Pastry Sous Chef - Events & Culinary Operations

DO & CO AG; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Daily meals

401K and medical benefits

Career development opportunities

Global events travel

Job summary

DO & CO AG seeks a Pastry Sous Chef for Events & Culinary Operations to elevate daily kitchen excellence, lead a high-performing team, and contribute to creative, cost-conscious dessert menus for premier global events across the U.S.

This role involves hands-on leadership, travel to locations including Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami, and collaboration with our events team to deliver desserts that meet airline meal specs and premium catering standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3+ professional cooking experience in a high-volume kitchen environment.
• Culinary degree or certification is preferred.
• Knowledge of current catering industry trends.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily kitchen operations and mentor culinary teams.
• Standardize production recipes for consistency across menus.
• Monitor inventory levels and communicate needs to the Executive Chef.
• Drive cost-efficient menu development and guest experience.
• Uphold rigorous production standards to meet timelines and client specs.
• Ensure menu items meet DO CO’s signature standards for airline catering.

Skills

Leadership

High-volume cooking

Menu development

Team mentoring

Food safety

Travel readiness

Education

Culinary degree preferred

Job description

Pastry Sous Chef – Events & Culinary Operations

We have an incredible opportunity for a dynamic, experienced, skilled Pastry Sous Chef of Events & Culinary Operations at our Los Angeles, Chicago, or Miami locations!

About DO & CO

We have a passion for hospitality culinary delights on every elevated floor and in the sky. With our three business segments, Airline Catering, International Event Catering, Restaurants, Lounges & Hotels, we offer gourmet entertainment all over the world. We operate in 33 locations, 12 countries and 3 Continents, maintaining the highest standard of quality in both our products and services. We refine the classics, develop the unknown and grow constantly – sometimes beyond our own expectations.

About The Role

The Pastry Sous Chef – Events & Culinary Operations is responsible for elevating the daily kitchen excellence, motivating a high-performing team, and contributing to creative, cost-smart menu development within the unit. The Pastry Sous Chef – Events & Culinary Operations will partner with our premier global events team to create curated desserts at DO & CO’s premier global events—like Formula 1 and FIFA—throughout the U.S. and around the world.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily kitchen operations within your assigned area, guiding and mentoring culinary teams to deliver exceptional food quality, flawless technique, consistent portioning, presentation, and cost control.
• Champion ingredient excellence by inspecting freshness, participating in tastings, and standardizing production recipes to ensure consistency across all menus.
• Maintain seamless production flow by monitoring inventory levels, preventing shortages, and proactively communicating needs or discrepancies to the Executive Chef.
• Drive culinary innovation and catering excellence by contributing ideas that elevate cost efficiency, quality, presentation, and overall guest experience.
• Uphold rigorous production standards to guarantee timelines, quality benchmarks, and client specifications are met without compromise.
• Ensure menu items meet DO&CO’s signature standards, delivering products that align precisely with airline meal specs and premium catering expectations.
• Support the Executive Chef with proposal development, creative menu concepts, food cost control, operational reporting, and team scheduling.
• Optimize staffing coverage & travel to DO&CO catered events, to ensure culinary personnel levels align with business demands and operational needs.
• Safeguard a world-class kitchen environment by enforcing strict compliance with federal/state food safety regulations, sanitation protocols, equipment care, and overall cleanliness standards.
• Maintain Culinary Excellence Standard- train, motivate and manage kitchen personnel and supervise culinary activities as assigned.
• Maintain a positive, team-oriented attitude, demonstrate a willingness to learn, and be receptive to both giving and receiving constructive feedback while consistently demonstrating a growth mindset.
• Hands-on role: Requires active involvement in daily production activities, including organization, coordination, execution, and direct participation in operational tasks.
• Optimize staffing coverage and travel requirements for DO&CO-catered events, ensuring culinary personnel levels are aligned with business demands, event requirements, and operational needs.
• Travel is required to support U.S. locations and major events, including Formula 1 events across North America, Brazil, and Mexico, as well as international events outside the U.S. This role requires flexibility to travel based on business needs, event schedules, and operational priorities.
• Foster and maintain a culture of professionalism, punctuality, accountability, and clear communication across the team.
• Work additional days or adjust schedules as needed due to unforeseen circumstances, operational demands and event support requirements.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3+ professional cooking experience in a high-volume kitchen environment required.
• Culinary degree or certification is preferred.
• Knowledge of current catering industry trends.
• Ability to work efficiently under pressure while maintaining attention to detail and consistency in food quality.
• Familiarity with kitchen safety and sanitation protocols.
• Excellent teamwork and communication skills.
• Ability to work long hours on foot and in environments with varying temperatures.
• Flexibility to work different shifts (including nights, weekends, and holidays) based on business needs.
• Developing training programs designed to facilitate quick adaptation and fast-track the integration of team members into already established units.

What We Offer

• Salary range: $80,000 - $100,000 annually - based on experience and location.
• Daily Complimentary Meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
• FT employees are eligible for 401K and medical benefits: medical, dental, and vision.
• An organization dedicated to fostering innovation; in pursuit of cultivating creativity, embracing new ideas and leveraging our impeccable standard for hospitality.
• Genuine career development opportunities, both nationally and internationally.
• Flexible schedule with availability to