Sous Chef

Sous Chef — Barberry About Barberry

Barberry is the signature restaurant at Sítio El Tropicano, a newly reimagined hotel on San Antonio’s River Walk. Its cooking draws from the shared spirit of the Texas Hill Country and the French countryside, with a strong focus on Gulf seafood, live-fire cooking, handmade pasta, fermentation, and seasonal products from Texas farmers and producers.

We are seeking a PM Sous Chef who can help translate that vision into a consistent, disciplined, and memorable dinner service. This is a hands-on leadership role for a chef who takes pride in developing cooks, maintaining high standards, and leading calmly from the line.

Position Summary

The PM Sous Chef leads Barberry’s afternoon production, dinner service, and closing kitchen operations. Reporting to the Barberry Chef de Cuisine, this position is responsible for station readiness, service execution, food quality, team leadership, and an organized handoff to the following day’s culinary team.

The PM Sous Chef also supports evening food service for Flamingo Bar and In-Room Dining when those menus are supplied by the Barberry kitchen. This role works closely with the Chef de Cuisine, Culinary Director, AM Sous Chef, front-of-house leaders, and other hotel culinary departments.

Responsibilities Dinner Service and Culinary Execution

• Lead daily preparation and execution for Barberry dinner service.

• Maintain a visible, hands-on presence on the line throughout service.

• Conduct line checks and confirm that every station is properly stocked, organized, and ready before opening.

• Ensure all dishes meet approved recipe, seasoning, portion, temperature, and plating standards.

• Monitor ticket times, course pacing, product levels, and communication during service.

• Coordinate large parties, VIP tables, special requests, and menu changes with front-of-house leadership.

• Handle allergies and dietary restrictions accurately and ensure procedures are followed to prevent cross-contact.

• Taste and evaluate food throughout preparation and service to maintain consistency.

• Resolve service challenges quickly while maintaining a calm, focused, and professional kitchen.

• Communicate product shortages, quality concerns, equipment issues, and operational needs to the Chef de Cuisine.

Production and Closing Operations

• Plan and oversee afternoon production for Barberry, Flamingo Bar, In-Room Dining, and other assigned service needs.

• Review reservations, hotel occupancy, events, large parties, VIPs, and anticipated volume to determine production priorities.

• Review the AM shift handoff and create supplemental prep lists based on business levels, inventory, and product usage.

• Assign stations and responsibilities based on service needs and the strengths of the team.

• Monitor inventory and coordinate additional production during service when necessary.

• Ensure food is cooled, labeled, dated, rotated, stored, and secured correctly.

• Oversee kitchen breakdown, cleaning, waste documentation, equipment shutdown, and end-of-night security.

• Prepare clear closing notes that identify shortages, outstanding prep, repairs, quality concerns, and next-day priorities.

• Leave the kitchen clean, organized, and ready for the following day’s production and service.

Team Leadership and Development

• Supervise, train, coach, and develop PM line cooks and other assigned culinary team members.

• Lead pre-shift meetings covering reservations, specials, menu changes, VIPs, allergies, production priorities, and service expectations.

• Set clear expectations for food quality, productivity, attendance, cleanliness, safety, and professional conduct.

• Provide practical training in cooking methods, station organization, fire management, seasoning, plating, sanitation, and equipment use.

• Support the onboarding of new culinary team members and provide timely, constructive feedback.

• Identify performance concerns and communicate them promptly to the Chef de Cuisine.

• Help develop cooks who demonstrate the skill and desire to take on greater responsibility.

• Foster an inclusive, disciplined, and respectful kitchen culture.

Cost Control and Administration

• Support the Chef de Cuisine in managing food cost, labor, purchasing, inventory, waste, and production efficiency.

• Assist with scheduling and daily staffing decisions based on forecasted business levels and approved labor targets.

• Manage breaks, station coverage, shift transitions, and closing assignments.

• Review timekeeping and communicate missed punches, attendance concerns, and potential overtime.

• Assist with ordering, receiving, inventory counts, transfers, yields, and product rotation.

• Complete production records, waste logs, temperature and cooling logs, line checks, and closing documentation accurately and on time.

• Monitor portions, yields, comps, refires, and waste in support of food-cost goals.

• Participate in menu development, recipe testing, costing, tastings, and seasonal menu changes.

• Help keep recipes, yields, preparation methods, allergen information, and plating specifications current.

Food Safety and Kitchen Standards

• Maintain compliance with health department regulations, HACCP principles, food-safety requirements, and company policies.

• Enforce proper receiving, labeling, dating, storage, rotation, thawing, cooling, reheating, and disposal procedures.

• Keep workstations, refrigeration, storage areas, and production spaces clean, organized, and inspection-ready.

• Monitor the safe use and condition of kitchen equipment and promptly report maintenance or safety concerns.

• Coordinate with Stewarding to maintain clean cookware, utensils, serviceware, and sanitation supplies.

• Confirm that kitchen equipment, refrigeration, storage areas, and assigned facilities are properly shut down and secured at closing.

Qualifications

• At least three years of progressive culinary experience in a full-service restaurant, hotel, resort, or comparable high-volume operation.

• Previous experience as a Sous Chef, Junior Sous Chef, Lead Line Cook, or in a similar kitchen leadership role preferred.

• Strong dinner-service and high-volume line-cooking experience.

• Sound knowledge of kitchen production, station setup, recipe execution, ordering, inventory, yields, and food-cost control.

• Ability to lead multiple stations through a busy service while maintaining quality, urgency, and organization.

• Strong communication, time-management, coaching, and problem-solving skills.

• Working knowledge of food-safety regulations, HACCP principles, sanitation, and allergen procedures.

• Experience with recipe-costing, inventory, purchasing, scheduling, and payroll systems preferred.

• ServSafe Manager certification, or the ability to obtain it within the required timeframe.

• Culinary degree or equivalent professional kitchen experience preferred.

Schedule and Physical Requirements

• Availability to work afternoons, evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended hours based on operational needs.

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.

• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.

• Ability to bend, reach, twist, push, pull, and perform repetitive movements.

• Ability to work safely around hot surfaces, open flames, steam, sharp tools, and commercial kitchen equipment.

• Ability to work in hot, cold, refrigerated, and changing kitchen environments.

• Ability to taste and evaluate food regularly.

Reports to: Barberry Chef de Cuisine
Direct reports: PM Line Cooks and other assigned hourly culinary team members

This job description summarizes the position’s primary responsibilities and qualifications. Duties may evolve based on business and operational needs, and team members may be asked to perform other responsibilities as reasonably assigned.