Sous Chef

Upper Crust Food Service; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Upper Crust Food Service is seeking a Sous Chef to support the Head Chef in food preparation, manage additional staff, and maintain a clean kitchen and dining room while upholding safety and sanitation best practices.

You will maintain excellent communication with management and customers, collaborate on seasonal menu concepts, assist in events, and ensure consistent, high‑quality products and service in a fast‑paced environment.

Qualifications

• Teamwork and ability to work with diverse staff in a fast-paced kitchen.
• Commitment to sanitation procedures and safe food handling.
• Understanding of cooking techniques and proper food preparation.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work under pressure.
• Clear verbal and written communication with team and management.
• Awareness of industry best practices in food service.

Responsibilities

• Work with Head Chef to prepare food safely and efficiently according to specifications.
• Collaborate on seasonal menu concepts with the Chef.
• Maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen and dining area and proper equipment.
• Wash utensils, equipment and dishes as needed.
• Assist in unloading, inspecting, and stocking ingredients and supplies.
• Enforce sanitation and food safety standards per regulations.
• Maintain a professional attitude with coworkers and customers.
• Assist in planning and executing special events as directed by management.
• Communicate regularly with management via calls, emails, and texts.

Skills

Teamwork

Sanitation procedures

Food handling techniques

Interpersonal skills under pressure

Verbal & written communication

Industry best practices

Education

High school diploma or vocational training

Food safety handler certification

Job description

Sous Chefs are responsible for supporting the Head Chef in food preparation, management of additional staff, maintaining a clean kitchen/dining room, and ensuring best practices with safety and sanitation. Maintain outstanding communication with management and customers. Consistently deliver outstanding products and customer service.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Work with the Head Chef, ensuring that food is prepared safely, efficiently, and according to specifications or requests.
• Collaborate with the Chef to create seasonal, relevant and evolving menu concepts.
• Maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen and dining room including but not limited to tables, shelves, grills, broilers, fryers, pasta cookers, sauté burners, convection oven, flat top range, refrigeration equipment, and floors.
• Wash kitchen utensils, equipment and dishes, etc.
• Help with unloading, inspecting, and storage of raw ingredients and supplies.
• Enforce sanitation and food safety standards per state and local regulations.
• Maintain a professional and positive attitude with coworkers and customers.
• Assist in planning and executing special events as directed by management.
• Communicate regularly with management via calls, emails, and texts.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to work well as part of a team.
• Ability to follow all sanitation procedures.
• Understand food handling techniques, preparation, and cooking procedures.
• Exhibit excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work well with a variety of personalities and under pressure.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Understanding of or the ability to learn food handling techniques, preparation, and cooking procedures.
• Be familiar with the industry’s best practices.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• 2+ years food service skills or related experience preferred.
• Have experience with bulk food prep and production in a commercial kitchen setting.
• Ability to pass a background check.
• Have a valid food safety handler and sanitation certification in accordance with state and local regulations or obtain one within 30 days of employment.
• High school or vocational school coursework in kitchen basics such as food safety, preferred.

Special Demands:

• The work environment can be loud and busy. There are many kitchen hazards such as hot surfaces and liquids, sharp knives, and slippery floors.
• Capability to work in a kitchen environment that may involve exposure to extreme heat or cold.
• Required to stand for long periods, up to 8+ hours, as well as walk, bend and stoop.
• Must be able to lift and/or move objects up to 50 pounds.
• Exposure to cleaning chemicals.

Upper Crust Food Service provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.