Sous chef (Shipboard position)

Royal Caribbean Group; Miami (FL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Royal Caribbean Group is seeking an experienced culinary professional to lead food preparation and kitchen operations on board our ships. You will manage stations, ensure quality, and coordinate with executive staff to meet service timelines.

The role requires strong knowledge of USPH & HACCP, cost control, training junior staff, and adherence to The Royal Way standards. Previous cruise line experience is preferred; voyages travel globally from Florida bases.

Qualifications

• Minimum hiring standards include proven ability to prepare a wide range of dishes to luxury standard.
• Strong knowledge of USPH, HACCP and food safety guidelines is required.
• Experience coaching and supervising kitchen staff in a fast-paced environment is essential.

Responsibilities

• Manages and coordinates multiple workstations for soups, meats, vegetables, and desserts onboard ships.
• Ensures compliance with The Royal Way, SQM standards, USPH and HACCP guidelines; oversees safe operations.
• Maintains food cost controls and analyzes production data to minimize waste and optimize staff efficiency.
• Trains Commis to Chef de Partie through on-the-job coaching and recipe updates.
• Collaborates with the Executive Sous Chef and Executive Chef to review daily requirements and service timelines.

Skills

Food preparation

Kitchen leadership

USPH knowledge

HACCP

Cost control

Staff training

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Manages and coordinates activities of various workstations engaged in preparing, timing, and cooking soups, meats, vegetables, desserts, including breads served in a variety of dinning venues onboard the ship.
2. All duties and responsibilities are to be performed in accordance with Royal Caribbean International’s The Royal Way, SQM standards, USPH and HACCP guidelines, environmental, and work place safety policies and procedures. Each shipboard employee may be reqAll duties and responsibilities are to be performed in accordance with Royal Caribbean International’s The Royal Way, SQM standards, USPH and HACCP guidelines, environmental, and work place safety policies and procedures. Each shipboard employee may be required to perform all functions in various food and beverage service venues throughout the ship.
3. In accordance with Royal Caribbean International’s philosophy Anchored in Excellence, each employee conducts oneself in a professional and courteous manner at all times. This consists of physical and verbal interactions with guests or fellow shipboard employeesand/or in the presence of guest contact and crewareas.
4. Each culinary shipboard employee reports to their workstation assignment on time and properly groomed and dressed according to Royal Caribbean International’s GOLD Anchor standards.
5. Manages the financial aspects of the assigned food operation, including the successful identification of expense reduction through cost control. Records production and operational data on specified forms. Analyzes operational problems such as over production, wastage, pilferage, and establishes controls.
6. On a daily basis, meets with the Executive Sous Chef and Executive Chef to review the requirements of the day’s meals and timeframes for restaurant service. Meets with Executive Sous Chef to review daily special request and special event. Make notes of all complaints and facilitate revisions, inspire improvements to improve guests and crew’ satisfaction.
7. Maintains food cost at reasonable levels without affecting quality of set standards. Reviews food requisitions from the various workstations and make necessary adjustment to get the correct quantities, within acceptable timeframes and in accordance with established control procedures. Conducts workstation spot checks to ensure items are correctly stored to minimize food deterioration and waste.
8. Work Closely with Chef de Partie of each work station assigned, monitors procedures and quality checks production, ensure speed and efficiency, corrects and coach. Observes and evaluates employees and work procedures to ensure quality standards and service is met. Ensure timely delivery of food is set-up and adequate amounts are prepared.
9. Trains and monitors all levels of Commis to Chef De Partie for proper skill and service. Conducts training for new recipes, portion control, cooking techniques, proper use of equipment, work place safety, deep fat fryer, USPH & HACCP, OPP protocols & knowledge, ACF culinary training and any updates/upgrades in system & procedures on board. Provides on-the-job training for all level of Commis to strengthen their current performance and preparation for possible advancement to promotional positions.
10. Tests equipment to ensure accuracy of temperature gauges, heating or cooling elements etc. Reports all malfunctions and requests necessary repairs and ensure to follow up. Advised the Culinary Operations Coordinator in regards to all pending requests so it can be recorded in the Executive Chef’s Voyage report AVO Log. Collaborate with the Facilities Manager team the status of the preventive maintenance for galley equipment.
11. Ensures the workstation teams prepare food items consistently of high culinary standards and in accordance with set Corporate Culinary standards, regarding taste, consistency and attractive presentation. Proactively monitor and tests foods being cooked by viewing, tasting, and smelling. Conducts meetings with workstation heads to review work processes, issues and quality improvements. Record daily production issues and lessons learned to be utilized as a tool for the succeeding voyage to minimize over production and achieve better quality product. Follows up on Culinary Audits findings and other recommendation from Senior Chefs, pertaining to their area of responsibility.
12. Inspects, conducts and monitor compliance of USPH and HACCP, on each work station assigned to ensure all team members know how to use the appropriate HACCP logs as a mean of food safety control. Regularly spot check of all logs correctly filled in and delivered to the Chef’s office for filing.
13. Remain hands on with all galley personnel in a cooperative, productive and effective manner. Conducts meetings with workstation heads to review work processes, issues and quality improvements. Recommends measures to improve work procedures and employee performance to increase quality of food and job safety.
14. Together with the Executive Sous Chef, layout and establish dynamic work schedules that match the service needs for all venues. Maximize the use of available work force, incurred productivity of the allotted par level and fund a schedule that will comply with the flag state requirements regarding work and rest hours. Collaborate with the whole Culinary Management in conducting weekly audit of Time cards versus Kronos system entry.
15. Attends meetings, training activities, courses and all other work-related activities as required.
16. Performs related duties as required. This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the shipboard employee occupying this position. Shipboard employees will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor or management.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum hiring, language and physical requirements to perform the job.

Hiring Requirements:

• Proof of cook apprenticeship completion or equivalency.
• Six to eight years experience cooking and preparing food in a 4 or 5 star hotel, restaurant or high volume food service facility. Written references from former employers are required.
• Ability to read, interpret and demonstrate the preparation of recipes for all basic meat, fish, sauce and side dishes according to Royal Caribbean International’s brand standards. The demonstration includes advanced cooking methods such as braise, sauté, broil and grill and the use of a variety of knifes to slice, dice, chop, julienne, etc.
• Extensive knowledge of food handling procedures with regard to HAACP and public health standards.
• Ability to work positively and cooperatively in a diverse team environment to meet overall established timeframes for the entire food service operation. Ability to communicate tactfully with department heads, coworkers and other shipboard employees to resolve problems and negotiate resolutions.
• Demonstrated aptitude for the financial aspects of a food operation, including the successful identification of expense reduction through cost control. Demonstrated aptitude for the management of headcount within assigned area, as it relates to and supports the business needs of the vessel.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal service including needs assessment, problem resolution and achievement of quality service standards.
• Knowledge of policies and practices involved in the human resources function. Ability to manage the international staff in a positive and productive manner by motivating, developing and managing employees as they work. Ability to utilize and administer the disciplinary action process through coaching and counseling to improve performance or terminate employment.
• Working knowledge of computers, internet access, and the ability to navigate within a variety software packages such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Completion of high school or basic education equivalency preferred.

Language Requirements:

• Ability to speak English clearly, distinctly and cordially with guests.
• Ability to read and write English in order to understand and interpret written procedures. This includes the ability to give and receive instructions in written and verbal forms and to effectively present information and respond to questions from guests, supervisors and co-workers.
• Ability to speak additional languages such as Spanish, French or German preferred.