Banquet Sous Chef - The Little Nell

Banquet Sous Chef - The Little Nell

The Little Nell is Aspen's only Five-Star, Five-Diamond, ski-in/ski-out hotel, featuring luxurious amenities, personalized service, breathtaking mountain views, renowned dining, spacious accommodations, and unparalleled access to America's most famous mountain town.

Inspired by place, united by purpose, defined by you, The Little Nell is a Relais & Châteaux resort, consistently recognized for its award-winning wine and culinary programs and dedicated service. The property boasts a variety of amenities, including two restaurants, three bars, a wine cellar and a speakeasy. The new Spa at The Little Nell is rooted in 'The Aspen Idea' - a holistic lifestyle philosophy that integrates mind, body, and spirit. During ski season, The Little Nell guests have access to a slopeside ski concierge and numerous winter adventures. In summer months, guests enjoy lush gardens along with off-road adventures, stargazing, fly fishing and mountaintop yoga; plus, a pool, hot tub and health center year-round. The Little Nell has been acknowledged with numerous awards for decades including being named a Forbes Five-Star hotel since 1995, a AAA Five-Diamond hotel since 1991, a Wine Spectator Grand Award winner since 1997, recognition as one of America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants from Wine Enthusiast and frequently nominated for its Outstanding Wine Program by the James Beard Foundation.

The Little Nell also proudly offers residences, with 26 exquisite private mountainside homes and 12 guest rooms situated at the base of Aspen Mountain where owners and rental guests enjoy exceptional personal service delivered by The Little Nell team, along with effortless ski-in/ski-out access to Aspen Mountain.

For the first time since its inception, the first Nell hotel outside of Aspen will open at Rockefeller Center in 2027, bringing its legendary sophisticated style and legendary Aspen culture to New York City.

Position Summary: The Banquet Sous Chef works in unison with the Banquet Manager, Pastry Chef and Catering department to plan food service for events. This position will support the directives of the Banquet Chef by upholding the highest of standards with quality cuisine, cleanliness, communication, food and labor cost management, professionalism & innovation. This position reports to the Banquet Chef.

The salary range for this position is $70,000 - $80,000. Actual pay will be dependent on budget and experience; all our salaried roles are eligible for bonus.

Job Posting Deadline: Applications for this position will be accepted until June 21, 2026.

Essential Job Functions/Key Job Responsibilities: Assist the Banquet Chef in all areas of menus and food related operations. Oversee organization of kitchen management according to needs. Also responsible for coordinating staff for banquets and live stations. Responsible for labor analysis and breakdown, and assisting with the formulation and achievement of the annual culinary labor budget, including controlling food and labor costs. Assist in creation of weekly schedule for banquet culinary department. Training and development of staff, including, proper use of equipment, hotel orientation and culinary rules and regulations. Responsible for organization and quantity of china, glass, silver and any equipment needed to execute an event, including tents and scullery. Responsible for food inventories, food purchasing and product FIFO and storage cleanliness and organization with assistance from the Purchasing department. Responsible for after function break down, dissemination and salvage of leftover foods. Writing and monitoring daily production lists. Reviews daily all change logs, event reports and updates BEO's accordingly, and ensures that other affected culinary departments are up to date. Responsible for all systems in banquet operations: ordering, scheduling, payroll, production and quality of product. Responsible for overseeing maintenance of equipment and sanitation in all food production and service areas, routinely checking temperatures of food in all levels of service and areas of property and keeping the walk-ins, dry storage and loading dock areas clean and orderly. Other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience Requirements: Culinary Degree or Equivalent preferred. 4 years of progressive experience in culinary operations required. 2 years of experience in culinary management with at least 1 year as Sous Chef in a luxury hotel or multi-outlet restaurant required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Extensive knowledge of culinary techniques, food preparation, and kitchen operations. Strong leadership and team management skills, including training and mentoring staff. Ability to develop and execute creative, high-quality menus while maintaining cost control. Proficiency in food safety, sanitation regulations, and HACCP standards. Proficient in fundamental math and accounting skills. Strong organizational and time management skills to handle multiple tasks efficiently. Familiar with hotel fire and safety procedures, assisting in emergency and security procedures as directed by Planning Committee. Experience in inventory management, ordering, and vendor relations. Ability to monitor food and labor costs while optimizing kitchen efficiency. Excellent problem-solving skills to address kitchen challenges and service issues. Strong communication and collaboration skills to work with other departments. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure kitchen environment. Experience with banquet and event catering, ensuring seamless execution. Knowledge of kitchen equipment maintenance and troubleshooting. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and kitchen management software. Ability to adapt to changing menus, dietary restrictions, and guest preferences. Passion for culinary innovation and staying updated on industry trends.

Work Environment & Physical Demands: Ability to reach, crouch, kneel, stand, walk or be on your feet for extended periods of time. Regularly work in wet, hot and humid conditions for extended periods of time and may be required to walk on slippery and uneven surfaces. Must be able to occasionally lift, push or pull up to 50 lbs. individually or with assistance (weight limits can vary according to position, but no more than 50).

Job Benefits: This position is classified as a regular full-time position eligible for the following benefits: Enrollment dates differ across the various programs. Health, Dental and Vision Insurance Programs. Flexible Spending Account Programs. Life Insurance Programs. Paid Time Off Programs. Paid Leave Programs. 401(k) Savings Plan. Employee Ski Pass and Dependent Ski Passes. Other company perks.