Sous Chef - Pastry (Lodge)

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; Williamsburg (VA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pension plan

401(k) with matched contributions

Sick and vacation pay

Job summary

A hospitality management organization in Williamsburg, Virginia, seeks a Sous Chef to oversee culinary operations at the Williamsburg Lodge Culinary. The role includes developing and implementing high-quality menus, managing kitchen staff and costs, and ensuring compliance with safety standards. Candidates must have a culinary degree and at least 5 years of managerial experience in the hotel or restaurant industry, with strong leadership and financial management skills.

Qualifications

• 5 years of professional managerial experience in hotel and restaurant industries.
• In-depth understanding of profit and loss management, marketing, and kitchen operations.
• Progressive track record in deluxe hotels or resorts.

Responsibilities

• Ensure culinary staff perform to established standards.
• Develop and implement menus that exceed guest expectations.
• Maintain high standards for food quality and service.

Skills

Leadership and supervision

Culinary skills

Menu development

Food safety and sanitation

Financial management

Education

Culinary degree

Job description

About the Position

The Sous Chef is responsible for the successful achievement of operational, financial, and quality goals for Williamsburg Lodge Culinary. The role includes training, supervising, counseling, and motivating kitchen teams while controlling production, quality, and food costs.

This position develops and implements menus, ensuring the consistent preparation of innovative and creative cuisine of the highest quality, presentation, and flavor for the dining room, thereby achieving outstanding guest satisfaction, improved market share, increased covers, and revenues.

Sous Chef interacts with Guest Service managers and supervisors to ensure adherence to policies, procedures, and standards established by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and collaborates daily with other chefs across the Hospitality Group.

Responsibilities

Production

• Ensure culinary and utility staff perform to established standards.

Food Preparation

• Prepare foods accurately according to dish standards across all meal periods.
• Accurately determine proper quantities of product using station checklists and forecasting.

Food Service

• Prepare all foods per POS system printouts and execute special request items to meet guest expectations.
• Create and cost breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus in alignment with branding, policies, and procedures.
• Lead by example, maintaining kitchen standards in a positive manner.
• Guide Chef de Partie and culinary staff to complete daily tasks via checklists and proper technique demonstrations.
• Oversee expediting for breakfast, lunch, and dinner shifts to maintain service standards.
• Proactively manage large parties in cooperation with Guest Service Managers.
• Ensure prep item production meets or exceeds standards for recipe adherence, ticket times, and overall quality.
• Maintain recipe card and plate presentation consistency.
• Work with purchasing to secure fresh, cost-effective ingredients.
• Manage BEOs, change logs, production sheets, and ensure accurate scheduling and ordering for the assigned area.

Inventory Control

• Adhere to Food Order Guides for kitchen ordering.
• Order according to established par levels and forecasting.
• Rotate all food using F.I.F.O. system.
• Conduct monthly inventory accurately.
• Place pastry and goods orders using checklists.
• Report subpar product levels to storeroom manager.
• Complete weekly spot inventories for high‑value items and reconcile with perpetual inventory records.

Sanitation

• Follow food safety and sanitation guidelines.
• Maintain knowledge of the Temperature Danger Zone (41 °F–135 °F).
• Sanitize station, equipment, and hands after handling potentially hazardous foods.
• Avoid cross‑contamination via proper hand washing and awareness.
• Adhere to Appearance Policy standards.
• Keep stations clean and orderly at all times.
• Wear protective gloves when handling ready‑to‑eat foods.
• Hold a valid ServSafe certification and maintain standards.
• Ensure all staff obtain food‑handler certifications; establish a positive relationship with the local Health Department.
• Supervise daily kitchen cleaning, ensuring sanitation across kitchens, dining rooms, and outdoor areas.

Safety

• Ensure all direct reports complete required safety training.
• Complete Driver Safety Training and become an approved driver.
• Report incidents promptly with full follow‑up.
• Wear slip‑resistant shoes.
• Practice hazard identification and prevention.
• Maintain knife safety and proper equipment handling.
• Use assisted lifting when necessary, prefer pushcarts for transport.
• Report hazards to supervisor immediately.
• Enforce safety procedures consistently.
• Identify and address potential problems with kitchen facilities, partnering with maintenance.

Financial Responsibility

• Ensure accurate timekeeping per CW attendance policy.
• Manage food and labor costs, controlling both areas effectively.
• Monitor overtime to avoid unnecessary accruals.
• Maintain consistent employee standards through performance evaluations and training checklists.
• Promote specials and upselling during front‑of‑house line‑ups.
• Maintain quality and timeliness of food to meet area standards.

Communication

• Communicate effectively with coworkers and managers.
• Lead daily line‑ups informing crew of duties.
• Engage cooks, stewards, and front‑of‑house staff in clear communication.
• Attend all meetings related to hotel business needs.
• Inform staff of menu changes, events, and other relevant updates.

Teamwork

• Demonstrate teamwork within the direct group and across departments.
• Act to provide assistance when needed.
• Develop efficiencies to streamline production and labor.
• Lead collaborative efforts when assisting others.
• Participate in staffing plan development for kitchen staff.

Qualifications

Education

Culinary degree and 5 years of professional managerial experience in hotel and restaurant industries.

Knowledge

• In-depth understanding of profit and loss management, marketing, and kitchen operations.
• Knowledge of American regional cuisine and menu development.
• Experience with operating and capital budgets, manpower planning, purchasing, equipment control, and facility design/refurbishment.

Experience

Progressive track record in deluxe hotels, resorts, and restaurant organizations with proven culinary accomplishments, guest service, dining room, catering, and back‑of‑house management.

Personal Characteristics

• Excellent leadership, communication, and presentation skills.
• Gracious, approachable demeanor with guests and employees.
• Strong partnering and networking abilities.
• Team‑oriented mindset with partnership across units.
• Calm demeanor and positive attitude.

Business Acumen

• Read and analyze P&L statements.
• Develop annual operating budgets and forecast business levels.
• Analyze food cost via recipe monitoring, spoilage, waste, and breakage control.
• Implement internal controls for food storage and production.
• Conduct menu engineering analysis.
• Forecast labor needs and adjust staffing per business levels.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience presenting training and development programs and administering union contracts.
• Long‑term commitment to the resort, management, and culinary/F&B teams to uphold a reputation for excellence.

Benefits

• Beautiful historic setting.
• Health insurance.
• Pension plan.
• Vision plan.
• Medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
• Sick, vacation, and holiday pay.
• 401(k) plan with matched contributions.
• Life insurance.
• Long‑term disability insurance.
• Accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
• Group travel accident insurance.