Sous Chef

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park•Grand Rapids, MI

18d•Onsite

About The Position

At Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, food and hospitality are an essential part of the guest experience. From concessions and cafés to catered events and large-scale programs, our Culinary Arts & Events team delivers exceptional service that reflects the creativity, quality, and excellence of our organization. We are seeking a Sous Chef who thrives in a fast-paced culinary environment and enjoys leading teams, supporting high-volume operations, and creating exceptional food experiences across a variety of service styles and event settings.

Requirements

Minimum 4 years of culinary, concessions, catering, or food & beverage service experience required.
Minimum 2 years of shift lead, lead, or supervisory experience required.
Experience working in fast-paced, high-volume, or event-driven culinary environments.
Strong understanding of food safety, sanitation, HACCP practices, and kitchen operations.
Ability to lead teams, prioritize tasks, and remain calm under pressure.
Proficiency with knife skills, foundational cooking techniques, and kitchen equipment.
Strong communication, organization, and time-management skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with both Front-of-House and Back-of-House teams.
Reliable transportation and schedule flexibility required.
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, frequently 6–8 hours or more during shifts.
Ability to lift, move, and carry food products, kitchen supplies, catering equipment, and smallwares typically up to 20–50 pounds.
Ability to bend, reach, stoop, kneel, push, and pull during kitchen operations, stocking, setup, and cleaning activities.
Ability to safely operate kitchen equipment including ovens, grills, fryers, slicers, and related culinary tools.
Ability to perform repetitive hand and wrist movements associated with knife work, food preparation, plating, and kitchen operations.
Ability to communicate clearly in person and through standard kitchen communication methods.
Visual ability to inspect food quality, review labels and production sheets, and identify safety or operational concerns.
Ability to navigate stairs, uneven surfaces, kitchen spaces, concessions areas, and large event environments throughout shifts.
All new hires are required to complete our background check.

Nice To Haves

Current ServSafe certification preferred, or ability to obtain within required timeframe.

Responsibilities

Lead culinary staff in preparing, cooking, assembling, and presenting food according to established recipes and quality standards.
Ensure consistency in food quality, temperature, portioning, and presentation across multiple service environments.
Support concessions, prep kitchens, cafés, line service, catering operations, and event execution as business needs require.
Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, and support to culinary team members.
Foster teamwork, accountability, and operational consistency during service periods.
Help maintain positive communication and coordination between culinary leadership and kitchen staff.
Assist with production planning, event setup, plating oversight, and day-of culinary execution.
Coordinate culinary operations during catered events, concessions service, and special programs.
Support high-volume service environments while maintaining efficiency and attention to detail.
Uphold all food safety, sanitation, labeling, storage, and HACCP procedures.
Ensure proper use and maintenance of kitchen equipment and culinary workstations.
Monitor cleanliness, organization, and readiness throughout kitchen and service areas.
Monitor par levels, restocking needs, and inventory rotation practices.
Complete operational logs, documentation, and required shift reporting accurately and on time.
Assist with workflow coordination to maintain efficient service and minimize waste.
Treat guests, coworkers, volunteers, and vendors with professionalism and hospitality.
Support a welcoming and solutions-oriented environment during routine operations and high-pressure service periods.
Collaborate across departments to ensure smooth culinary and event execution.