Sous Chef

Stratford Festival; Ontario; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a renowned arts organization as a Sous Chef, where creativity and culinary excellence meet. In this dynamic role, you will be pivotal in delivering exceptional dining experiences while leading a passionate culinary team. Collaborate closely with the Executive Chef to craft innovative menus and ensure that every dish meets the highest standards. This is not just a job; it's a chance to immerse yourself in the vibrant world of live theatre and contribute to a culture of inclusion and creativity. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and have a passion for culinary arts, this opportunity is perfect for you!

Benefits

Creative work environment

Employee Assistance Program

Complimentary & discounted ticket offers

Employee discounts on merchandise

Participation in live theatre events

Qualifications

• Minimum two years’ experience in a professional kitchen.
• Leadership skills to guide and support culinary team effectively.

Responsibilities

• Provide food services in all Festival Food & Beverage outlets.
• Develop menus and supervise culinary team to ensure standards.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Teamwork

Attention to Detail

Organization skills

Education

Secondary School Diploma

Culinary Arts Certification

Tools

Safe Food Handlers Certification

Job description

Posted Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 5:00 AM

Who We Are:

Based in Stratford, Ontario, the Stratford Festival is one of the world’s foremost repertory theatre companies. It operates year-round, presenting a season of about a dozen plays each year between the months of April and November, a rich stream of digital content and hundreds of events designed to deepen understanding of the plays. For every person a theatregoer sees on our stages, we have seven people working behind the scenes, some of the world’s most dedicated and experienced arts workers.

The Stratford Festival is committed to ongoing work to support equity, inclusion, anti-racism and anti-oppression in all areas of our work. These areas include play selection, casting, marketing and public relations efforts, education programs, production, design, recruitment of staff and volunteers, and the composition of the Board of Directors.

Why You Should Apply:

• Creative work environment
• Employee Assistance Program to encourage work-life balance and strong mental health
• Complimentary & discounted ticket offers and events
• Employee discounts on merchandise and event space
• Being a part of the magic of live theatre!

The role of the Sous Chef at the Stratford Festival is to provide our Guests, Members, Staff and Company with an excellent dining experience while supporting the culinary team in all aspects. The Sous Chef assists in the development and execution of all food services, as well as the training, supervision and coaching of the culinary team. This position reports to the Executive Chef, but also takes direction from the Associate Director, Food & Beverage or other Café & Catering Managers.

Responsibilities:

• Provide internal and external food services in all Festival Food & Beverage outlets
• Develop menus, food standards and processes for all food service in collaboration with Executive Chef
• Supervise and coach culinary team to ensure standards are being met, safe kitchen practices are being followed
• Monitor upcoming orders and events to ensure proper food stock is ordered and in place
• Monitor food items to ensure consistency, proper portioning, appropriate temperatures and correct ingredients
• Collaborate with Executive Chef to ensure food costs are in line with the departments established budgets
• Maintain a safe and sanitary work environment and ensure all other team members do as well
• Follow all organizational and governmental health/safety standards at all times.
• Represent the Stratford Festival in a polite and professional manner at all times.
• Adhere to the Stratford Festival Health & Safety Commitment and Procedures, and ensure that safe work practices and policies are supported and enforced within reporting structure.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

• Secondary School Diploma or equivalent education and experience in culinary arts
• Minimum two years’ experience working in a professional kitchen
• Safe Food Handlers Certification
• Flexible availability to work a variety of operating hours including evenings, weekends and holidays
• Reliable transportation to and from work
• Proficiency in English: verbal and written communication
• Any other culinary related diplomas or certificates considered an asset
• Leadership: successfully guide others to maximize their capabilities to achieve a collective goal; help them to succeed and thrive
• Communication: actively listen and effectively transmit and receive information
• Teamwork: readily work with others towards a shared goal, actively support teammates and recognize everyone’s contributions
• Attention to Detail: meticulously review work and ensure accuracy and precision in all tasks.
• Organization skills: create structure and optimally use resources to achieve results and ensure productivity

Shared Values:

• Inclusion: contribute to an environment where everyone is welcome, valued and respected; consistently demonstrate an open-mindedness and intellectual curiosity that promote and celebrate the diversity of perspectives.
• Innovation: put experience and knowledge into creative problem-solving and the continuous improvement of the organization.
• Rigor: show integrity in behaviour, attention to detail in work and commitment to excellence and professional evolution
• Caring: be empathetic, understanding and attentive to others
• Connection: establish and maintain trusting relationships that are respectful and constructive

Who Should Apply:

We welcome applicants of every identity, and encourage applications from Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Deaf, disabled and 2SLGBTQ+ folks. We are committed to accommodating people with disabilities throughout the recruitment process and beyond. If you require accommodation (including, but not limited to, an accessible interview site, alternative format documents, ASL Interpreter or Assistive Technology) during the recruitment and selection process, please let our recruitment team know.

No candidate will meet every desired qualification. If your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we’d love to learn more about you!

If you would like to contribute your own remarkable talents to North America’s largest not-for-profit theatre, we’d like to hear from you.