Sous Chef - Banquets

CoralTree Hospitality; Fort Lauderdale (FL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Group medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits

401(k) plan with company match

Complimentary team member meals

Complimentary room nights at CoralTree Hospitality-managed properties

Job summary

CoralTree Hospitality is seeking a Sous Chef Banquets for Pier Sixty-Six Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The role requires managing daily kitchen operations, overseeing culinary staff, and ensuring exceptional dining experiences. Responsibilities include budgeting, menu creation, and staff training. The ideal candidate should have culinary experience, leadership skills, and a focus on customer service. The position offers competitive wages and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; 4 years of experience in culinary, food and beverage, or a related professional area, preferably in a banquet or catering environment.
• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or a related major.

Responsibilities

• Manage and provide leadership for the Culinary Division.
• Coordinate selection, training, and development of banquet staff.
• Control labor and operating expenses through effective planning.
• Communicate operational needs and cultivate relationships with patrons.
• Ensure compliance with food handling and sanitation standards.

Job description

South Florida’s beacon of hospitality, Pier Sixty‑Six Resort, returned to Fort Lauderdale. From the famed superyacht marina to the iconic spires of the rotating Pier‑Top lounge, a new world of elevated experiences is set to unfold around it. The lush 32‑acre waterfront enclave is home to an extraordinary luxury resort hosting 325 guest rooms, suites, and villas, plus an exclusive collection of 91 Private Resort Residences, 12 restaurants and lounges, a luxurious spa, curated pool options, and a waterfront promenade with retail and dining. Every space is impeccably designed to both inspire and relax. All are met with exceptional service and refined touches, resulting in extraordinary experiences. The Resort assembles over 600 diverse and talented Team Members to bring Pier Sixty‑Six to life and create a new legacy by providing memorable experiences and stellar service to our guests and residents. We aspire to create a caring culture for our team, with state‑of‑the‑art facilities, a first‑class employee dining room, and, most importantly, a focus on you as an individual, including your welfare and well‑being. Pier Sixty‑Six invites dedicated, energetic, and polished hospitality enthusiasts eager for growth and stardom to join our team and enjoy highly competitive wages, comprehensive benefits, and a culture that honors and respects you.

Sous Chef Banquets works across disciplines to deliver an exceptional experience and is accountable for the overall success of the daily kitchen operations. Exhibits culinary talents by personally performing tasks while leading the staff and managing all food‑related functions. The Banquet Sous Chef will focus on the guest dining experience toward excellence.

Reporting to the Executive Banquet Chef, you will manage and provide leadership and management for the Culinary Division by establishing plans of character, integrity, and quality that result in the long‑range continued growth and profitability of the division and Hotel. This individual will oversee recruiting, menu creation, and the implementation of training, processes, and standards for a successful opening. This role will require assisting other F&B outlets as needed.

Responsibilities

• Coordinating the selection, training, development, and evaluation of employees and managers in the banquet’s events through effective management and leadership to ensure that established cultural and core standards are met and that long‑range strategic planning for banquet/catering operations is achieved.
• Controlling labor and operating expenses through effective planning, budgeting, purchasing decisions, and inventory control while focusing on creative cost‑control and revenue‑generation solutions to maximize profit in the division and hotel.
• Maintaining visibility in the operation, recognizing and sustaining relationships with regular guests, and cultivating relationships with new patrons through effective marketing and personal relationships.
• Working closely with the food and beverage leadership team to design creative banquet menus and amenity options while ensuring an exceptional product.
• Communicating with employees and managers to ensure operational needs are met and attending regular operational meetings to ensure effective coordination and cooperation between departments. Acting as a champion of change and a role model for innovation.

Leading Kitchen Operations

• Providing direction for all day‑to‑day operations in the commissary kitchen and banquet events.
• Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance during preparation and firing times.
• Utilizing interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocating sound financial and business decision‑making at the direction of the Executive Banquet Chef; demonstrating honesty and integrity; and leading by example.
• Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Serving as a role model to demonstrate the highest level of professional behavior.
• Ensuring property policies are administered fairly and consistently.
• Reviewing staffing levels to ensure that guest service, operational needs, and financial objectives are met.
• Establishing and maintaining an open, collaborative relationship with employees and ensuring employees do the same within the team.
• Soliciting employee feedback, using an "open door" policy and reviewing employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems or concerns.
• Supervising and coordinating activities of cooks and workers engaged in food preparation.
• Promoting an atmosphere of continual innovation and improvement.
• Effectively planning and executing culinary activations and events.

Setting and Maintaining Goals for Culinary Function and Activities

• Establishing performance goals, budget goals, team goals, and other objectives.
• Communicating the importance of safety procedures, detailing procedure codes, and ensuring employee understanding of safety codes while monitoring processes and procedures related to safety.
• Managing department controllable expenses, including food cost, supplies, uniforms, and equipment.
• Minimizing waste through effective portion control and efficient use of ingredients.

Ensuring Culinary Standards and Responsibilities Are Met

• Monitoring the quality of raw and cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
• Determining how food should be presented and creating decorative food displays.
• Recognizing superior quality products, presentations, and flavor.
• Overseeing food production during events, ensuring timely service and quality control.
• Ensuring compliance with food handling and sanitation standards.
• Training kitchen team members on the fundamentals of good cooking and excellent plate presentations.
• Ensuring proper handling and the correct temperature of all food products.
• Ensuring employees maintain required food handling and sanitation certifications.
• Maintaining purchasing, receiving, and food storage standards.
• Participating in menu tastings and special event planning, providing input on culinary options and presentation styles.

Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service

• Providing and supporting service behaviors that exceed customer satisfaction and retention.
• Improving service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.
• Managing day‑to‑day operations, ensuring quality, standards, and meeting the expectations of customers daily.
• Displaying leadership in guest hospitality, exemplifying excellent customer service and creating a positive atmosphere for guest relations.
• Interacting with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.
• Responding to and managing guest or event planners’ problems and complaints.
• Empowering employees to provide excellent customer service by establishing guidelines, ensuring employees understand expectations and parameters, and providing ongoing training to meet guest expectations.
• Being prepared to adapt menus and dishes based on dietary restrictions or client preferences.
• Reviewing comment cards, guest satisfaction results, and other data to identify areas for improvement.

Managing and Conducting People Services Activities

• Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Ensuring employees are treated fairly and equitably.
• Administering the performance appraisal process for direct‑report managers.
• Observing service behaviors of team members and providing feedback to individuals and/or managers.
• Managing employee progressive discipline procedures for areas of responsibility.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results with the Executive Banquet Chef to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; 4 years of experience in culinary, food and beverage, or a related professional area, preferably in a banquet or catering environment.
• 2‑year degree from an accredited university in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or a related major.

Comprehensive Benefits Package

• Group medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits.
• Participation in a pre‑tax flexible benefit plan for healthcare and dependent care reimbursement.
• An employee assistance program.
• Paid time off/sick time.
• Participation in a 401(k) plan with a company match.
• Complimentary team member meals.
• Complimentary room nights at CoralTree Hospitality‑managed properties.

Join us in creating unforgettable experiences for our guests, building vibrant communities, and shaping the future of travel and hospitality.