Sous Chef

Riverdale; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Shuttle service

Professional development budget

Frankel Fellow grants

Sabbatical after 10 years

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement plan through TIAA

Generous vacation policy

Job summary

Riverdale Country School in New York City is seeking a full-time Sous Chef to supervise culinary staff. You will report to the Assistant Culinary Director and Culinary Director, overseeing daily foodservice and events, with an emphasis on farm-to-table concepts and program development.

The role requires at least five years of large-volume cooking and two years of team leadership, strong communication, and a NYC DOH Food Protection Certificate.

Qualifications

• Minimum five years of large-volume cooking experience and two years in a supervisory role.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to lead kitchen staff and work in a team.
• Must hold NYC DOH Food Protection Certificate and comply with health regulations.
• Experience managing production for daily menus and events.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily preparation and execution of menus.
• Create daily work plans for each shift.
• Collaborate with front-of-house to ensure service quality.
• Maintain food safety standards and proper storage.
• Collaborate with management and assist Directors as needed.

Skills

Large volume cooking

Team leadership

Communication skills

Food safety knowledge

Education

Culinary Arts degree

NYC DOH Food Handler certificate

ServSafe certification

Allertrain certification

Job description

Riverdale Country School, a Pre‑K through Grade 12 independent all‑gender school in New York City, dedicated to inspiring students to live meaningful and purpose‑driven lives.

This is a full‑time, exempt position that directly supervises Culinary team members. You will report to the Assistant Culinary Director and Culinary Director at your campus. The Sous Chef is responsible for supervising the execution of the preparation and cooking of all food items for daily foodservice and special events. The ideal candidate will help facilitate and cultivate the spirit of farm‑to‑table food and contribute to the structure and organization of our current culinary program. We are looking for someone with the ability to think strategically, communicate effectively and interact professionally with a diverse group of students, parents, peers, managers and vendors.

Principal Qualifications

• Minimum of five years large volume cooking experience along with two years experience managing a team in a food service environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work in a team environment and demonstrate excellent customer service.
• Must have the ability to lead and support the kitchen staff.
• Must be able to understand verbal and written instructions.
• Holds a valid NYC DOH Food Protection Certificate.
• Must be knowledgeable and able to manage and comply with Health Department and other governmental agency regulations.
• Must have extensive knowledge of food preparation and production for volume restaurant and banquet facility.
• Individual is responsible for achieving on‑site certifications provided by employer.

Required Skill Sets

• Knowledge of various cuisines and cultural foods with emphasis on sustainable sourcing.
• Following and supporting standards set in place for the kitchen and ensure the team is able to follow.
• Attend training sessions, on‑site and off‑site.
• Responsible for overseeing preparation and execution of daily menus, ensuring production of desired quality and necessary quantity of food.
• Create daily individual work plans for team members for each shift.
• Work with team to ensure menu items are displayed in a proper manner.
• Work with front of house team to ensure an excellent level of customer service at all times.
• Provide additional training and mentorship as needed by the culinary team.
• Communicate with the management team to maintain the level of food quality that is expected.
• Liaison between culinary team and management.
• Communicate any issues to the team which could affect the service before each meal period; menu changes, allergens, ingredient changes, etc.
• Knowledge of food product, identification and acceptable level of food quality.
• Must know methods of food preparation, cooking times and portion sizes to ensure food is prepared in a prescribed manner.
• Evaluate food quality and preparedness by tasting everything.
• Ensure food is stored at the appropriate temperature for the appropriate length of time and follows all food safety standards.
• Sets up/Breaks down kitchen.
• Maintains a clean, safe and sanitary work station, equipment, and utensils.
• Maintain production records (food usage, overages, shortages, customer counts, etc.).
• Maintain established logs (food temperatures, cooling temperatures, cooler & freezer temperatures, etc.).
• Communicate with management regarding food product that needs to be ordered for upcoming production.
• Report safety hazards discovered in the location to management immediately.
• Completion of additional tasks requested by a management team.
• Responsible for receiving deliveries and proper storage of all items.
• Assist the Director of Food Services and Assistant Director of Food Services in any area as needed.

Requirements

• Degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management or equivalent experience preferred.
• A minimum of 2‑4 years progressive culinary management experience.
• Strong leadership and coaching skills and the ability to train others.
• NYC Food Handlers certification, ServSafe certification and Allertrain certification.

Work Environment

The work environment can be loud and busy. There are many kitchen hazards such as hot surfaces and liquids, sharp knives, and slippery floors. Ability to lift, move and/or transport up to 40 pounds is required.

Work Hours

(Some days may vary) Monday‑Friday 6:00 am‑2:30 pm, some evenings & weekends required. Salary or hourly rate: see posting.

Benefits of Full Time Work at Riverdale Country School

Working at Riverdale Country School is a purposeful and meaningful career choice that comes with many benefits including:

Transportation: Shuttle service is available to/from the 242nd St / Broadway subway station. Limited stops are also available near transit hubs in Manhattan including the Metro‑North Harlem Station and subway lines—1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, A, B, C, and D. If there is need in the community, we can also run a shuttle from the Henry Hudson Parkway / 246th St bus stop which connects to the #7, #10, and Express Buses to/from Manhattan.

Professional Development: A generous professional‑development budget provides for conferences, skills training, and onsite training in areas such as mindfulness, coaching, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Grants and Stipends: All employees are eligible for Frankel Fellow grants, known as “passion grants,” which pay for enrichment activities. More than 120 grants have been made to faculty and staff since the program started in 2014. Stipends are available for coaching, affinity group facilitation, advising clubs with significant out‑of‑school time, and chaperoning trips (including global trips!).

Sabbatical: Full‑time teaching faculty are eligible for a sabbatical after 10 years of employment.

Health Benefits: Riverdale offers and subsidizes health, dental, and vision insurance. In addition, the school offers a flexible spending account through which employees can use pre‑tax dollars to pay for health‑related expenses.

Retirement: Employees are eligible to join our Defined Contribution retirement plan through TIAA. The school contributes 7% of an employee’s annual salary to their retirement account.

Vacation: Riverdale Country School has a generous time‑off policy for staff in addition to vacations afforded by the school calendar.