Sous Chef
Job Purpose:
The Sous Chef is accountable for the overall success of the daily kitchen operations. Exhibits outstanding culinary talent by personally performing tasks while leading staff and managing Italian, Mediterranean, breakfast, poolside, and all-day dining food related functions. Works to continually improve guest and employee satisfaction while maximizing the financial performance in all areas of responsibility. Supervises designated kitchen areas to ensure a consistent, high quality product is produced. Responsible for guiding and developing staff. Ensures exemplary sanitation and food safety standards are achieved whilst minimizing food wastage.
Basic Function:
- Prepares food to specifications before and during operations.
- Properly measures and portions all food items. Complies with all portion sizes, quality standards, department rules, policies and procedures.
- Cooks all food to Proper specifications in a timely manner.
- Utilizes kitchen equipment to prepare food items such as: knives, slicers, whips, pots, pans, warmers, steamers, grills, ovens, etc.
- Ensures proper food temperatures are maintained and food is stored correctly.
- Ensures freshness and quality of all menu items.
- Packages all products to proper specifications.
- Performs opening, closing and side work duties as instructed and according proper guidelines.
- Keeps workstation and equipment clean, organized, sanitized, and sufficiently stocked.
- Follows and upholds all health codes and sanitation regulations.
- Sets up and operates kitchen equipment.
- Uses waste control guidelines and records all waste on spoilage sheet.
- Ability to work varied hours/days, including nights, weekends, and holidays, as needed.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assign in detail, specific tasks to all employees and instructs them in their work duties
- Work closely with the Executive Sous Chef in determining quality and quantity of food materials used with a view of eliminating wastage
- Ensure all products sourced are of the highest quality and adhere to relevant ethical and sustainable procurement requirements
- Prepare creative, elegant and appropriate menu items
- Ensure that the quality, taste, temperature and presentation of food prepared is in line with Standard’s production and brand standards
- Prepare weekly staff schedules keeping in mind anticipated business, operating budgets and standards of service
- Understands employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees' absence or determine appropriate replacement
- Conduct daily and monthly departmental meetings to provide information to team members, obtain their feedback, rectify operation issues and provide a regular forum for departmental communication
- Ensure that all equipment and perishable items are stored in the designated place and is done in the most hygienic manner
- Check the maintenance of all kitchen equipment
- Provides guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance
- Conduct performance reviews
- Ensure all hotel grooming standards are adhered to
- Maintain records of all staff training programs for team members
- Ensure that a high level of food safety and hygiene standards are adhered to
- Monitor portion control procedures using standard recipe cards
- Analyse food costs and ensure that expenses and requisitions are in line with budget and forecast
- Monitor inventory turnover and slow-moving items
- Regularly check stores and refrigerators and be responsible for the proper storing and recycling of leftovers