Sous Chef

Ema•Chicago, IL

22d•$55,000 - $75,000•Onsite

About The Position

Ema, a Mediterranean restaurant in Chicago’s River North, showcases Chef CJ Jacobson’s lighter California style of cooking, highlighting local produce, unique spices, and ingredients. Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants is hiring a Sous Chef to help lead kitchen operations. The role includes running back-of-house shifts, overseeing food preparation and cooking, maintaining inventory and food quality, supporting food-cost controls, and helping hire, train, supervise, and develop back-of-house employees. The position requires working a variety of days and shifts, including early mornings, late nights, and weekends, and may involve work at multiple sites with or without overnight travel as needed. The stated salary range is $55,000–$75,000 per year.

Requirements

2–3 years of sous chef experience in a full-service restaurant.
Ability to lead and manage kitchen staff.

Responsibilities

Run back-of-house shifts and ensure effective, efficient operations, including food preparation and cooking; maintain adequate inventory of food and supplies; and supervise kitchen, dish, and other back-of-house teams.
Lead back-of-house pre-shift meetings and participate in line, temperature, and cooler checks and shift food tastings.
Partner with the general manager and/or designated managers and chefs to review and maintain recipe books regularly.
Perform regular line checks throughout the day to ensure the quality of menu items.
Purchase and order food products and restaurant supplies, including daily product orders.
Assist with tracking and controlling food costs.
Ensure effective communication between front-of-house and back-of-house teams about food production and timing issues, needs, and special requests.
Partner with the general manager and management team to interview, hire, onboard, train, supervise, and develop back-of-house employees and teams as needed.
Model and promote teamwork across teams.
Use tact and good judgment when addressing challenges involving guests, vendors, and employees, and respond with patience and courtesy.
Work a variety of days and shifts, including early mornings, late nights, and weekends, at multiple sites with or without overnight travel as needed.
Move and lift up to 10 pounds; frequently move and/or lift up to 25 pounds; occasionally move and/or lift up to 50 pounds.