Banquet Sous Chef

Sonesta Hotels; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Vacation

Parental Leave

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Educational Assistance

Hotel Discounts

Job summary

Sonesta International Hotels is seeking a Banquet Sous Chef to lead day-to-day kitchen operations, create high-quality dishes, and deliver exceptional dining experiences for guests at our properties.

In this fast-paced, hospitality-focused role, you’ll collaborate with the Executive Chef and culinary team on banquets, catering, and special events, while upholding HACCP guidelines, food safety, and superior teamwork.

Qualifications

• Culinary degree or training preferred.
• 2+ years of experience in culinary operations, hospitals, hotels, or banquets.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience.
• Strong knowledge of food preparation, techniques, kitchen operations, and food safety standards.
• Efficient in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
• Excellent teamwork, communication, and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily kitchen operations across banquets, catering, and events.
• Prepare and present high-quality dishes while maintaining standards.
• Supervise line cooks and kitchen staff during service periods.
• Collaborate with the Executive Chef on menus and seasonal specials.
• Monitor quality, cleanliness, inventory, and efficiency across each shift.
• Assist with food ordering, receiving, and storage procedures.
• Help maintain food costs and labor productivity.
• Ensure HACCP and health department compliance.
• Train team on recipes, techniques, safety, and standards.
• Maintain a clean, safe kitchen and positive team environment.
• Step into leadership roles as needed to support operations.
• Collaborate with Banquets, F&B, and Operations to deliver guest experiences.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Kitchen leadership

Food safety

Team management

Quality control

Education

Culinary degree or training

Job description

We’re People People. Are you?

We’re Sonesta International Hotels—the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S. (and growing fast ).

With a dynamic mix of full-service and focused hotels across major cities, our diverse portfolio of owned, managed, and franchised properties means we’re everywhere our guests need us to be.

But here’s the thing—we’re not just in the business of hotels, we’re in the business of people. We bring service with passion, loyalty with purpose, and create experiences that genuinely connect—delivering quality, value, and memorable stays across 1,000+ properties in eight countries (and counting).

What this role is all about

What this role is all about

Great hospitality starts with memorable experiences — and incredible food is a huge part of that. As the Banquet Sous Chef, you’ll help lead the day-to-day kitchen operations while creating high-quality dishes and exceptional dining experiences for our guests.

This role is perfect for someone who’s passionate about food, thrives in a fast-paced kitchen environment, and enjoys leading by example. You’ll work closely with the Executive Chef and culinary team to support banquets, catering, and special events while ensuring quality, consistency, efficiency, and strong teamwork across the kitchen.

If you’re creative, hands-on, team-focused, and passionate about hospitality and culinary excellence — we’d love to meet you.

What you’ll be doing

What you’ll be doing

• Support daily kitchen operations across banquets, catering, and special events.

• Prepare, cook, and present high-quality food while maintaining consistency, portioning, and presentation standards.

• Supervise and support line cooks and kitchen team members during food preparation and service periods.

• Partner with the Executive Chef and Banquet Chef to execute menus, seasonal specials, and banquet offerings.

• Monitor food quality, kitchen cleanliness, inventory levels, and operational efficiency throughout each shift.

• Assist with food ordering, receiving, inventory management, and proper product storage procedures.

• Help maintain food cost controls, minimize waste, and support labor productivity goals.

• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations, sanitation standards, HACCP guidelines, and health department requirements.

• Train and support culinary team members on recipes, cooking techniques, safety procedures, and operational standards.

• Maintain a clean, safe, organized, and positive kitchen environment that supports teamwork and operational excellence.

• Step into kitchen leadership responsibilities as needed to support smooth daily operations.

• Collaborate closely with Banquets, Food & Beverage, and Operations teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences.

• Any other duties as assigned.

Anticipated Pay Range & Additional Job Information

What great looks like

• Culinary degree or formal culinary training preferred.

• 2+ years of experience in culinary operations, restaurants, hotels, banquets, catering, or hospitality kitchens preferred.

• Previous leadership or supervisory experience in a kitchen environment preferred.

• Strong knowledge of food preparation, cooking techniques, kitchen operations, and food safety standards.

• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced, high-volume hospitality environment.

• Strong attention to detail with a passion for food quality, presentation, and guest satisfaction.

• Knowledge of HACCP standards, sanitation practices, and health department compliance requirements.

• Excellent teamwork, communication, and organizational skills.

• Ability to multitask, problem-solve, and remain calm under pressure during busy service periods.

• Flexible availability including evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed in a hospitality environment.

• A passion for hospitality, culinary creativity, teamwork, and delivering memorable dining experiences.

How we reward you

At Sonesta, we know showing up for our guests starts with showing up for our people. That means supporting your health, your financial future, and everything in between.

Here’s a snapshot of what we offer:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

• Health Savings Account (HSA) with Company Match

• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match

• Paid Vacation & Sick Time

• Paid Parental Leave

• Company-Paid Life Insurance

• Company-Paid Short-Term & Long-Term Disability

• Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness & Accident Insurance

• Educational Assistance

• Sonesta Hotel Discounts (yes, you’ll want to use these )

• Additional Perks & Employee Discounts

Our Commitment to You

Sonesta is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.