Executive Sous Chef

 Awarded the Great Place to Work Certificate in 2024 & 2025 

Position Summary:

The Executive Sous Chef is responsible for all aspects of the kitchen such as menu plans, operations, recipes, financial responsibility, portion and inventory control, food quality, and employee supervision. The Executive Sous Chef provides leadership training and hands-on management of the kitchen staff. The Executive Sous Chef is in charge of executing the food in the main kitchen, drives menu design and kitchen creativity and is responsible for growing and developing the product and profitability of the food service program. The Executive Sous Chef provides a consistent product and experience achieving revenue targets and managing costs as well as ensures all staff under direct supervision are focused and demonstrating a Guest Centric attitude and culture. In addition to maintaining our vision by adhering to our values and management principles, this position must provide the highest level of service to our guests.

Essential Function:

• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels. 
• Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints. 
• Able to make recommendations to the Executive Chef regarding succession planning. · To be aware of all financial budgets and goals. 
• To ensure that guests are always receiving an exceptional dining experience representing true value for money. 
• Ensure that all recipes and product yields are accurately costed and reviewed regularly. · Ensure that all food items are prepared as per standard recipe cards whilst maintaining portion control and minimizing waste. 
• Ensure that food stock levels within the culinary department areas are of sufficient quantity and quality in relevance to the hotel occupancy and function forecasts. 
• Ensure that chefs are always in clean, tidy uniforms and are always presentable to be in guest view.
• Carrying out the preparation and cooking of variety of culinary dishes in different cooking styles 
• Produce high quality plates both design and taste wise.
• Maintaining the food quality and commercial viability of the food 
• Training the culinary chefs on cooking styles, health and security measures, and food quality maintenance
• Manage and run production lines while coaching and developing lead team associates. 
• Helps with the Executive Chef de Cuisine on food Cost of Goods (COGs) 
• Assisting and mentoring the culinary chefs 
• Assisting in menu planning, managing the inventory and other kitchen supplies, applying safety measures for the staff, and monitoring the kitchen hygiene
• Scheduling kitchen staff shifts, arranging / rescheduling their shifts as per kitchen requirements, and handling the dispute amongst the staff members.
• Make employment and termination decisions including interviewing, hiring, evaluating, and disciplining kitchen personnel as appropriate.
• Following and Encouraging staff to maintain healthy uniform habits as per the reputation of the kitchen.
• Order supplies to stock inventory appropriately
• Resourcefully solve any issues that arise and seize control of any problematic situation.
• Maintain a positive and professional approach with coworkers and customers.
• Promoting disciplined working habit for carrying out quick and speedy cooking procedures in peak working hours i.e., during lunch and dinner time
• Providing positive leadership to kitchen staff and culinary chefs, working smartly for making quick decisions in favor of commercial success of the restaurant, and improving the kitchen performance

Competencies:

• Interpersonal Skills - Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting; Keeps emotions under control; Remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.
• Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions.
• Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.
• Organizational Support - Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; Supports organization's goals and values; Benefits organization through outside activities; Supports affirmative action and respects diversity.
• Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.
• Professionalism - Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.
• Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals.; Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

•   Must have 2-5 years’ experience with banquets - planning, banquet menu development, & costing
• 7-10 years’ experience in a professional busy kitchen and/or fine dining restaurant environment. 
• A minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in management. 
• Culinary Certificate or Degree by an accredited culinary agency preferred. 
• Serve Safe Certification 
• Able to deliver and exceed the expectations of a highly demanding clientele. 
• Ability to obtain and/or maintain any government required licenses, certificates, or permits.
• Professional appearance and manner, good character to work in a fast-paced team. 
• Positive, honest, and energetic work ethic

Language Skills:

• Ability to read, speak and interpret documents in clear English.
•  Must be able to communicate clearly with managers, kitchen and dining room personnel and guests.

Physical Ability:

• Be able to reach, bend, stoop and frequently lift up to 50 pounds. 
• Be able to work in a standing position for long periods of time (up to 10 hours).

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.