Sous Chef, The Department at Hudson's

Sous Chef, The Department at Hudson's

The Sous Chef is responsible for leading culinary execution for catered events, banquets, activations, VIP experiences, and daily production operations at The Department at Hudson's. This role serves as a hands-on culinary leader responsible for maintaining exceptional food quality, operational excellence, team development, and flawless event execution. The Sous Chef supports all culinary functions including production, event execution, staffing coordination, food safety compliance, inventory control, and culinary leadership while upholding the elevated hospitality standards of The Department at Hudson's. This position requires flexibility, urgency, strong organizational skills, and the ability to lead multiple events simultaneously in a fast-paced luxury hospitality environment.

Key Responsibilities

Event & Banquet Execution

• Lead execution of banquet, plated, buffet, reception, and activation-style culinary events.
• Execute BEOs, production schedules, timelines, and event specifications with precision.
• Direct culinary teams during event setup, service, breakdown, and post-event recovery.
• Conduct pre-shift meetings to review menu details, timelines, dietary restrictions, and service expectations.
• Ensure food is presented consistently and according to Department at Hudson's standards.
• Maintain communication with Event Managers, FOH teams, Sales, and Operations throughout service.
• Support chef-attended stations and interactive guest experiences.

Culinary Production & Kitchen Leadership

• Assist in daily food production during periods without scheduled events.
• Manage prep schedules and ensure recipes are followed exactly for consistency and yield.
• Monitor labor deployment and productivity throughout shifts.
• Maintain recipe standards, portion controls, and execution procedures.
• Train, coach, and develop cooks, prep cooks, and culinary leads.
• Participate in menu testing, seasonal menu development, and production improvements.
• Assist with ordering, receiving, inventory, and product rotation.

Team Leadership

• Lead and motivate culinary staff through professional coaching and accountability.
• Assign work priorities and ensure tasks are completed to standard and on time.
• Monitor attendance, punctuality, appearance, and workplace professionalism.
• Assist with onboarding and performance evaluations.
• Build a culture of teamwork, urgency, and hospitality.

Food Safety & Compliance

• Enforce all food safety and sanitation procedures.
• Ensure temperature logs, labeling, dating, and storage procedures are maintained.
• Conduct line checks and quality audits.
• Maintain readiness for health inspections and internal audits.
• Support HACCP and Department SOP compliance.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Review BEOs and identify operational risks or missing information.
• Forecast labor and production requirements.
• Assist with scheduling and staffing recommendations.
• Maintain accurate production records and prep sheets.
• Participate in culinary meetings and operational planning.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

Qualifications

• 35+ years of Sous Chef or high-volume culinary leadership experience.
• Banquet, hotel, luxury venue, or event culinary experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of large-scale production and plated execution.
• Experience managing multiple simultaneous events.
• Knowledge of food cost controls and inventory practices.
• Ability to read and execute BEOs and production documents.
• ServSafe Manager Certification required.
• Culinary degree preferred but not required with equivalent experience.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand for extended periods.
• Ability to lift and move up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to work in hot, cold, and fast-paced kitchen environments.
• Flexible schedule including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events.

Success Measures

• Event execution accuracy and guest satisfaction.
• Food quality and consistency.
• Labor efficiency and production readiness.
• Team engagement and retention.
• Sanitation and safety compliance.
• Ability to execute events on schedule with minimal operational disruptions.

About The Department

The Department at Hudson's bridges the Hudson's of old and new. Its name is directly inspired by the J.L Hudson's Department Store, and calls to the purpose of the iconic landmark's existence. Its brand, seen through the visual elements of logos, room names, colors and more, was created with a timeless, retro feel reminiscent of the details and history of Hudson's. Though a change in architecture, technology and design has occurred, the new Hudson's development was created with a similar intention as the old: a place where Detroiters and visitors around the world gathered. Out of the entirety of the Hudson's development, The Department is the pinnacle of retaining this sense of sophisticated place and special gather. Apply Now

Our Hiring Process

Stage 1: Applied

Stage 2: Interview with our Recruiting Team

Stage 3: Interview with the Hiring Manager

Stage 4: Practical Application of your skills

Stage 5: Hired