Sous Chef/Site Lead

Astoria Group; Manila; On-site; PHP 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Astoria Hotels and Resorts seeks an experienced Kitchen Operations lead to direct daily kitchen activities across all outlets. You will supervise, mentor, and schedule the kitchen brigade while ensuring top quality, consistency, and service during peak periods.

You will also manage food cost analysis, inventory, and HACCP compliance, coordinating with Stewarding to maintain high sanitation standards and timely plating. Fluent English/Filipino is preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts or Hospitality Management or equivalent.
• Minimum 4–6 years in 4-5 star hotels or high-volume restaurants with supervisory experience.
• Valid Green Health Certificate / Sanitary Permit (Food Handler) preferred.
• Mastery of multi-cuisine cooking, high-volume banquet production, and cost analysis.

Responsibilities

• Direct and supervise daily kitchen operations and station prep across outlets.
• Act as primary expeditor, checking plates for quality before service.
• Step onto the line to assist during high volume periods or staff shortages.
• Lead and mentor kitchen staff, conduct preshift briefings, and train junior cooks.
• Assist Executive Chef with standard recipes, yield tests, and menu changes.
• Monitor usage, waste, and spoilage to maintain food cost targets and perform inventories.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Food cost analysis

Team management

Quality control

Menu planning

Education

Bachelor's in Culinary Arts / Hospitality Management

TESDA NC II/III/IV preferred

Tools

HACCP compliance

Job description

1. Kitchen Operations & Meal Service Execution

• Direct and supervise daily kitchen operations, station preparation (mise en place), and food execution across designated outlets (e.g., Main Kitchen, Banquets, All-Day Dining, Specialty Restaurant).
• Act as the primary Expeditor during busy meal periods—checking every plate for taste, quality, portion size, temperature, and visual presentation before it leaves the kitchen pass.
• Step onto the cooking line to cook or assist during high-volume periods, large banquet functions, or staff shortages.

2. Culinary Leadership & Staff Management

• Manage, mentor, and schedule the kitchen brigade—including Chefs de Partie (CDP), Demi Chefs, Commis (Levels 1, 2, and 3), and kitchen interns (OJT students).
• Conduct daily preshift briefings (preshift meetings) to review guest counts, VIP arrivals, special dietary requests, daily specials, and operational focus points.
• Train junior cooks on knife skills, station setup, cooking techniques, standardized recipe compliance, and food plating techniques.

3. Food Costing, Inventory & Purchasing

• Assist the Executive Chef in developing standard recipe cards (SRCs), yield tests, food cost calculations, and seasonal menu changes.
• Monitor raw ingredient usage, kitchen waste, trim loss, and spoilage to keep the department's food cost percentage within target budgets.
• Conduct weekly or monthly physical inventory audits across walk-in chillers, freezers, and dry store rooms.
• Strictly enforce HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) systems, local sanitary regulations, and international hotel food safety protocols.
• Conduct daily hygiene inspections of workstations, cooking appliances, refrigeration temperatures, holding equipment, and food storage labeling (implementing strict FIFO protocols).
• Coordinate with the Stewarding Department to ensure dishwashing, heavy kitchen equipment sanitation, and kitchen floor/drain cleaning meet high standards.

Position Requirements in the Philippines:

1. Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management (BSHM), or a diploma from an accredited culinary institution; TESDA Cookery NC II / NC III / NC IV certification is highly preferred.

2. Work Experience

• Minimum 4–6 years of culinary experience in 4- or 5-star hotels or high-volume commercial restaurants, with at least 2 years in a supervisory role (e.g., Chef de Partie or Junior Sous Chef).

3. Mandatory Permits

• Valid Green Health Certificate / Sanitary Permit (Food Handler) issued by the local municipal or city health office (LGU).

4. Technical & Leadership Skills

• Mastery of multi-cuisine cooking techniques, high-volume banquet production, food cost analysis, menu planning, roster scheduling, and strong crisis-management skills during peak service hours.

5. Language Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in Filipino and English for team leadership and inter-departmental coordination (F&B, Purchasing, Stewarding, Sales).

6. Work Schedule

• Requires high flexibility—working long hours, split shifts, late nights, early mornings, weekends, and peak holiday seasons (e.g., Christmas/New Year galas).

About Astoria Hotels and Resorts

Astoria Hotels and Resorts is a proudly Filipino hospitality group known for its distinctblend of contemporary design, thoughtful service, and memorable guest experiences. Fromcity stays in the heart of the metro to serene escapes in the country’s most sought-afterdestinations, every Astoria property is crafted to feel both inspiring and familiar.

Our portfolio spans key locations in Metro Manila, Boracay, and Palawan, each offeringunique spaces for leisure, business, and celebrations. We invest in modern facilities,innovative dining concepts, and curated amenities so that every stay and every eventreflects the quality and warmth that define the Astoria brand.

At the core of Astoria are our people. We believe that genuine hospitality begins witha team that is empowered, collaborative, and committed to growth. By joining AstoriaHotels and Resorts, you become part of a dynamic organization that values professionalism,creativity, and the shared goal of delivering exceptional experiences to our guests everysingle day.