Culinary Executive Sous Chef

Seneca Niagara Falls Gaming Corporation; City of Niagara Falls (NY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Culinary Executive Sous Chef at Seneca Niagara Falls Gaming Corporation is responsible for all day-to-day culinary operations across multiple outlets in a four-diamond environment, supporting the Culinary Executive Chef. This role emphasizes strategic, timely concept development and ensures high guest experiences and strict hygiene standards.

You will manage menu design, food and labor costs, oversee sanitation, HACCP compliance, ServSafe program, and lead training and personnel development

Qualifications

Responsibilities

• Control and analyze departmental costs to stay within budget and support revenue goals.
• Manage food costs via purchasing specs, storeroom systems, standard recipes and waste control.
• Monitor labor costs and kitchen productivity; oversee equipment, inventories and supplies.
• Conduct regular cover counts, analyze food and beverage cost and profitability projections.
• Develop and execute unique products and services across outlets to differentiate from competitors.
• Maintain high culinary visibility, uphold hygiene, conduct staff grooming and professional interactions with guests.
• Execute menu categories and recipes with proper timing, quality, temperature, portion and presentation.
• Train kitchen staff in production principles and ensure consistent quality across items.
• Maintain extensive knowledge of seafood, beef, poultry and related trends; adjust operations accordingly.
• Plan and price menus; set portion sizes and service standards; prepare cost reports; run taste panels with F&B management.
• Collaborate with senior leaders on menu development and recipe creation.
• Create and revise menus for holidays, events, and VIP functions with focus on seasonality.

Job description

The Culinary Executive Sous Chef is responsible for all aspects of the day to day culinary operations in a multi-outlet four diamond environment; and ensures that all standards and practices are executed to the highest level. The role of the Culinary Executive Sous Chef is to act in support of the Culinary Executive Chef and assume all responsibilities in his/ her absence. This incumbent is to be a creative, passionate individual who can elevate our current operations in a strategic, detailed and timely manner and actively participate in the formation and fruition of new concepts, projects and initiatives. He/she is responsible for the financial performance and cost controls for all culinary operations while ensuring the utmost guest experience and quality standards. He/she is responsible for overseeing menu planning and design, costs and production at multiple properties while maintaining a safe and sanitary work environment for all employees. The Culinary Executive Sous Chef is accountable for all culinary personnel matters in multiple restaurants and kitchens, from pre-employment to the development and morale of current team members. All duties are to be performed within the guidelines of the Seneca Gaming Corporation's policies and procedures, Internal Control Standards and objectives.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• 1. Control and analyze all departmental costs in multiple outlets to ensure spending is within budget and participate in annual goals and objectives to further enhance revenue and reduce costs.
• 2. Control food costs in multiple outlets by establishing purchasing specifications, storeroom requisition systems, product storage requirements, standardization recipes and waste control procedures; ensure food costs stay within set operating budgetary constraints.
• 3. Control labor costs and operating expenses in multiple outlets by monitoring kitchen efficiencies and productivity as well as equipment, inventory and supplies.
• 4. Conduct regular cover count; check average, food and beverage cost and projection analysis to maximize profitability.
• 5. Develop and execute unique products and differentiated services in multiple outlets that will set us apart from our competitors.
• 6. Ensure and maintain the highest level of culinary visibility; informed, professional and present, interacting with our guests. Uphold the premier standards of hygiene, behavior and grooming for all personnel.
• 7. Execution of all menu categories and specific recipes for each menu item including timing, quality, temperature, portion, presentation, etc.
• 8. Train kitchen personnel in food production principles and practices. Establish quality standards for all menu items and food production, and ensure all products are prepared in a consistent manner and meet departmental appearance and quality specifications.
• 9. Maintains an extensive knowledge of fine seafood, beef, protein and poultry and comprehensive product knowledge including ingredients, equipment, suppliers, markets and current trends and makes appropriate adjustments to kitchen operations accordingly.
• 10. Plan and price menus in multiple outlets. Establish portion sizes and standards of service for all menu items. Prepare food cost reports on a regular basis. Schedule and conduct product taste panels with F&B management as needed.
• 11. Work closely with the Director of Food and Beverage and the Director of Catering and Special Events in menu development, product selection and recipe creation.
• 12. Create and revise menus as required for holidays, special events and VIP functions with a focus on seasonality and local business; review, adjust and approve recipes.
• 13. Coordinate with support departments for acquisition of needed goods and services. Review and approve food orders from the warehouse for delivery.
• 14. Participate in the selection and requisition new kitchen equipment in multiple outlets; ensure all equipment is properly maintained and in working order in accordance with Health Department standards; maintain clean work areas, utensils, and equipment.
• 15. Maintain and enforce all sanitation polices in multiple outlets by conducting daily walk through inspections of all outlets to check staffing, cleanliness and product quality and all food storage areas for rotation, dot color and cleanliness. Ensure HACCP documentation compliance.
• 16. Develop, implement and maintain departmental policies and procedures for food safety through a ServSafe program.
• 17. Train kitchen personnel in safe operating procedures of all equipment, utensils and machinery. Train all staff to prepare food in a safe manner dictated by company standards and policies.
• 18. Perform all aspects of human resources and training functions, including attracting talent, hiring, performance appraisals, counseling, coaching, training, disciplinary actions and terminations.
• 19. Responsible to provide direct and honest feedback to staff regarding individual performance, while assuring morale is main