Sous Chef - Residential Dining

Forty-Niner Shops•Long Beach, CA

1d•$70,304 - $72,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Sous Chef supports the Chef Manager in the day-to-day culinary and operational management of residential dining locations, with primary responsibility for evening, night, and weekend operations. This position serves as the on-site culinary and operational leader, ensuring consistent food quality, safety, sanitation, service standards, and staff supervision. The Sous Chef is responsible for overseeing kitchen operations, executing menus, supervising and training staff, managing production and service flow, addressing operational issues in real time, and ensuring compliance with health, safety, and organizational standards. This role is highly hands-on and operational in nature, acting as the Chef Manager’s designee when the Chef Manager or Dining Manager is not present.

Requirements

Must be 18 years of age or older.
Minimum three years of high-volume culinary experience is required, preferably in a university, institutional, or large-scale dining environment.
Prior experience supervising staff during service periods.
Experience preparing high-volume breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night service.
Strong working knowledge of food production, sanitation, safety, and cost control.
Ability to lead teams during high-pressure service periods is essential.
Strong communication and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work effectively and cooperatively with a diverse population of students, staff, and coworkers is required.
Ability to understand and follow University and Beach Shops policies and procedures is required.
Must have the Food Manager Certification OR the ability to obtain the Food Manager Certification within the first 30 days of employment.
Must be 18 years of age or older.

Nice To Haves

A degree from a post-secondary culinary arts training program is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Oversees evening, night, and weekend kitchen operations to ensure service continuity, food quality, portion control, and presentation standards.
Prepares food and works side-by-side with staff during service to ensure execution of recipes and service timelines.
Acts as the senior on-site culinary authority during assigned shifts, making operational decisions as needed.
Ensures adherence to standardized recipes, menu specifications, and production plans.
Monitors production levels to reduce waste and maintain cost controls.
Demonstrates a refined palate and strong-tasting skills to ensure food quality and consistency; contributes creative menu concepts, recipes, and culinary innovations that enhance the dining experience.
Ensures compliance with all health department regulations, food safety standards, and sanitation procedures.
Maintains a clean, safe, and organized work environment throughout shifts.
Verifies proper food handling, storage, labeling, and temperature controls.
Ensures proper use of equipment, PPE, and company-approved uniforms.
Assists with inventory control, including monitoring product usage during assigned shifts and reporting shortages or concerns.
Supports accurate completion of required logs, temperature records, and operational documentation.
Communicates operational issues, staffing concerns, supply needs, and equipment malfunctions to the Chef Manager or Dining Manager.
Supports front-of-the-house operations during evening and weekend service periods, as needed.
Addresses guest and student concerns professionally and promptly.
Assists with the execution of special events, themed meals, and late-night dining services.
Directly supervises culinary staff, including cooks, prep cooks, and utility staff.
Provides on-the-job coaching, training, and guidance to staff, reinforcing culinary techniques, sanitation practices, and service expectations.
Assists in hiring, training, and scheduling the employees.
Assists with employee scheduling adjustments during evenings and weekends as needed to meet business demands.
Coaches employees and supports performance management in alignment with company policies.