Sous Chef

Bartolottacatering; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Bartolottacatering in Milwaukee, WI is seeking a knowledgeable Sous Chef to oversee kitchen operations. You'll manage daily kitchen tasks, staff, and inventory while ensuring all food safety standards are met.

The ideal candidate will have at least two years of culinary management experience and strong organizational skills. This role offers the opportunity to enhance your culinary career within a respected organization dedicated to excellence in hospitality.

Qualifications

• Highly organized and self-directed.
• Able to build relationships at all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated strong performance in critical thinking and collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Oversees kitchen operations, ensuring food is prepared safely and efficiently.
• Maintains compliance with health and safety codes and standards.
• Manages kitchen budgeting and ingredient stocking.

Skills

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Creativity

Communication skills

Time management

Education

Degree or certificate in culinary arts

Two years of culinary managerial experience

Job description

The Bartolotta Restaurants is a nationally recognized restaurant and catering organization co-founded by restaurateur Joe Bartolotta and his brother, two-time James Beard Award-winning Chef Paul Bartolotta. Since 1993, The Bartolotta Restaurants has grown to become the premier culinary brand in the Greater Milwaukee region, offering first-class service and cuisine across a portfolio of 17 one-of-a-kind restaurants and catering facilities. As a forward-thinking and respected company, we also give back to our community through Care-a-lotta, a charitable program that supports numerous nonprofit organizations throughout Milwaukee.

At The Bartolotta Restaurants, we are committed to excellence in every aspect of our business, from the products we source to the food and service we deliver every day in our restaurants and catering venues. Our greatest asset in our company is our team members because, without them, we wouldn't be in business.

We look for people who have what we call a "hospitality heart," characterized by a commitment to providing excellence, a passion for taking care of our guests, and a “can-do” attitude. We're a family-run business, and we consider our team members part of The Bartolotta Restaurants family.

High Stakes by Bartolotta is inspired by Chef Paul Bartolotta’s apprenticeships throughout Europe, his award-winning career in Las Vegas, and his most recent travels in London.

We blend old-school charm with new-school flair, bringing the art of theatrics back to dining. Our menu sets the stage, our team tells the story, and the immersive experience makes High Stakes by Bartolotta truly unique.

When dining out feels like a dinner party, we've hit the mark. We're serious about our food and hospitality, but from the moment guests walk in, we serve pure entertainment. We bring a cosmopolitan spirit downtown, balancing refinement and panache, while staying fun and chic.

High Stakes by Bartolotta continues the legacy of our commitment to elevate the social fabric of our community. We honor our roots, ensuring the values that were taught and shared around the Bartolotta Table continue to guide our story, as we pay it forward and double-down on Milwaukee.

Job Purpose

The Sous Chef is responsible for the effective daily operations of the kitchen. This includes staffing, recruitment, employee development, financial management and facilities management. Responsible for creating, implementation and management of the menu concept.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Assist the Executive Chef in the management of an inventory process.
• In conjunction with the management team, develop an annual budget.
• Monitor inventory process in compliance with respective policies and procedures.
• Purchase inventory according to needs, quality, specifications and budgets.
• Monitor menu content for effectiveness.
• Cost out food specials.
• Work closely with the Executive Chef and management staff regarding customer satisfaction regarding food selections.
• On-going menu engineering.
• Ensure quality in menu and food preparation.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversees the operations of the kitchen and back-of-house, ensuring that food is prepared safely, efficiently, and according to specifications or request.
• Ensures kitchen runs in accordance with all applicable health, safety, and hygiene codes and standards.
• Creates and modifies the restaurant’s menu based on food trends, food costs, patron requests, and seasonal availability.
• Oversees stocking, ordering, and purchasing of ingredients, ensuring that necessary ingredients are available and as fresh as possible while also minimizing spoilage and waste.
• Maintains and inspects kitchen equipment and utensils, recommending repairs or replacements as needed.
• Maintains kitchen budget.
• Sets prices for food items on the menu.
• Collaborates with specialty chefs on menu items—for example, works with pastry chefs to design an innovative, appealing, and complementary dessert menu.

All Other Duties as Assigned

Requirements

Qualification Requirements

• Highly organized and self-directed.
• Able to build relationships at all levels of the organization.
• Exceptional interpersonal, oral, presentation and written communication skills.
• Ability to work in fast-paced, changing environment.
• Demonstrated strong performance in analytical, innovative, and critical thinking, strategy and collaboration.
• Ability to produce an excellent culinary and restaurant experience for patrons.
• Extremely creative.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent time management, scheduling, managerial, and organizational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work well with a variety of personalities and under pressure.

Education and/or Experience Requirements

• Relevant experience or training, which may be demonstrated via degree or certificate, completion of apprenticeship, or other experience necessary to become trained as a highly skilled professional cook.
• At least two years of culinary managerial experience required.
• Business experience preferred.

Physical Requirements

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is:
• Regularly required to sit, talk, use repetitive motion, type, and hear.
• Frequently required to stand, walk, use hands and fingers to handle and feel, and reach with hands and arms.
• Occasionally required to bend, kneel, crouch, climb stairs, and reach overhead.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times.
• Must be able to work in a kitchen environment that may involve exposure to extreme heat or cold.

ADA Disclaimer

In developing this job description care was taken to include all competencies needed to successfully perform in this position. However, for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) purposes, the essential functions of the job may or may not have been described for purposes of ADA reasonable accommodation. All reasonable accommodation requests will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.