EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF

The Bartolotta Restaurants; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bartolotta Restaurants is seeking an Executive Sous Chef to lead daily kitchen operations across our dining venues. You will manage staffing, training, menu concepts, and cost controls while partnering with the Chef de Cuisine and Executive Chef.

This leadership role requires a strong hospitality heart and HACCP compliance to ensure safety and quality across restaurant, catering, and club events. Candidates should have culinary managerial experience and proven ability to mentor staff in a

Qualifications

• At least two years of culinary managerial experience.
• Ability to develop and cost menus and recipes.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Capable of training and developing kitchen staff.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the operations of the kitchen and Back of House, ensuring that food is prepared safely, efficiently, and according to specifications or request.
• Ensures kitchen runs in accordance with all applicable health, safety, and hygiene codes and standards.
• Work closely with the Executive Chef and management team to align customer satisfaction with food selections and execution.
• Support all aspects of Back of House operations for restaurant, catering, and club as needed, per direction of Executive Chef and Chef de Cuisine.
• Contributes to menu and recipe development.
• On-going menu engineering and monitoring menu content for effectiveness.
• Develop recipe costing for menu items and costing out food specials.
• Ensure quality in menu and food preparation.
• Monitor inventory process and purchase inventory according to needs and budgets.
• Maintain and inspect kitchen equipment and utensils; recommend repairs or replacements as needed.
• Oversee daily staff meals utilizing staff, budget, and byproduct efficiently.
• Oversee compliance of kitchen equipment maintenance, storage, and care.

Skills

Organizational skills

Leadership

Communication

Time management

Menu development

Staff training

Costing

Education

Culinary managerial experience

Degree or certificate in culinary arts

Job description

The Bartolotta Restaurants is a nationally recognized restaurant and catering organization co‑founded by restaurateur Joe Bartolotta and his brother, two‑time James Beard Award‑winning Chef Paul Bartolotta. Since 1993, the company has grown to become the premier culinary brand in the Greater Milwaukee region, offering first‑class service and cuisine across 17 one‑of‑a‑kind restaurants and catering facilities. As a forward‑thinking, family‑run business, we also give back to our community through Care‑a‑lotta, a charitable program that supports numerous nonprofit organizations throughout Milwaukee.

At The Bartolotta Restaurants, we are committed to excellence in every aspect of our business, from the products we source to the food and service we deliver every day in our restaurants and catering venues. Our greatest asset in our company is our team members because, without them, we wouldn't be in business.

We look for people who have what we call a "hospitality heart," characterized by a commitment to providing excellence, a passion for taking care of our guests, and a "can‑do" attitude. We're a family‑run business, and we consider our team members part of The Bartolotta Restaurants family.

Job Purpose

The Executive Sous Chef is responsible for the effective daily operations of the kitchen, including staffing, recruitment, employee development, financial management and facilities management. This role is also responsible for creating, implementing and managing menu concepts, and training and overseeing line cooks to ensure their work meets our high standards. The Executive Sous Chef is a leadership position partnering closely with the Chef de Cuisine and Executive Chef to ensure the kitchen operates smoothly while facilitating smooth communication between the front‑of‑house and back‑of‑house staff. Must be capable of fulfilling all areas of the Chef de Cuisine and/or Executive Chef responsibilities in their absence.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Ensures effective communication between back‑of‑house and front‑of‑house staff.
• Performs daily station checks with Cooks and Sous Chef to ensure product appropriately meets standard and par levels; and prep and production levels are in line with recipes and business levels.
• Oversees training and development of Cooks.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Oversees the operations of the kitchen and Back of House, ensuring that food is prepared safely, efficiently, and according to specifications or request.
• Ensures kitchen runs in accordance with all applicable health, safety, and hygiene codes and standards.
• Work closely with the Executive Chef and management team to align customer satisfaction with food selections and execution.
• Support all aspects of Back of House operations for restaurant, catering, and club as needed, per direction of Executive Chef and Chef de Cuisine.
• Contributes to menu and recipe development.
• On‑going menu engineering and monitoring menu content for effectiveness.
• Develop recipe costing for menu items and costing out food specials.
• Ensure quality in menu and food preparation.
• In conjunction with the management team, monitor and execute an annual budget.
• Execution of the inventory process per direction of Executive Chef/Chef de Cuisine.
• Purchase inventory according to needs, quality, specifications and budgets.
• Monitor inventory process in compliance with respective policies and procedures.
• Oversees stocking, ordering, and purchasing of ingredients, ensuring that necessary ingredients are available and as fresh as possible while also minimizing spoilage and waste.
• Maintains and inspects kitchen equipment and utensils, recommending repairs or replacements as needed.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP Standards and Variances per ECs direction of standards and protocols.
• Oversee daily staff meals utilizing staff, budget, and byproduct efficiently.
• Oversee compliance of kitchen equipment maintenance, storage, and care.
• Fills other roles as needed depending on staffing and business levels.

Requirements

Qualification Requirements

• Highly organized and self‑directed.
• Ability to produce an excellent culinary and restaurant experience for patrons.
• Able to build relationships at all levels of the organization.
• Track record of training and developing team members of all levels and skill sets.
• Exceptional interpersonal, oral, presentation and written communication skills.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Ability to work in fast‑paced, changing environment.
• Demonstrated strong performance in analytical, innovative, and critical thinking, strategy and collaboration.
• Extremely creative.
• Excellent time management, scheduling, managerial, and organizational skills.

Education and/or Experience Requirements

• Relevant experience or training, which may be demonstrated via degree or certificate, completion of apprenticeship, or other experience necessary to become trained as a highly skilled professional cook.
• At least two years of culinary managerial experience required.
• Business experience preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Frequently required to stand, walk, use hands and fingers to handle and feel, and reach with hands and arms.
• Occasionally required to bend, kneel, crouch, climb stairs, and reach overhead.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times.
• Must be able to work in a kitchen environment that may involve exposure to extreme heat or cold.
• Non‑slip shoes are required during shift.

ADA Disclaimer: In developing this job description care was taken to include all competencies needed to successfully perform in this position. However, for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) purposes, the essential functions of the job may or may not have been described for purposes of ADA reasonable accommodation. All reasonable accommodation requests will be reviewed and evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis.