory and food costs, and maintains food safety and sanitation standards. It also contributes to initiatives that improve the student dining experience, including special events, themed meals, menu innovation, and responsiveness to student feedback. This is a back-of-house role in a fast-paced, high-volume residential dining environment. Flexibility is required, including availability for evenings, weekends, and peak service periods aligned with the University academic calendar. The annual salary starts at $55,000 and is commensurate with experience. The application deadline is November 12, 2026.

Requirements

Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
Three to five years of progressive culinary experience in high-volume food service environments.
Demonstrated experience leading teams in a kitchen or production setting.
Expert-level understanding of food safety, sanitation, and production systems.
Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and peak service periods aligned with the University academic calendar.

Nice To Haves

American Culinary Federation (ACF) Certified Sous Chef (CSC) certification.
Experience in collegiate or institutional dining environments.
Experience supporting large-scale, multi-station service models.

Responsibilities

Oversee daily food production within assigned stations and maintain consistency, quality, and presentation standards.
Execute menus in accordance with established recipes, culinary standards, and service expectations.
Support menu implementation, station setup and development, and selection of high-quality ingredients.
Maintain a visible culinary presence during service to support a premium student dining experience.
Supervise and direct professional cooks and student employees, establish expectations, and maintain accountability.
Train staff in culinary techniques, safety protocols, sanitation, and production standards.
Coach team members, provide constructive feedback, and support performance management through daily engagement.
Foster a professional, team-oriented kitchen environment focused on growth and consistency.
Coordinate daily production schedules with volume demands and service requirements.
Manage inventory, ordering, and receiving to maintain appropriate stock levels and product integrity.
Monitor food costs through effective utilization, portioning, and waste reduction.
Optimize kitchen workflows, including preparation, pantry production, and service execution.
Ensure compliance with local, state, and University health, safety, and sanitation standards.
Monitor food handling, storage, labeling, and temperature controls throughout production.
Maintain an organized, clean, and inspection-ready kitchen.
Support student-experience initiatives, including themed meals, special events, and menu innovation.
Respond to student feedback and evolving dietary preferences.