Sous Chef

Role Overview

The Sous Chef supports the Executive Chef in the daily leadership and execution of all back-of-house operations. The position is responsible for maintaining culinary standards, food safety, kitchen organization, labor efficiency, staff development, product quality, and consistent execution across all services. The Sous Chef is expected to function as the primary BOH leader when the Executive Chef is not present. 

Daily Kitchen Operations

• Lead and supervise BOH operations during assigned shifts
• Ensure all stations are properly staffed, prepared, stocked, and ready for service
• Maintain consistent execution of recipes, plating, portioning, and presentation standards
• Conduct line checks before service and address deficiencies prior to opening
• Monitor ticket times, communication, food quality, and kitchen flow throughout service
• Lead BOH opening and closing procedures and ensure all required tasks are completed
• Maintain organization and cleanliness of walk-in, dry storage, prep areas, line stations, and dish areas
• Communicate equipment, maintenance, product, and facility concerns promptly to the Executive Chef and GM

Team Leadership and Development 

• Train, coach, and develop cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers, and other BOH employees
• Reinforce recipes, station standards, sanitation procedures, and kitchen expectations. 
• Provide direct and timely performance feedback. 
• Address attendance, conduct, performance, and accountability concerns in partnership with the Executive Chef and GM. 
• Assist with interviewing, evaluating, onboarding, and training BOH candidates. 
• Help identify employees capable of cross-training and advancement.
• Maintain professional communication and contribute to a respectful, solution-oriented kitchen culture. 

Food Cost and Inventory 

• Support the Executive Chef in controlling food cost, waste, portioning, and purchasing. 
• Monitor product usage and identify excessive waste, over-portioning, spoilage, or improper handling. 
• Participate in monthly inventory and ensure counts are accurate and completed on schedule. 
• Assist with receiving and verifying deliveries for quality, quantity, and accuracy. 
• Maintain proper product rotation using FIFO standards. 
• Communicate shortages and purchasing needs before they affect service. 
• Support implementation and consistent use of MarginEdge and other inventory/cost-control systems used by the company

Labor Management

• Assist with the Executive Chef in maintaining BOH labor within established targets. 
• Monitor staffing levels relative to projected and actual business volume. 
• Make appropriate cuts or adjustments during service while protecting operational needs. 
• Limit unnecessary overtime and communicate potential overtime before it occurs whenever possible. 
• Help ensure employee schedules appropriately match business volume, station competency, and operational needs. 

Food Safety & Compliance

• Maintain full compliance with health department requirements and company food-safety standards.
• Ensure proper labeling, dating, storage, cooling, reheating, holding temperatures, and sanitation procedures. 
• Monitor employee hygiene and proper glove/handwashing practices.
• Maintain required temperature and sanitation logs. 
• Immediately address food-safety concerns or unsafe conditions. 
• Assist management in maintaining readiness for health inspections at all times. 

Menu & Service Execution

• Support the Executive Chef with menu changes, seasonal rollouts, specials, brunch, events, and new recipes. 
• Ensure BOH employees are trained on new dishes before launch
• Maintain current recipe and plating standards
• Communicate operational challenges or opportunities related to menu execution 
• Work collaboratively with FOH management to ensure accurate communication regarding allergies, modifications, 86’d items, pacing, and guest concerns. 

Administrative & Management Expectations

• Participate in management meetings as requested, weekly. 
• Maintain clear communication through ShiftNote and other company systems. 
• Document significant BOH incidents, maintenance issues, staffing concerns, and operational follow-up.
• Complete assigned administrative projects by agreed deadlines
• Maintain confidentiality regarding employee, financial, and company information
• Demonstrate ownership of assigned responsibilities without required repeated follow-up. 

Leadership Standard

The Sous Chef is expected to be proactive, dependable, organized, and solution-oriented. When the Executive Chef is absent, the Sous Chef should be capable of independently leading BOH operations and making sound operation decisions within established company standards. 

Success in this role will be evaluated through:

• Consistent food quality and execution
• Food-cost and waste control
• BOH labor management
• Cleanliness and food-safety compliance
• Staff training and retention
• Organization and preparedness
• Communication and follow-through
• Successful service execution
• Ability to independently lead the kitchen when needed

Core Leadership Responsibilities

• Emotional Intelligence: Communicate with self-awareness, professionalism, and empathy. Read the room, understand how tone and behavior affect others, and adjust communication appropriately with employees, peers, and leadership. 
• Punctuality & Reliability: Arrive prepared and on time for all scheduled shifts, meetings, and commitments. Communicate proactively if an issue could affect attendance or responsibilities. 
• Team Morale & Retention: Contribute to a positive, respectful, and high-performing kitchen culture. Recognize strong performance, coach constructively, identify morale concerns early, and help create an environment where strong employees want to stay. 
• Accountability in the Moment: Address performance, behavior, food-quality, cleanliness, and operational issues when they occur rather than allowing problems to continue. Provide clear expectations and appropriate follow-up. 
• Strategic Thinking: Look beyond the immediate shift and consider the broader impact of decisions on labor, food cost, staffing, guest experience, culture, and profitability. 
• Short- and Long-Term Success: Think creatively about what success looks like today, next month, and over the course of the year. Identify opportunities for improvement rather than simply maintaining existing systems. 
• 10,000-Foot Perspective: Understand how BOH decisions affect the entire restaurant. Consider FOH operations, guest experience, financial performance, staffing, events, menu development, and company goals when making decisions. 
• Ownership & Initiative: Identify problems and opportunities without waiting to be told. Bring potential solutions, take responsibility for assigned areas, and follow projects through to completion. 
• Adaptability: Remain composed and solution-oriented when business levels, staffing, menus, or operational circumstances change. 
• Communication & Collaboration: Maintain open, direct communication with the Executive Chef, GM, and management team. Surface concerns early rather than allowing them to become larger problems.
• Continuous Development: Be receptive to feedback, seek opportunities to improve, and actively contribute ideas to strengthen the restaurant.