Sous Chef

careers-ucfs; College Park (MD); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Upper Crust Food Service is seeking a Sous Chef to support the Head Chef in food prep, staff management, and maintaining a clean, safe kitchen. You will help ensure high standards and timely service across campus dining settings.

The role emphasizes collaboration on menu concepts, strict sanitation, and proactive communication with management and staff to deliver outstanding customer experiences in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Must be able to work well as part of a team.
• Able to follow all sanitation procedures.
• Understand food handling techniques, preparation and cooking procedures.
• Exhibit excellent interpersonal skills under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Head Chef to ensure food is prepared safely, efficiently, and to specifications.
• Collaborate with the Chef to create seasonal, relevant menu concepts.
• Maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen and dining area including equipment and surfaces.
• Wash kitchen utensils, equipment and dishes.
• Assist in unloading, inspecting and storing 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.

Skills

Teamwork

Sanitation procedures

Food handling techniques

Cooking procedures

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Education

High school diploma or vocational training

Food safety certification

Job description

At Upper Crust Food Service we believe great food does more than fill plates, it creates connection, strengthens communities, and transforms everyday experiences. Across college campuses, K-12 schools, camps, and Greek housing, our teams bring hospitality to life through fresh food, meaningful relationships, and service people can count on. While we began serving fraternity and sorority communities more than 15 years ago, we've grown into a national hospitality partner supporting a wide range of dining programs across the country. No matter the setting, our purpose remains the same: to show up for the people we serve and for one another.

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 up to 50 pounds at times.


• 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.