On Site Catering Chef- Chef De Partie

Catering Works; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Catering Works seeks an On-Site Lead Event Chef and Chef de Partie to manage on-site catering events from start to finish. You will lead kitchen operations, guide the team, and collaborate with the Executive Chef, Event Manager, and Sales Team to realize client visions.

Responsibilities include coordinating with the commissary, traveling to venues, setting up field kitchens, and supervising staff. The role demands leadership under pressure and delivering memorable food experiences across all

Qualifications

• 35+ years of experience in high-volume catering, banquets, or restaurant kitchens.
• Strong knife skills, sauté, sauce work, and hot-holding techniques.
• Leadership and teaching: clearly direct, train, and keep a kitchen team calm in fast-paced service.
• Organization and attention to detail: adhere to pack lists, labeling, time management, and presentation.
• Food safety: ServSafe certification (or ability to obtain) with HACCP knowledge.
• Availability: Nights and weekends year-round; valid driver’s license.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and stand 8–10+ hours.

Responsibilities

• Event Pack-Out, Commissary Preparation, and culinary timeline briefing with Executive Chef.
• On-site kitchen setup and field operations, traveling to venues and directing prep areas.
• Brief onsite prep cooks on event details, portions, dietary restrictions, and timing.
• Lead across service formats: passed hors d'oeuvres, plated dinners, stations, buffets.
• Enforce food safety practices and oversee breakdown, inventory, and storage.

Skills

Culinary Expertise

Knife Skills

Sauté Techniques

Leadership

Organization

Food Safety

Availability Nights/Weekends

Education

ServSafe Food Manager Certification

Job description

Schedule: Tuesday – Saturday (General Schedule) | High-Season Availability days and weeks as needed.

Position Overview

We are looking for a reliable, highly skilled On-Site Lead Event Chef and Chef de Partie to manage on-site catered events from start to finish.
We are looking for a skilled, experienced culinary professional to lead our on-site kitchen operations and guide the team through successful production and plating. In this role, you will work closely with the Executive Chef, Event Manager, and Sales Team to seamlessly execute client visions. Your responsibilities include collaborating with the Executive Chef at the commissary kitchen to oversee prep and pack-out, traveling to venues to set up temporary field kitchens, and managing the event staff. Ultimately, you will ensure flawless food service across all formats, including passed hors d'oeuvres, formal plating, and live action stations.
This role is built for a chef who's led teams in fast-paced kitchens and wants the variety of custom event work, where the venue, menu, and room change every time out.
If you excel at guiding a team under pressure, love creating memorable food experiences, and take pride in delivering exceptional, consistent results, we'd love to connect with you.

Key Responsibilities

• Event Pack-Out & Commissary Preparation
• Review event sheets (BEOs), pack lists, and culinary timelines brief with Executive Chef prior to departure.
• Verify, count, and pack all food items, equipment, serving utensils, hot boxes (Cambros), and sanitation supplies at the commissary kitchen.
• Execute station prep, including precision knife work, batch cooking, sautéing, baking, and garnishes.
• On-Site Kitchen Setup & Field Operations
• Meet at the commissary and travel to event venues/client residences.
• Direct the setup of onsite prep and field kitchens (prep tables, burners, warmers, plating lines, and sanitation buckets).
• Manage loadin, temperature controls, and station flow within diverse offpremises kitchen environments.
• On-Site Team Leadership & Menu Briefing
• Brief onsite prep cooks and culinary assistants on event details, timing, guest count, dietary restrictions, and portion sizes.
• Teach and guide junior kitchen staff on proper holding temps, plating mechanics, and flow.
• Ensure clear communication with the frontofhouse Event Managers and service staff throughout the event.
• Food Execution & Service Styles
• Lead and cook across all service formats: Passed Hors d’oeuvres: Highspeed finishing, hotholding, and synchronized handoffs to servers.
• Plated Dinners: Sauté/grill execution, sauce finishing, and expediting high-volume synchronized plating lines. Action & Chef Stations: Interactive, clean, and engaging front-facing cooking/carving/assembly for guests.
• Buffets & Family-Style: Efficient refilling, temperature tracking, and aesthetic replenishment.
• Sanitation, Food Safety & Breakdown
• Enforce rigorous food safety practices (time/temperature control, crosscontamination prevention, handwashing stations).
• Oversee onsite breakdown, ensuring client/venue kitchens are left spotless.
• Manage packback to the commissary, inventory reconciliation, and proper storage/labeling of leftover ingredients.
  

Qualifications & Skills Required

• Culinary Expertise: 35+ years of experience in highvolume catering, banquets, or restaurant kitchens.
• Technical Skills: Strong knife skills, sauté, protein cookery, sauce work, and hotholding techniques.
• Leadership & Teaching: Ability to clearly direct, train, and keep a kitchen team calm and organized during fastpaced service.
• Organization & Attention to Detail: Strict adherence to pack lists, labeling, time management, and presentation standards.
• Food Safety: Active ServSafe Food Manager Certification (or ability to obtain before hire); deep knowledge of HACCP and temperature logs.
• Availability & Physical Requirements: Must be available Nights and Weekend yearround.
• Must be available for up to 6-day work week during high-volume peak seasons. Valid driver’s license with reliable transportation.
• Ability to lift, carry, and load up to 50 lbs (Cambros, sheet pans, equipment) and stand on your feet for extended shifts (8–10+ hours).