Banquet Sous Chef

Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hotel and Travel Discounts

Dynamic Team and Excellent Culture

Professional and Personal Development

Medical (HSA) and Insurance

401K with Company Match

Job summary

Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal is seeking a Sous Chef – Catering and Banquets to lead culinary preparation and execution for events, ensuring top quality and presentation. The role focuses on catering and banquet operations with support for restaurant services as needed.

You will manage, train, and develop the kitchen team, driving recipe development, efficiency, and consistency across events, while maintaining safety and cost controls.

Qualifications

• A trade/technical school degree is required.
• Minimum of one year managing a team.
• At least two years in a production kitchen.

Responsibilities

• Lead catering and banquet food production and presentation to meet standards.
• Train and manage kitchen staff; support restaurant operations when needed.
• Monitor food quality, portions, timing, and cost control for events.
• Coordinate with banquet and catering teams on menus, timelines, and guest requirements.
• Plan staffing, ingredients, and equipment to meet event demand.

Education

Trade/technical school degree

One year of management experience

Two years kitchen production experience

Job description

Your Chance to Grow and Innovate

As the Sous Chef – Catering and Banquets, you will lead culinary preparation and execution for catering and banquet events, maintaining the food quality and presentation standards established by the Executive Chef. Your primary focus will be catering and banquet operations, with support for restaurant operations when needed. You will lead, manage, and train the kitchen team while combining culinary creativity, recipe development, and technical expertise to deliver consistent, well-executed dishes.

What we expect from you

• Contribute to catering and banquet menu development, including recipes, presentation concepts, and production methods that support consistent execution.
• Lead, manage, and train the kitchen team to execute catering and banquet production effectively and support restaurant operations when needed.
• Monitor food quality, portion consistency, presentation, and readiness throughout preparation and service to ensure every dish meets established standards for catering, banquets, and restaurant operations when supporting those outlets.
• Uphold hotel and department standards and reinforce them through ongoing team training.
• Demonstrate strong, positive leadership and provide clear guidance to the culinary team.
• Deliver a high level of guest service through consistent food quality and timely event execution.
• Use strong planning and organizational skills to coordinate culinary priorities and meet service deadlines.
• Manage food and payroll costs by aligning production quantities and staffing with business volume, monitoring usage and labor needs, and adjusting plans to control costs.
• Maintain awareness of activities in other departments and coordinate culinary plans to support their operational needs.
• Plan staffing, ingredients, equipment, and preparation needs to meet catering and banquet demand, adjusting resources as business needs change.
• Bring creativity and a passion for food to menu execution, recipe development, and presentation.
• Work across kitchen stations as needed, including supporting restaurant preparation and service when required, while maintaining readiness for catering and banquet commitments.
• Work a variety of shifts, including days, afternoons, evenings, and weekends, to meet operational needs.
• Manage food and supply ordering in accordance with established purchasing and inventory standards, aligning quantities with upcoming catering and banquet requirements and other assigned kitchen needs.
• Apply knowledge of daily, weekly, and monthly inventories to monitor stock levels and support accurate ordering and production planning.
• Communicate clearly, verbally and in writing, to provide directions, confirm priorities, and coordinate required actions.
• Attend and actively contribute to hotel and department meetings.
• Review Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) and coordinate with Catering, Banquets, and the Executive Chef to confirm menus, guest counts, service timelines, dietary requirements, and event changes before production and service.
• Prepare daily production charts for catering and banquet events, translating event requirements into preparation quantities, task assignments, and completion timelines.
• Comply with hotel and department attendance requirements.
• Demonstrate a willingness to learn and adapt to changes in menus, event requirements, and operational priorities.
• Assign and direct culinary work during catering and banquet preparation, plating, and service, coordinating station responsibilities and timing to meet event schedules.
• Maximize productivity and minimize food waste through effective preparation, portioning, and use of ingredients.
• Apply strong knowledge of Tennessee Health Department rules and regulations to maintain food safety and sanitation standards.
• Maintain professional grooming standards and ensure the culinary team follows established standards.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

What we are looking for in a candidate

• A technical, trade, or vocational school degree.
• One year of basic management experience.
• Two years of experience working in a production kitchen.
• ServSafe certification.
• A self-starter who takes initiative and follows through on responsibilities.
• A thorough understanding of food safety and sanitation practices.

Benefits

• Hotel and Travel Discounts
• Dynamic Team and Excellent Culture
• Professional and Personal Development with a growing company
• Medical (w/HSA), Dental, Vision, Life & AD/D, LTD, STD, Voluntary Life and Supplemental Insurance
• 401K with Company Match
• PTO and Vacation
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Daily Pay
• Engagement Incentives
• Other Travel and Entertainment Perks

Source: Hospitality Online