Luxury Resort Sous Chef — Lead Creative Menus & Service

Alila Hotels; California (MO); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401K with company match

Paid Vacation & Sick Days

Parental Leave

Tuition Reimbursement

Free meals during shift

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Retail Discounts

Job summary

Alila Ventana Big Sur is seeking an experienced Sous Chef to join the culinary leadership team at one of California’s luxury resorts. The role focuses on luxury dining execution, menu development, and guest‑facing culinary programming across The Sur House, The Glass House, and SurStream.

The Sous Chef will support the Executive Chef in maintaining exceptional food quality, leading daily operations, and coaching colleagues, with strong emphasis on seasonality, presentation, and service

Qualifications

• Previous Sous Chef, Chef de Partie, Lead Cook, Banquet Chef, or comparable culinary leadership experience required.
• Previous experience in a luxury resort, fine dining restaurant, boutique luxury property, or upscale hospitality environment strongly preferred.
• Strong background in luxury dining and fine dining execution required.
• Banquet or special event culinary experience strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to support menu development, coaching, and high‑level kitchen execution.
• Strong technical culinary skills, including knife work, station management, timing, and plating.

Responsibilities

• Support the Executive Chef in leading daily culinary operations across the resort, with a strong focus on luxury dining execution.
• Maintain high standards of food quality, consistency, taste, presentation, and timing in all assigned culinary areas.
• Partner with culinary leadership on menu development, seasonal offerings, tastings, special dinners, private dining, and guest‑facing culinary programming.
• Support service for The Sur House, The Glass House, SurStream, in‑room dining, and special events or banquet functions as needed.
• Lead, coach, and train culinary colleagues in technique, kitchen organization, sanitation, station readiness, and service standards.
• Oversee prep, production, station setup, and service flow to ensure smooth execution during meal periods and events.
• Review recipes, production sheets, and event details to ensure accuracy and readiness.
• Work closely with banquet and event teams to execute private dinners, receptions, retreat dining, and other special functions.
• Monitor food costs, waste, inventory usage, and purchasing needs with an eye toward efficiency and quality.
• Support ordering, receiving, storage, labeling, rotation, and inventory control procedures.
• Maintain clean, organized, and safe kitchen work areas, storage spaces, and equipment.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, hygiene, and workplace safety standards.
• Communicate effectively with the culinary team, stewarding, food and beverage leadership, and other resort departments.
• Help resolve operational challenges quickly and professionally while maintaining service standards.
• Promote a positive, accountable, and collaborative kitchen culture.
• Perform other duties as assigned by culinary leadership.

Skills

Sous Chef leadership

Luxury dining execution

Banquet/catering experience

Menu development coaching

Food cost control

Inventory & purchasing

Team leadership

Quality plating/timing

Job description

Alila Ventana Big Sur is seeking an experienced Sous Chef to join the culinary leadership team at one of California’s luxury resorts. The role focuses on luxury dining execution, menu development, and guest‑facing culinary programming across The Sur House, The Glass House, and SurStream.

The Sous Chef will support the Executive Chef in maintaining exceptional food quality, leading daily operations, and coaching colleagues, with strong emphasis on seasonality, presentation, and service