Sous Chef

Aparium Hotel Group•Fargo, ND

25d

About The Position

The Sous Chef reports to and works directly with the Executive Chef, and other culinary leaders, collaborating with menu planning and development, productivity, menu cost controls, and ordering processes to ensure production meets business levels. It is critical that you possess a background and basic knowledge of culinary techniques related to the F+B concept(s) for the hotel. You are a highly organized individual and an expert in constant and consistent communication, able to reinforce efficiencies while ensuring consistency in the kitchen operations. You lead the team through your collaborative approach—you understand that the ability to act as a soldier is as critical as being a general. Having the skills to mentor and teach your team of culinarians is a must for this position, as is demonstrating humility and genuine care for the items you create and the individuals who execute upon them. Our culinary teams are expected to hold themselves, the guests, and each other in high regard. You will actively develop trusting and transparent relationships with all associates throughout the hotel. You will have the opportunity to work with a phenomenal group of individuals with whom collaboration, humbleness, and open-minds are the norm—no egos are allowed. The ability to work with controlled measure and respect for your leadership team and peers is imperative; we have a no-tolerance policy for the “old school way”. Must have flexible availability and be able to work most weekends. Your past experiences have led you to understand that there is an art + science to the how and what a hospitality operations professional is responsible for. You are committed to the Chef life and go through your day-to-day activities saying, “behind” and “hot” in your own home. Your cookbook collection is dog-eared and worn from use and has outgrown its boundaries on your shelves. Your days off are spent sharpening, obsessing over, or purchasing knives (your friends have become legitimately concerned about this, by the way). You are a mentor to your team and capable of working any station in your kitchen but are hungry for the next step. You are an intrinsically motivated individual who finds their moment of Zen in a dining room filled with happy guests. You lead your team with a composed disposition and gentle correction, passing along your culinary acumen in the process. You have the utmost respect for the ingredients and the process: you strive to work directly with local farmers and artisans to obtain your ingredients at their height of freshness and peak of flavor. You have tremendous culinary aptitude and are just beginning your journey to understanding the financial side of the business and are eager to learn more.

Requirements

Five or more years progressive culinary experience required, preferably in a multi-service hotel or restaurant
Passion for culinary arts, experience in a wide range of cuisines
Basic skills in Microsoft Excel and Word to create spreadsheets and proposals
Adaptable interpersonal communication skills to address all employee levels of the hotel
Proficiency of the English language in reading, writing and verbal communication
Ability to calculate basic math principles to meet proper menu ingredients and perform inventory
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment for extended periods of time to meet high volume business
Ability to lift, balance and carry up to 25 lbs. to transport dry goods inventory, equipment, etc.
Ability to lift, balance and carry (with assistance) up to 100 lbs. to transport dry goods inventory, equipment, etc.
Ability to stand or walk for prolonged periods to cook required menu items
Ability to withstand warm to hot environments for prolonged periods while utilizing ovens, stoves, or fryers

Responsibilities

Prepare and execute high-quality dishes during service, ensuring consistency, flavor, and presentation.
May work with front of house leadership to expo, ensuring food flows smoothly from the kitchen to the dining room while maintaining quality and presentation standards.
Collaborate with and coach your team to uphold the integrity of the food, guest experience, cleanliness, and maintenance of the culinary spaces
Demonstrate your aptitude of how to deliver on a guest’s expectation for an amazing culinary experience, including balancing flavor combinations, considerations for temperature and texture, guest satisfaction, and menu flow
Understanding of operational metrics (KPI’s and P&L’s), demonstrating critical thinking skills by connecting those with operational observations
Coach and mentor your team on development of their skill set, technique, and menu execution, fostering an environment of continuous growth; effectively use corrective action to address root causes of issues, course-correcting any missed opportunities
Foster open lines of communication within the department by helping to facilitate daily line ups, weekly culinary leadership meetings, and quarterly culinary all staff meetings to create a transparent dialogue among the team to voice ideas and concerns, while addressing the department’s key priorities
Actively participate in recruitment, training, scheduling, supervising, coaching, and motivation of all culinary associates in order to create an environment that nurtures ideas and develops future talent for succession planning in the culinary program
Observe conditions of all physical facilities and equipment in the culinary operation, working in collaboration with the Chef, engineering department, and any third-party vendors to make corrections and improvements as needed
Maintain regular communication with the Executive Chef and F+B Management team to provide updates, discuss plans, communicate needs, and align on priorities, understanding that flexibility with your responsibilities is paramount to support a successful operation
Uphold and role model the company’s principles of People, Place, and Character, while encouraging your direct reports to embody our values that drive collaboration, intuitive service, and translocal hospitality
Be a key partner with the Executive Chef, Sous Chefs, and F+B Management team, demonstrating a united front committed to providing the best possible guest experience