Sous Chef

Cactus Restaurants; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 80,500 - 87,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

90% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Free meals on shifts

Job summary

Cactus Restaurants in Seattle is looking for experienced Chefs and Sous Chefs to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidates must be hands-on leaders with a passion for the culinary arts and a strong focus on guest experience. Responsibilities include ensuring high standards of kitchen operations and promoting a culture of accountability.

We offer competitive compensation starting from $80,500 to $83,000 annually, along with benefits like medical insurance, paid time off, and meals during shifts. If you're seeking a place where you can grow, apply today.

Qualifications

• 1-3 years of high volume, upscale kitchen experience.
• Strong leadership skills with coaching abilities.
• Detail-oriented with high operational standards.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for overall kitchen operations success.
• Promote a culture of accountability.
• Provide training and coaching to staff.

Skills

High volume kitchen management

Leadership

Detail oriented

Communication skills

MS Office proficiency

Job description

About the Role

Do you want to work for a company where you can make a difference every day? Are you currently a Chef, Sous Chef or highly experienced lead line cook with talent but no opportunity to show it? If so, Cactus might be the next step in your career! Cactus is looking for talented Chefs and Sous Chefs to join our team. The ideal candidates are experienced "hands‑on" leaders who are energetic and self‑starting with guest first operations focus. Candidates must have the capacity to build relationships, motivate others and create a culture of accountability. It is essential that the candidate is extremely positive, outgoing, a team player, and a strong and supportive leader. A high degree of accountability, integrity, and the ability to direct others to achieve company goals are key traits for success in this position. Most importantly, candidates should have a passion for the industry and a strong desire to work for a company that does everything the right way.

How are we different?

• We have a great Human Resources and Training Director to ensure we handle ourselves properly and with the utmost integrity.
• We have a great training program, develop our people, and are dedicated to initial and ongoing training. We provide extensive training on every aspect of BOH operations as well as advanced lessons on restaurant finances.
• We are a purpose driven company and exist to Enable Happiness and Ensure Loyalty at Every Interaction. This purpose statement is more about how we treat each other. Ask any of our current employees and they'll confirm we live our purpose, and all decisions are made through that lens. As a result, people love working here.
• We support our business! We have Regional Chefs that oversee 3 stores and work out of the restaurants daily. These same regional chefs also cover all vacations.
• We have a facilities Manager that works tirelessly to keep our restaurants in top shape. There is zero deferred maintenance or broken equipment in our company. If something is broken you simply open an app, log the request and it will get fixed (almost magically) immediately.
• Our restaurants are organized, systematized and we run it like a business. We don't cut corners and focus on doing things right. There is a strong culture of accountability which is not for everyone but if you crave order and logic, you'll love it here.
• The owners are actively involved in the business.
• We have a history of strong and steady growth. Our concepts are proven, and the owners have the desire and capital to grow, resulting in opportunity for career growth.

Job Specifics

• The Chef team is accountable for the overall success of kitchen operations. We have taken great care to outline our specifications and detail our standards and the primary focus of our Chef team to ensure that these are always executed with integrity.
• Promoting a culture of accountability in which our purpose of Enabling Happiness and Ensuring Loyalty with Every Interaction can thrive.
• Providing training, leadership and coaching to all hourly employees to achieve the highest standards in all restaurant operations.
• Building relationships with others and fostering a positive environment where employees are enabled and motivated to obtain results.
• Ensuring financial success by driving sales and controlling costs to achieve the company’s profitability goals.
• Working with others to assertively address and overcome all obstacles that face the business.
• Using data to make business decisions that optimize the health of the restaurants.

Requirements

• 1-3 years high volume, upscale Chef/Sous Chef experience with a strong track record of progressive career growth (within one company a plus).
• Strong kitchen management experience.
• High energy works with a sense of urgency and has the capacity to self‑motivate.
• Polished and professional presentation and approach.
• Strong leadership traits with the ability to drive performance results through motivating and coaching others.
• Detail oriented with high standards in service, organization, and operations.
• Proficiency with MS office suite (SharePoint, Outlook and strong Excel skills a plus).
• Strong written and oral communication skills. (Bilingual English/Spanish a plus.)
• Flexible schedule.

Benefits

• Employees are eligible for 90% employer‑paid medical, dental, and vision insurance after 60 full days of employment.
  • Dependent/family coverage is available at full cost to the employee.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): 12 days per year.
• Paid Holidays: 5 paid holidays per year.
• Additional benefits include:
  • Free meals on shifts worked.
  • 50% off when dining on a day off.

Sous Chef Compensation

Starting Salary Range: $80,500 - $83,000 per year, based on position and experience.

Salary Range: $80,500 - $87,500 per year.

Other Compensation

• In addition to the base salary, hired applicants may be eligible for quarterly and annual discretionary bonuses based on store performance.