Sous Chef

Compass Group USA; Tuscaloosa (AL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Vision

Life Insurance/ AD

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Health and Wellness Programs

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Job summary

Bon Appétit at The University of Alabama seeks a Sous Chef to support daily culinary operations in a high-volume campus dining environment. You will work closely with the Executive Chef to lead the kitchen, supervise hourly staff, and ensure top-quality food and service.

The role involves menu development, mentor-ship, and advancing seasonal offerings while maintaining food safety and cost controls across residential dining, retail concepts, and events.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Culinary Arts or equivalent experience.
• Experience in high-volume foodservice environments.
• Experience coaching culinary teams and managing timelines.
• Knowledge of batch and production cooking techniques.

Responsibilities

• Support daily kitchen operations with the Executive Chef.
• Lead and develop hourly culinary staff and maintain high standards.
• Assist with menu planning, recipe development, and seasonal offerings.
• Ensure food quality, safety, sanitation, and cost controls.
• Oversee catering events and campus functions with focus on guest experience.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Batch cooking

Menu development

Food safety

Training teammates

Communication

Education

Associate degree in Culinary Arts

Tools

Microsoft Office

Foodservice management systems

Job description

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Other Forms of Compensation: Comprehensive Benefit Package

Our Passion is Food!

At Bon Appetit Management Company we are committed to two things, great food and outstanding service! At Bon Appetit you won't find our managers referring to a corporate recipe book or our chefs microwaving the lunch special. We do not have standardized recipes or central commissaries, instead, our chefs and managers are expected to stay abreast of current culinary trends and bring cutting edge food into their cafes. We are a restaurant company that operates in contract food service. That means you will have the freedom to be creative, take risks, and truly shine. We are committed to our staff growing, trying new things, and learning all that they can. Our rapid growth and breadth of accounts translates into exciting opportunities for our people!

Job Summary

Join Bon Appétit at The University of Alabama and help create exceptional dining experiences for students, faculty, staff, and guests. As Sous Chef, you will play an important role in supporting daily culinary operations within a dynamic, high-volume campus dining environment.

Working closely with the Executive Chef, you will help lead kitchen operations, support menu innovation, develop culinary team members, and ensure consistently high standards of food quality, safety, and service. This opportunity is ideal for a culinary professional who enjoys hands‑on food production, mentoring others, and contributing to a collaborative and guest‑focused dining program.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with the Executive Chef to support daily kitchen operations, food production, and culinary team performance.
• Prepare and oversee the preparation of high-quality menu items for residential dining locations, retail concepts, catering functions, and special events.
• Guide, coach, and develop hourly culinary associates while fostering a culture of teamwork, inclusion, safety, and accountability.
• Support menu planning, recipe development, and seasonal offerings that reflect culinary trends and guest preferences.
• Execute catering and campus events while maintaining high standards for quality, presentation, and service.
• Monitor food quality, consistency, portion control, and presentation to ensure a positive guest experience.
• Assist with inventory management, purchasing, receiving, storage, and product rotation practices.
• Support food cost management initiatives and contribute to efficient labor and operational practices.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, HACCP, and company standards.
• Assist in launching new culinary programs, menu concepts, and dining initiatives.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen environment.
• Collaborate with colleagues across dining operations to continuously improve service, efficiency, and guest satisfaction.

What We're Looking For

• Associate degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Experience in high‑volume foodservice environments such as higher education dining, hospitality, healthcare, restaurants, catering, or contract foodservice.
• Experience supporting, coaching, or supervising culinary teams.
• Knowledge of batch cooking, production cooking, and large‑scale food preparation techniques.
• Experience executing catering events and managing multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Understanding of food quality standards, menu development, food presentation, and current culinary trends.
• Familiarity with inventory management, purchasing, food cost controls, and labor management practices.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and foodservice management systems.
• Strong communication, organization, problem‑solving, and team collaboration skills.
• ServSafe Certification or willingness to obtain certification.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and special campus events as business needs require.

Bon Appetit is a member of Compass Group USA.

Associates at Bon Appetit are offered many fantastic benefits.

• Medical
• Vision
• Life Insurance/ AD
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Associate Shopping Program
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Discount Marketplace
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Personal Leave

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.

Bon Appetit maintains a drug-free workplace.