Sous Chef

Sous Chef Opportunity at Sunrise of River Forest

When you join Sunrise Senior Living, you will be able to use your unique skills to empower residents to live longer, healthier, and happier lives. Not only will you build meaningful relationships with residents, their families, and team members alike, you will also gain joy in serving others and deep fulfillment in your work. Explore how you can follow your passions and shed light on meaningful ways to serve, grow, and shine together.

Sunrise Senior Living was again certified as a Great Place to Work by Activated Insights. This is the 9th time Sunrise has received this top culture and workplace designation, highlighting the special place Sunrise is to be a part of.

Job Overview

The Sous Chef will assist the Executive Chef in providing overall leadership and management for all phases of food production and food presentation operations for the community's Dining Services operations. These responsibilities include but not limited to overseeing the food production and food presentation operations, financial management, and coaching dining services team members. Responsible for handling foods in accordance with sanitary procedures and Sunrise quality service standards and complies with all federal, state, local regulatory procedures regarding food production and food presentation.

Responsibilities & Qualifications

Job Description

Essential Duties

As a part of the Sunrise team, supporting our Mission, Principles of Service and Core Values is a fundamental part of this job. Our foundational belief is the sacred value of human life. The unique responsibilities for this role include but are not limited to the essential functions listed as follows:

Dining Services Operations

• Leads overall food production, food presentation, and supervision of dining services team members and labor/labour management, purchasing, managing food cost and financial management.
• Demonstrates, incorporates knowledge and provides leadership in specialty areas of nutrition and therapeutic diets.
• Supports and adheres to product order guide and primary vendor program as outlined in Sunrise Menu Programming and Purchasing.
• Ensures all meals and serving portions are prepared in accordance with Sunrise quality service standards and industry standards.
• Ensures and provides methods/procedures that count, measure and weigh food for all menus ensuring cost and portion control.
• Facilitates food production, food presentation and sanitation training to dining service team members.
• Champions community goals of food quality achievement by monitoring and evaluating for peak timing, cooking methods, plating, garnishing and service delivery.
• Ensures the industry standard HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is in place.
• Supports and oversees all special events food production and food presentation actively with an emphasis on marketing events.
• Assists in the oversight of the Bistro, Banquets and catering events and other assigned dining venues.

Record Keeping

• Reviews to ensure all records regarding food and equipment temperature recordings are complete and filed per Sunrise quality service standards and regulatory compliance.
• Reviews to ensure all side-work and assigned cleaning checklists are completed and filed according to policy and regulatory compliance.
• Reviews to ensure the rotation (FIFO: First In / First Out) and security of such foods and supplies are maintained per Sunrise quality standards and regulatory compliance.
• Maintains all past production sheets.
• Maintains all HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) records.
• Maintains Chef's Daily Assistant Log.

Resident Services

• Promotes customer engagement activities and interacts with residents during mealtimes to monitor resident satisfaction or concerns about food service and develops plans to address as appropriate.
• Maintains and protects the confidentiality of resident information at all times.

Safety and Risk Management

• Partners with community team to ensure community is following national/provincial regulations pertaining to occupational health and safety requirements and promotion of Risk Management programs and policies, adherence to safety rules and regulations.
• Ensures and practices safety procedures always including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), fire extinguishers, MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) and Lockout Tagout procedures.
• Ensures all work areas are maintained in a healthful and safe condition, HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) applications.
• Ensures food is protected from contamination and safe food handling is always practiced preventing an outbreak of food borne illness.

Financial Management

• Assists in the presentation and value of Sunrise's products and services for our residents, families and team members and targeted referral sources.
• Understands the department budget to include labor/labour and other expenses and its impact on the community's bottom line.
• Coordinates with the community team to achieve maximum staff economies and cross training when applicable.

Training, Leadership and Team Member Development

• Partners in the delivery and participation in Sunrise University Training and self-study programs during the required timeframe.
• Develops a working knowledge of state/provincial regulations and ensures compliance through supervising and coaching team members.
• Achieves the Team Member Engagement goals and actively leads in the Engagement Improvement Planning sessions.
• Maintains compliance in assigned required training and all training required by state/province or other regulating authorities as applicable to this role to ensure that Sunrise standards are always met.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies

• Ability to handle multiple priorities
• Ability to delegate assignments to appropriate individuals based on their skills, roles and interests
• Possess written and verbal skills for effective communication and the ability to facilitate small group presentations
• Competent in organizational, time management skills
• Demonstrates good judgment, problem solving and decision making skills

Experience and Qualifications

• Certification and/or College Degree in Culinary Arts preferred
• Minimum three (3) years' experience as a Chef or Kitchen Manager
• Two (2) years supervisory and management experience including hiring staff, coaching, performance management daily operations supervision, discipline and counseling
• Maintains current Food Services Sanitation certificate; ServeSafe certified
• Demonstration of proficiency in computer skills, Microsoft Office (Windows, Outlook, Excel) and Sunrise applications with the ability to learn new applications
• As applicable, all Sunrise team members who drive a Sunrise vehicle must review and sign the Driver job description and understand the key essential duties for safety and regulatory compliance
• Ability to work weekends, evenings and flexible hours, available for our customers at peak service delivery days and times

About Sunrise

Ready to take the next step and make a bigger impact than you ever imagined? As part of our team, you will help brighten the future for everyone at Sunrise and beyond. That is why we make it a priority to celebrate the unique ways you bring moments of togetherness and joy to everyone you serve. And when combined with the support, benefits, and growth opportunities we offer, the result is a career that PositivelyShines with everything you need to reach your goals at work and in your life.

We also offer benefits and other compensation that include:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and Disability Plans
• Retirement Savings Plans
• Employee Assistant Program / Discount Program
• Paid time off (PTO), sick time, and holiday pay
• myFlexPay offered to get paid within hours of a shift
• Tuition Reimbursement
• In addition to base compensation, Sunrise may offer discretionary and/or non-discretionary bonuses. The eligibility to receive such a bonus will depend on the employee's position, plan/program offered by Sunrise at the time, and required performance pursuant to the plan/program.
• Some benefits have eligibility requirements

Pre-Employment Requirements

Sunrise considers the health and safety of its residents, family members, and team members among its highest priorities. Employment with Sunrise is contingent upon successful completion of required pre-employment screenings and health evaluations in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Covid 19 and Influenza vaccination may be required if mandated by applicable federal, state, and local laws and authorities.

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