Sous Chef

The Whit; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

401k plan with matching

ServSafe Certifications

Flexible scheduling

HR support

Diverse and inclusive culture

Job summary

The Whit in New Orleans is opening its doors and seeks a Sous Chef to lead the kitchen with hands-on involvement from day one. You will collaborate closely with the Chef de Cuisine to establish systems, recipes, prep lists, and training protocols in a pre-opening environment.

You will manage daily line operations, uphold exceptional standards, and mentor a growing culinary team as we build a premier hospitality program from the ground up.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of kitchen management experience in a full-service, polished-casual or fine-dining restaurant.
• Strong scratch cooking techniques and whole-product fabrication; classical culinary training preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily line operations and ensure high standards.
• Build and implement systems, recipes, prep lists, and training protocols with the CDC.
• Hands-on involvement from setup to first service.
• Maintain rigorous taste standards and portion control.
• Mentor and develop future culinary leaders.

Skills

Kitchen leadership

High-volume service

Culinary techniques

Education

Culinary training

Job description

Sous Chef

The Whit — New Orleans, LA

Reports To: Chef de Cuisine (CDC)

Welcome to The Whit

We are opening the doors to something extraordinary and looking for the foundational leaders who will help define it.

The Whit is an intimate luxury boutique hotel housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century mansion in the heart of New Orleans. Featuring 15 elegant guest rooms, a bespoke bar, a cocktail salon, and a curated library, our refined culinary program centers around elevated small plates, exceptional wines, handcrafted cocktails, and a robust private events calendar.

The Whit is intentionally designed to feel less like a traditional hotel and more like the private home of an extraordinary, discerning host. If you are passionate about scratch-made, refined cuisine, inspired by genuine hospitality, and energized by the opportunity to build a premier destination from the ground up, we would love to meet you.

Hospitality & Culture

• Genuine Hospitality: Embody and cultivate an environment of authentic care and respect for both our guests (external hospitality) and our culinary/service teams (internal hospitality).
• Kitchen Leadership: Oversee daily line operations, direct service with urgency, and maintain a highly collaborative, communicative kitchen culture.

Opening Team Leadership

• Ground‑Up Build: This is a pre‑opening role — you will be joining before doors open and will play a hands‑on part in standing up the kitchen from scratch, including building out systems, recipes, prep lists, and training protocols alongside the CDC.
• Hands‑On Approach Required: A willingness to be physically present and directly involved in every stage of the opening process — from initial setup through first service — is essential; this is not a role suited to a delegate‑only leadership style during the launch phase.

Culinary & Operational Execution

• Technical Excellence: Maintain a hands‑on approach to daily prep, cooking, portion control, presentation, and rigorous taste standards.
• Structure & Systems: Strictly execute operational frameworks, including Critical Controls, daily logbooks, and shift breakdown checklists.
• Kitchen Breakdown: Personally manage and delegate the nightly breakdown to ensure an immaculate, fully sanitized work environment is handed over to the morning shift.
• Modern Integration: Utilize workplace technology and applications for recipe archiving, precise labeling, team communication, and labor scheduling.

Communication & Mentorship

• Constructive Leadership: Guide the line with clear written and verbal directives. Maintain high standards and apply necessary pressure during volume, explaining the "why" behind corrections in a non-confrontational, instructive manner.
• Team Development: Cultivate, mentor, and inspire the next generation of culinary leaders within the brigade.

Position Requirements Experience & Education

• Proven Leadership: 2+ years of kitchen management experience (or senior/lead line cook experience) within a full-service, polished-casual or fine-dining restaurant.
• Scratch Kitchen Mastery: Deep, hands‑on experience with scratch cooking techniques and whole-product fabrication; classical culinary training is highly preferred.

Physical & Operational Stamina

• Active Engagement: Ability to stand, move quickly, and maintain high energy for extended periods during demanding dinner services.
• Physical Capability: Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. (e.g., standard ingredient sacks) and comfortably perform routine bending, reaching, and sitting tasks. These requirements can be met with or without reasonable accommodations.

Benefits

• Competitive Health, Vision, and Dental Insurance + 401k retirement plan with matching
• Company-sponsored ServSafe Certifications and ongoing culinary continuing education
• Flexible scheduling designed around business volume
• 24/7 accessible HR support system
• A progressive, mindful ownership group dedicated to a diverse, inclusive, and thriving FOH/BOH workspace

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