Sous Chef - Good Times Café

Morongo Casino Resort & Spa; Cabazon (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Morongo Casino Resort & Spa seeks an experienced Sous Chef – Good Times Café to support the Executive Chef in daily kitchen operations and to lead the culinary team in delivering high-quality dishes within a fast-paced casino resort environment.

You will train staff, supervise food preparation, and ensure strict adherence to safety, sanitation, and recipe standards. The role emphasizes leadership, teamwork, and exceptional guest service in a high-volume setting.

Qualifications

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts or a related field required.
• Certification from an accredited culinary institution preferred.
• Food Safety Manager Certification required or must be obtained upon hire.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of culinary experience, including 2–3 years in a supervisory or sous chef role.
• Experience in casino, resort, or high-traffic hospitality venue preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversees food preparation, portioning, garnishing, and presentation to ensure consistency and recipe standards.
• Trains culinary team in new cooking methods, techniques, and procedures.
• Ensures proper labeling, storage, and rotation of food and supplies for freshness and compliance.
• Coordinates and participates in preparation of food and supply orders.
• Inspects kitchen equipment and facilities for cleanliness, functionality, and sanitation compliance.
• Maintains the highest standards of food safety and sanitation.
• Supports peak service periods by preparing sauces, carving meats, and backing line operations.
• Ensures team compliance with company policies and operational standards.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
• Provides daily leadership and direction to kitchen staff, fostering a positive work environment.
• Recruits, trains, and evaluates culinary team members while promoting development.
• Sets clear job expectations and monitors performance through evaluations and coaching.
• Enforces grooming, safety, and conduct standards and administers corrective action.
• Supports development of systems to drive productivity and maintain food quality.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Team training

Food safety

Communication

Time management

Kitchen operations

Education

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts or related field

Certification from accredited culinary institution

Food Safety Manager Certification

Job description

The Sous Chef – Good Times Café assists the Executive Chef in overseeing daily kitchen operations and leading the culinary team in preparing and cooking food items to the highest quality standards. This position plays a key leadership role in training, supervising staff, ensuring proper food preparation techniques, and maintaining compliance with sanitation, safety, and company policies.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supervises and participates in food preparation, portioning, garnishing, and presentation to ensure consistency and adherence to recipe standards.
• Trains and instructs culinary team members in new cooking methods, techniques, and procedures.
• Ensures all food items and supplies are properly labeled, stored, and rotated to maintain freshness and compliance.
• Coordinates and participates in the preparation of food and supply orders.
• Conducts inspections of kitchen equipment and facilities to ensure cleanliness, functionality, and sanitation compliance.
• Maintains the highest standards of food safety and sanitation at all times.
• Assists during peak service periods and banquets by preparing sauces, carving meats, and supporting line operations.
• Ensures team compliance with company policies, procedures, and operational standards.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides daily leadership and direction to kitchen staff, fostering a positive and productive work environment.
• Recruits, trains, and evaluates culinary team members while promoting individual growth and development.
• Establishes clear job expectations and monitors team performance through evaluations and coaching.
• Enforces grooming, safety, and conduct standards and administers corrective action as necessary.
• Supports development of systems and procedures that drive productivity and maintain food quality.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Advanced culinary skills and professional knowledge of food preparation, knife handling, and kitchen equipment.
• Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to motivate and direct a team.
• Excellent time management, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation standards, and inventory control procedures.
• Ability to remain composed under pressure in a fast-paced kitchen environment.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts or a related field required.
• Certification from an accredited culinary institution preferred.
• Food Safety Manager Certification required or must be obtained upon hire.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of culinary experience, including at least 2–3 years in a supervisory or sous chef role.
• Proven ability to manage kitchen operations in a high-volume or fast-casual dining environment.
• Skilled in food preparation, quality control, and maintaining consistency across menu offerings.
• Strong knowledge of food safety standards, sanitation procedures, and kitchen management practices.
• Experience training and mentoring kitchen staff while ensuring efficiency and compliance with operational procedures.
• Prior experience in a casino, resort, or high-traffic hospitality venue is preferred.

LICENSES, CERTIFICATES, REGISTRATIONS:

Must have successfully completed a background check and obtained a gaming license issued by the Morongo Gaming Agency, as required.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Must be able to read and interpret documents in English, such as instructions, guidelines, policies, and procedures. Must also be able to communicate clearly and effectively with team members, management, and guests.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Communication Skills: Must be able to communicate clearly, professionally, and efficiently with culinary staff, front-of-house managers, and leadership; responsible for relaying prep instructions, supervising execution, and ensuring adherence to food quality and safety standards.
• Lifting and Carrying: Frequently lifts and carries food trays, stock pots, kitchen equipment, and bulk ingredients weighing up to 50 pounds; occasional overhead lifting required during storage or setup.
• Manual Dexterity: Constantly uses hands and fingers to handle knives, cooking utensils, prep tools, and plating components with precision and efficiency in a high-volume kitchen environment.
• Mobility: Continuously moves throughout kitchen, prep areas, storage rooms, and service lines; requires standing, walking, bending, lifting, and reaching for extended periods throughout the shift.
• Stationary Work: Rarely remains seated; duties are performed primarily on foot during food preparation, supervision, and service.
• Tool Operation: Frequent use of commercial kitchen equipment including ovens, grills, fryers, mixers, slicers, and knives; responsible for safe operation and ensuring cleanliness and maintenance of all culinary tools.
• Visual Acuity: Requires both near and far vision to inspect food quality, monitor plating and presentation, read prep sheets and recipes, and enforce safety and sanitation compliance.
• Working Conditions: Routinely works in hot, humid, high-paced kitchen environments with exposure to open flames, sharp tools, heated surfaces, and cleaning chemicals. Regular exposure to a smoking environment while transitioning through casino or public areas.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

This is a dynamic, fast-paced environment that requires the ability to adapt and perform under pressure. The casino operates with moderate to loud noise levels and is a smoking environment, requiring team members to work comfortably in these conditions.

WORKING HOURS:

Morongo Casino Resort & Spa operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; therefore, flexibility in scheduling is essential. Team members must be available to work shifts that may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events. Schedules are subject to change based on business needs and may include overtime, as well as work on both weekdays and weekends.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO) AND INDIAN PREFERENCE:

Morongo Casino Resort & Spa is an Equal Opportunity Employer and gives hiring preference to qualified Native Americans as allowed by law. We consider all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or national origin.

We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities as required by the ADA. If you need help or an accommodation during the hiring process, please contact Human Resources.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.