Sous Chef

Goodwin Living; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 62,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Health Insurance

DailyPay

Tuition Assistance

Student Loan Repayment

Citizenship support

ESL tutoring

Emergency Grants

401(k)

Free meals

Job summary

Goodwin Living in Alexandria, Virginia, seeks a kitchen supervisor to oversee daily kitchen operations, ensure safe food handling, and guide staff. You will prepare meals per standard recipes, monitor quality, and maintain logs and sanitation practices.

Ideal candidates have 3–5 years in food service with supervisory experience and a Serv Safe certificate (or ability to obtain within 30 days). This full-time role offers growth in a nonprofit healthcare setting with competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• 3–5 years of food service experience preferred.
• 3+ years supervisory experience preferred.
• Serv Safe Certification required or obtainable within 30 days of hire.

Responsibilities

• Oversees kitchen operations and maintains safety and sanitation.
• Prepares or directs preparation of meals following recipes.
• Reviews daily production worksheets and waste logs.
• Ensures compliance with health regulations and audits.
• Mentors staff and provides constructive performance feedback.

Skills

Staff supervision

Food preparation

Quality control

Communication

Education

High School diploma

Serv Safe Certification

Tools

Kitchen equipment operation

Job description

Goodwin Living is a mission-driven nonprofit senior living and healthcare organization based in Alexandria, Virginia. We support, honor and uplift older adults and the people who care for them by creating a workplace rooted in purpose, belonging and growth. Our culture has earned consistent recognition, including Top Workplace honors in the D.C. region since 2019, national recognition by USA Today and Nurse.com, and Top Virginia Employers for Intern Awards recognition since 2022. These honors are based on team member feedback and reflect what our team values most.

About The Position

Oversees kitchen operation while maintaining a safe and sanitary work environment for the staff. Prepares or directs preparation of all food by the kitchen staff in accordance with corporate programs and guidelines. Follows standardized recipes, portioning, and presentation standards. Completes and utilizes daily production worksheets and waste log sheets. Tastes completed meals to ensure quality.

The pay range for this position is $62k-$68k depending on experience.

This shift is 11am-8pm with alternating weekends.

Job Duties

• Assists with planning regular and modified menus according to established guidelines.
• Conducts daily meetings with production team members.
• Assists in training kitchen staff in food preparation, safe food handling, operation of equipment, food safety and sanitation based on regulatory standards.
• Establishes and maintains cleaning and maintenance schedules for equipment, storage and work areas. Ensures that kitchen staff follows and completes schedules as assigned.
• Assists with ordering of food / nonfood supplies while adhering to budget constraints.
• Makes decisions regarding utilization of leftover food products.
• Complies with federal, state, and local health and sanitation regulations as evidenced through local health department and third‑party audits. Successful completion of surveys with no deficiencies.
• Interfaces with representatives of regulatory agencies regarding food safety and sanitation in the kitchen.
• Maintains a clean, sanitary working environment.
• Follows facility and department infection control policies and procedures.
• Adheres to facility confidentiality, HIPAA and patient rights policies.
• Participates and attends departmental meetings, staff development, and professional programs, as appropriate.
• Participates in meetings where department goals are established and implements assigned action plans to achieve expected outcomes.
• Participates in hiring process and may provide input to hiring and performance management issues. Consults appropriately with Human Resources and DS Director.
• Mentors and assists team members with personal growth, training, and job skills.
• Encourages positive team member behavior and performance, provides constant feedback including timely completion of performance appraisals, and rewards team members appropriately. Identifies unacceptable performance and behavior, takes appropriate action within authority, holds team members accountable, and maintains documentation.
• Delegates responsibilities to team members adequately to ensure effective and appropriate accomplishments of tasks as needed.

Job Qualifications

• High School graduate or equivalent required.
• Three to five years of food service experience is preferred.
• At least three years of supervisory experience is preferred.
• Holds a current Serv Safe Food Service Sanitation Certificate or can obtain within first 30 days of hire.
• Must be able to deal tactfully and effectively with staff, residents, and others.
• Strong communication skills required.
• Must use discretion and independent judgment when performing job duties.

A sampling of our many benefits!

Benefits

• Paid Time Off
• Health/Dental/Vision Insurance
• DailyPay: Work and get paid the same day!
• Tuition Assistance for Career Development
• Student Loan Repayment Program
• Financial assistance with U.S. Citizenship application or DACA Renewal
• Tutoring for ESL, Citizenship Test & GED
• Staff Emergency Grants
• Retirement Plan- 401(k)
• Free Meals, Access to a Fitness Center, Pool, and More

About Goodwin Living

At Goodwin Living, we can all find work with purpose! As a nonprofit senior living and healthcare organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, we are driven by our mission: to support, honor and uplift the lives of older adults and those who care for them. Our commitment to our team members is written directly into that statement. We create an enriching and supportive work environment that has earned us Top Workplace recognition by The Washington Post since 2019 and, more recently, national recognition by USA Today. These honors reflect the culture our team members foster every day — one rooted in purpose, belonging, and growth.

Goodwin Living is an Equal Opportunity Employer and an AARP Employer Pledge Signer. We take pride in our inclusive work culture that values diversity and fosters talent. With us, you are more than just a team member; you are part of a community committed to excellence and continuous learning.