Lead Kitchen Sous Chef — Build Teams, Drive Service

Legal Sea Foods; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

401(k) match

Paid time off

Wellness programs

Manager training

Career advancement

Job summary

Legal Sea Foods is seeking a Sous Chef to lead Heart of House operations in a busy kitchen in Chicago. You will guide, coach, and schedule the kitchen team, ensuring top plate quality, on-time service, and strong guest satisfaction.

You will enforce food safety, sanitation, allergy standards, and manage food and labor costs while developing cooks and maintaining high standards. This role requires hands-on leadership and a track record of team development.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years in professional kitchens, including at least 1 year as a Sous Chef or in a comparable kitchen leadership role.
• Experience leading cooks through busy service and making sound decisions without constant direction.
• A record of developing people, maintaining high standards, and managing food and labor costs.
• A high school diploma; a culinary degree or certificate is preferred.
• ServSafe Food and Alcohol certification and proficiency with Microsoft Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Lead Heart of House operations and direct the kitchen team, including when the Executive Chef or Executive Sous Chef is away.
• Coach, train, schedule, and evaluate cooks and other assigned team members; address performance issues and help build a strong bench.
• Run service with attention to recipe execution, approved products, plate quality, timing, and guest concerns.
• Enforce food safety, sanitation, allergy, and workplace safety standards every shift.
• Control food and labor costs through staffing decisions, receiving, inventory, ordering, and follow-up on variances.
• Use scheduling, inventory, labor, hiring, and other restaurant systems to keep the operation organized and accountable.

Skills

Team leadership

Decision making

People development

Food safety

Inventory control

Education

High school diploma

Culinary degree or certificate preferred

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Legal Sea Foods is seeking a Sous Chef to lead Heart of House operations in a busy kitchen in Chicago. You will guide, coach, and schedule the kitchen team, ensuring top plate quality, on-time service, and strong guest satisfaction.

You will enforce food safety, sanitation, allergy standards, and manage food and labor costs while developing cooks and maintaining high standards. This role requires hands-on leadership and a track record of team development.