Sous Chef

The Pulpo Group; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Paid Sick Time

Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance

Short Term Disability

Life Insurance

401k with Employer Match

Parking Pass

Job summary

The Pulpo Group is seeking experienced Sous Chefs to lead back-of-house teams across its Ann Arbor restaurants. You will collaborate with the Chef team to uphold food quality, consistency, safety, and hospitality while developing others and maintaining organized, efficient kitchens.

You will play a key role in protecting the culture and supporting growth across Sava's, Aventura, The Dixboro Project, and Orijin Bakery as they continue evolving their dining programs in Ann Arbor.

Qualifications

• 1+ years of kitchen management or sous chef leadership in high-volume environments.
• Strong leadership with ability to coach and develop staff.
• Organizational skills in prep flow, scheduling, and operations.
• Clear communication with BOH and FOH leaders.
• Professionalism, urgency, and attention to detail in fast-paced kitchens.

Responsibilities

• Lead line cooks and prep teams by example.
• Maintain high standards of professionalism, prep, plating, and execution.
• Ensure recipes and methods are clearly communicated and followed.
• Conduct line checks before service for quality and readiness.
• Train, coach, and develop kitchen staff with hands-on leadership.
• Assist with hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and performance management.
• Create efficient schedules while controlling food and labor costs.
• Collaborate with Chef team on specials and menu changes.
• Maintain cleanliness, sanitation, and food safety standards.
• Build a culture of accountability and teamwork.

Skills

Kitchen management

Leadership

Team development

Communication

Food safety

Job description

Description

The Pulpo Group is a visionary hospitality company redefining the style and standard of exceptional experiences in the communities we serve. As the parent company behind three of Ann Arbor’s most beloved restaurants: Sava's, Aventura, and The Dixboro Project, plus our newly opened Orijin Bakery, we are proud to help shape the city’s unique dining culture through creativity, hospitality, and community connection.

We are seeking experienced, dedicated Sous Chefs to help lead our back‑of‑house team. In this role, you will work closely with the Chef team to uphold our standards for food quality, consistency, cleanliness, safety, and hospitality.

The right person is a hands‑on leader who takes pride in developing others, maintaining an organized and efficient kitchen, and holding themselves and their team accountable. You’ll play an important role in protecting our culture while helping the kitchen continue to grow and evolve.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead by example and actively support our line cook and prep cook teams.
• Uphold high standards of professionalism, preparation, presentation, and execution.
• Ensure recipes, production methods, and plating standards are clearly communicated and consistently followed.
• Conduct detailed line checks before each service to confirm quality, organization, and readiness.
• Train, coach, and develop kitchen employees through consistent feedback and hands‑on leadership.
• Support hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and performance management for the back‑of‑house team.
• Help create efficient schedules and services while managing food and labor costs responsibly.
• Collaborate with the Chef team on specials, menu changes, and the rollout of fresh, relevant dishes.
• Maintain the highest standards of cleanliness, sanitation, food safety, and workplace safety.
• Build a culture of accountability, teamwork, respect, and shared commitment to excellence.
• Respond calmly and effectively to the demands of a fast‑paced, high‑volume kitchen.
• Hold yourself and the team accountable without compromising our standards.

Why Work with Us?

• Paid Time Off to recharge and enjoy time away from work.
• Paid Sick Timethrough ESTA
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance to keep you and your family healthy.
• Company Sponsored Short Term Disability to take care of yourself if needed
• Life Insurance for peace of mind.
• 401k with Employer Match to plan for your future.
• Company Sponsored Parking Pass

Requirements

Who you are:

• 1+ years of kitchen management or sous chef leadership experience in a high-volume or chef-driven restaurant environment.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to coach, develop, and hold team members accountable.
• Demonstrated organizational skills with experience managing systems, prep flow, scheduling, and operational follow-through
• Ability to communicate clearly and collaborate effectively with both back of house and front of house leadership teams
• Operates with professionalism, urgency, accountability, and attention to detail in fast‑paced environments.

Physical Requirements

• Stand and walk for extended periods, often for the duration of a full shift.
• Lift, carry, and move up to 50 pounds occasionally and 25 pounds frequently.
• Bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, and perform repetitive kitchen motions such as chopping, slicing, stirring, and plating.
• Safely operate kitchen equipment, including ovens, grills, fryers, knives, and food-preparation equipment.
• Work in a fast‑paced, high-temperature kitchen environment with evening, weekend, and holiday availability as required by restaurant operations.