Sous Chef

Compass Group•Tuscaloosa, AL

32d•$55,000 - $65,000•Onsite

About The Position

Join Bon Appétit at The University of Alabama and help create exceptional dining experiences for students, faculty, staff, and guests. As Sous Chef, you will play an important role in supporting daily culinary operations within a dynamic, high-volume campus dining environment. Working closely with the Executive Chef, you will help lead kitchen operations, support menu innovation, develop culinary team members, and ensure consistently high standards of food quality, safety, and service. This opportunity is ideal for a culinary professional who enjoys hands-on food production, mentoring others, and contributing to a collaborative and guest-focused dining program.

Requirements

Associate degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
Experience in high-volume foodservice environments such as higher education dining, hospitality, healthcare, restaurants, catering, or contract foodservice.
Experience supporting, coaching, or supervising culinary teams.
Knowledge of batch cooking, production cooking, and large-scale food preparation techniques.
Experience executing catering events and managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Understanding of food quality standards, menu development, food presentation, and current culinary trends.
Familiarity with inventory management, purchasing, food cost controls, and labor management practices.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and foodservice management systems.
Strong communication, organization, problem-solving, and team collaboration skills.
ServSafe Certification or willingness to obtain certification.
Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and special campus events as business needs require.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Executive Chef to support daily kitchen operations, food production, and culinary team performance.
Prepare and oversee the preparation of high-quality menu items for residential dining locations, retail concepts, catering functions, and special events.
Guide, coach, and develop hourly culinary associates while fostering a culture of teamwork, inclusion, safety, and accountability.
Support menu planning, recipe development, and seasonal offerings that reflect culinary trends and guest preferences.
Execute catering and campus events while maintaining high standards for quality, presentation, and service.
Monitor food quality, consistency, portion control, and presentation to ensure a positive guest experience.
Assist with inventory management, purchasing, receiving, storage, and product rotation practices.
Support food cost management initiatives and contribute to efficient labor and operational practices.
Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, HACCP, and company standards.
Assist in launching new culinary programs, menu concepts, and dining initiatives.
Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen environment.
Collaborate with colleagues across dining operations to continuously improve service, efficiency, and guest satisfaction.