Sous Chef

Job Description

Job Description

Sous Chef

Luxury Wine Estate  |  Napa Valley, CA

Location: Napa Valley, CA (on-site; travel between estate properties)

Reports To: Executive Chef

Schedule: Full-time, hourly (non-exempt); event-driven, including evenings and weekends

Compensation: $34 - $38 per hour, DOE, plus gratuities and a full benefits package

About the Opportunity

Our client is a highly regarded wine producer with multiple estate properties and a hospitality program built around food, wine, and the land it all comes from. Their in-house culinary team creates seasonal, estate-driven cuisine for intimate pairing dinners, private guest experiences, and large hospitality events, drawing on working kitchen gardens just steps from the kitchen.

This is a rare chance for a fine-dining chef to step out of the restaurant grind and into a setting where menus follow the harvest, guests are genuinely engaged, and craftsmanship is valued over volume.

Position Overview

As Sous Chef, you will be the Executive Chef’s right hand and the day-to-day leader of the kitchen. You will run production, develop the team, and bring polish to every plate, from a six-course pairing lunch to a several-hundred-guest celebration. When the Executive Chef is away, the kitchen is yours.

What You’ll Do

Kitchen Leadership & Team Development

• Set the tone for a collaborative, accountable kitchen through daily line-ups and clear, consistent communication.
• Train, mentor, and evaluate culinary staff, from onboarding through ongoing coaching and performance conversations.
• Build daily prep plans, assign priorities, and cook alongside the team throughout service.
• Hold the line on technique, seasoning, knife work, and overall execution.

Events & Guest Experience

• Execute multi-course lunches and dinners, wine pairing experiences, staff meals, and large-format hospitality events.
• Protect consistency in recipes, portions, plating, and presentation to the Executive Chef’s standards.
• Organize kitchen assignments for each event and lead events independently as needed.
• Step into the dining room to introduce dishes and share the story behind the menu with guests.
• Join event planning meetings and welcome guests into the kitchen for behind-the-scenes moments.

Menus, Gardens & Seasonality

• Contribute to menu creation and culinary planning across several estate properties.
• Work with the grounds team to plan, tend, and harvest on-site culinary gardens.
• Turn garden produce into seasonal dishes and extend each harvest through pickling, curing, fermenting, and other preservation methods.
• Coordinate with hospitality, events, vineyard, winemaking, and facilities teams on guest programs and company initiatives.

Operations, Purchasing & Budget

• Handle ordering, receiving, and inventory, keeping par levels right and waste low.
• Check deliveries for quality and help assess vendor and supplier performance.
• Stay within food, labor, and operating budgets; assist with schedules and staffing.

Food Safety & Sanitation

• Keep the kitchen inspection-ready and compliant with county health codes and safe chemical handling.
• Oversee cleanliness of storage, sanitation stations, receiving areas, and all work surfaces.

What You Bring

• 8+ years of progressive kitchen experience, with 3+ years in fine dining, luxury hotels/resorts, private clubs, or a comparable high-end setting.
• Strong command of every station: prep, garde manger, modern cooking techniques, pastry, and bread.
• A real appreciation for seasonality and sustainable sourcing, including farming, fishing, and whole-animal practices.
• Working knowledge of wine and food pairing; luxury hospitality background is a plus.
• Meticulous attention to detail and the organization to keep complex events on track.
• Confidence speaking to small and large groups of guests about the food.
• Proven leadership with a team-first approach.
• California Food Manager certification (preferred).
• Valid California driver’s license and clean driving record; ability to drive between estate locations.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays based on the event calendar.
• Ability to stand for long periods, perform repetitive tasks, and lift up to 50 lbs. in a fast-paced, hot kitchen.

Why Join

• Cook with produce harvested from the estate’s own gardens.
• Event-driven schedule, a welcome change from nightly restaurant service.
• A small, talented team within a respected, well-established wine organization.
• Competitive hourly pay with a comprehensive benefits package.
• Career growth under an accomplished Executive Chef.