Sous Chef

Silver Oak; California; Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Silver Oak seeks an accomplished Sous Chef to lead daily culinary operations, mentor the kitchen team, and execute world-class winery events. You will ensure guest experiences reflect our premium brand standards and step in for the Executive Chef when needed.

You will guide prep, plating and production, maintain strict quality and safety, and collaborate with multiple teams to deliver memorable dining experiences across our properties.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive culinary experience including 3+ years in fine dining.
• Advanced knowledge of all kitchen areas: prep, pantry, pastries and contemporary methods.
• Understanding of seasonality, sustainable farming, fishing and animal husbandry.
• Working knowledge of wine, food pairing and luxury hospitality.
• Flexible hours including nights and weekends; ability to travel between winery locations.

Responsibilities

• Foster a positive, collaborative kitchen culture with clear communication and accountability.
• Onboard, coach and develop culinary team through training and feedback.
• Plan and lead daily kitchen operations, prep lists, workflow and production priorities.
• Oversee cooking techniques, knife skills, seasoning and overall culinary quality.
• Maintain a clean, organized kitchen and lead by hands-on coaching.
• Lead culinary execution of multi-course lunches, dinners, pairings and events.
• Ensure consistency in recipes, portions and plating per standards.
• Coordinate team responsibilities for seamless event execution, lead in absence of the Executive Chef.
• Engage guests by presenting menu concepts and representing Silver Oak culinary program.
• Manage purchasing, receiving, inventory and budgets for food and labor.
• Inspect deliveries, minimize waste and maintain storage and par levels.
• Support labor scheduling and staffing decisions.
• Collaborate to plan and harvest culinary gardens and incorporate estate produce.
• Partner with Hospitality, Events, Vineyard, Facilities and Winemaking teams for guest experiences.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Fine dining

Wine pairing knowledge

Team leadership

Food safety discipline

Education

CA Food Manager Certification

Job description

Description

The Sous Chef is a key culinary leader responsible for delivering exceptional food experiences that reflect the Family of Silver Oak's commitment to hospitality, craftsmanship, and quality. This position partners closely with the Executive Chef to lead daily culinary operations, mentor the kitchen team, execute world-class winery events, and ensure every guest experience reflects our premium brand standards. In the Executive Chef's absence, the Sous Chef assumes full responsibility for kitchen operations and culinary execution.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Foster a positive, collaborative, high-performing kitchen culture through clear communication, daily pre-service meetings, and accountability to quality and hospitality standards.
• Onboard, coach and develop culinary team members through ongoing training, feedback and performance management.
• Plan and lead daily kitchen operations, including prep lists, workflow, production priorities and participation in food preparation.
• Ensure efficient execution by overseeing cooking techniques, knife skills, seasoning, food preparation and overall culinary quality.
• Maintain a clean, organized and high-performing kitchen while developing team members through hands‑on coaching and leadership.
• Lead the culinary execution of multi‑course lunches, dinners, food and wine pairings, internal meals and large‑scale hospitality events.
• Ensure consistency in recipes, portioning, plating, presentation and final quality while maintaining the Executive Chef's culinary standards.
• Coordinate kitchen team responsibilities to ensure seamless event execution and independently lead events in the Executive Chef's absence.
• Engage with guests during dining experiences by presenting menu concepts and representing the Family of Silver Oak culinary program.
• Manage purchasing, receiving and inventory while maintaining established food, labor and operating budgets.
• Evaluate vendor relationships, inspect deliveries for quality and maintain appropriate inventory, storage and par levels to minimize waste.
• Support labor scheduling and staffing decisions to balance operational efficiency with exceptional guest experiences.
• Partner with the Executive Chef and Landscaping team to plan, maintain and harvest the culinary gardens.
• Incorporate seasonal estate‑grown produce into menus while maximizing utilization through preservation techniques. Support maintenance of culinary gardens; harvesting, pruning, trellising as needed
• Partner with Hospitality, Events, Vineyard, Facilities and Winemaking teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences and support company‑wide initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Executive Chef on menu development, staff scheduling and culinary planning across Family of Silver Oak properties.
• Welcome guests into the kitchen, participate in event planning meetings and support internal staff events.
• Ensure compliance with County Health Department regulations, food safety standards and safe chemical handling practices.
• Maintain an exceptionally clean, organized and inspection‑ready kitchen, including food storage, sanitation stations, loading docks, floors and workspaces.
• Promote a culture of cleanliness, sanitation and safety through daily oversight and accountability.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 8+ years of progressive culinary experience, including at least 3 years in fine dining, luxury hospitality or equivalent high‑end culinary environments.
• Advanced knowledge of all kitchen areas including prep, pantry, contemporary cooking methods, pastries and breads.
• Understanding of seasonality, sustainable farming practices, fishing and animal husbandry
• Working knowledge of wine, food pairing principles, and luxury hospitality.
• High level of attention to detail to ensure food production runs seamlessly to properly execute on high luxury events
• CA Food Manager Certification preferred.
• Must be able to work flexible hours including nights and weekends.
• Ability to speak and describe our cuisine to a small/large group of guests.
• Valid CA Driver's License and clean DMV record.
• Ability to drive between multiple winery locations for events.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Strong demonstrated leadership and ability to work in a team.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Stand on feet for long periods of time.
• Perform repetitive motion activities.
• Physically able to occasionally lift 30-50 lbs.
• Coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Busy and distractive open office/kitchen atmosphere.
• Kitchen can be hot and slippery.
• Ability to work with regular distraction.