Executive Sous Chef

SOMNI restaurant; West Hollywood (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A renowned restaurant in West Hollywood is seeking an Executive Sous Chef to lead the culinary team. This role involves menu development, staff training, and ensuring a top-notch dining experience. The ideal candidate will have extensive culinary management experience and a passion for customer service.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of culinary management experience required.
• Must have or obtain a California manager's food handlers certification.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing menus and executing dishes.
• Supervise culinary team and ensure quality standards.
• Train and mentor new hires.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem-Solving

Flexibility

Teamwork

Education

Culinary Management Experience

Job description

After being closed for four years, the dream of Somni has come back to life! To ensure that his guests receive an exceptional dining experience, Chef Aitor Zabala is seeking an experienced Executive Sous Chef.

Job Summary:

As a member of the Culinary Team, they will work withSOMNIteam members to carry out the daily activities of the kitchen including development, preparation, and execution of dishes and training, development, and management of their subordinates.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Development, Preparation, and Execution of Dishes

• Assist Chef Aitor Zabala developing his vison and implementing the menus for the restaurant.
• Ensure that all food and products are consistently prepared and served according to the recipes, portioning, cooking and serving standards of the property.
• Be prepared to expedite service efficiently and effectively, maintaining the proper pace and food quality. Work closely with the service team to ensure the integrity of the guest’s experience.
• Have all products, recipes, files organized
• Work closely with the chefs and be available to help anytime during the preparation process or any station that may need assistance.

Training, Development, and Employee Management

• Work collaboratively to ensure continuous improvement in quality of guest experience, service, operational effectiveness and efficiency, employee training and retention.
• Supervise the culinary team, ensuring that direction and guidance is provided, and quality standards are achieved.
• Continually mentor and provide opportunities for growth and advance the education and development of staff as it relates to food, wine, service, technique and agriculture.
• Attend all scheduled employee meetings and come prepared to contribute to ideation sessions.
• Provide extensive training and mentorship for new hires to help them assimilate into the company’s culture and understand expectations.

Each of the items listed is an essential function of the role. However, this list should not be construed as an exhaustive list of all the responsibilities of the position

REQUIREMENTS AND KEY COMPETENCIES

• To have a positive impact, taking responsibility and initiative to resolve issues, always clearly communicating
• To be decisive, accepting responsibility for making things happen, thinking ahead, and developing contingency plans (while ensuring you have the support to complete the job)
• To be motivated and committed, approaching all tasks with enthusiasm and seizing opportunities to learn new skills or knowledge in order to improve your performance
• To be flexible, responding quickly and positively to changing environments
• To maintain high team-focus via cooperation and support to other team members in the pursuit of department goals

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Perform purchasing responsibilities with outside vendors. Supervise the person responsible that will receive all deliveries for proper quantities, quality, and condition. Take appropriate action to rectify any issues to assure the restaurant has appropriate ingredients and supplies. Conduct accurate accounting for invoices.
• Understand and effectively communicate all policies, procedures, standards, specifications, guidelines, and training programs to staff.
• Assist in achieving company objectives in quality, appearance of facilities, sanitation and cleanliness through effective training of employees and establishing a positive, productive working environment.
• Ensure recipes are being followed accordingly.
• Ensure both AM/PM Chef de Parties are following designated checklist and taste all product from employees.
• Fill in where needed to ensure guest experience is never compromised as a result of operational or unforeseen challenges.
• Ensure that all equipment and the overall environment is kept clean and in excellent working condition through personal inspection and preventative maintenance.
• Ensure all areas of the restaurant, dining room and company’s property are maintained in cleanliness, sanitation, organization and appearance according to standards of The Management Team.
• Prepare all required paperwork requested of you by your supervisor in an organized and timely manner.
• Schedule labor as required by anticipating business activity while ensuring all positions are staffed when and as needed while controlling labor costs and efficiency. Modify staffing as needed based on volume and demand.
• Know, follow, and implement all policies and procedures regarding personnel and administer prompt, fair and consistent corrective action for any and all violations of company policies, rules, standards and procedures.
• Fully understand and comply with all federal, state, county and municipal regulations that pertain to health, safety and labor requirements of the restaurant, employees and guests.
• Understand the quality requirements and expectations of the restaurant.
• Communicate effectively with all team members to assure standards are achieved.
• Represent our quality standards and are in line with the standards established by the Management Team. Communicate any discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Take appropriate action to rectify any issues that may arise.
• Responsible and accountable for actions and understanding of impact on guest’s experience
• All other duties as assigned.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Excellent interpersonal skills: friendly, personable, approachable, respectful
• Neat and well-groomed appearance
• Ability to take ownership of problems or situations
• Tactful, courteous, able to motivate and coach others
• Fair and consistent
• Team player who is punctual, reliable, organized, and self-motivated
• Ability to be flexible, multitask, and communicate effectively

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years of culinary management experience
• Basic math and computer skills.
• Read, write, speak English fluently.
• Good guest interaction skills.
• Good listening skills.
• Sound decision making.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Passion for customer service.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Must have or obtain a California manager's food handlers certification.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to speak and hear, vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Be able to reach, bend, stoop and frequently lift up to 50 pounds.
• Continual use of manual dexterity and gross motor skills with frequent use of bi-manual dexterity and fine motor skills.
• Generally, in an indoor setting.
• Varying schedule to include evenings, holidays and extended hours as business dictates.