Catering Sous Chef - Cleveland State University Management Fee

Catering Sous Chef

The Catering Sous Chef is primarily responsible for leading the culinary execution of all campus catering operations, including high-profile donor events, executive functions, university receptions, conferences, and special events. Reporting directly to the Catering Executive Chef, this position serves as a key culinary leader for the catering department, ensuring exceptional food quality, presentation, and service standards. During periods of lower catering volume, the Catering Sous Chef will provide culinary and operational support to Residential Dining, assisting with production, staffing support, menu execution, and special dining initiatives.

Compensation: The hourly rate for this position is $29.00 to $32.00.

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead day-to-day culinary production and execution for all catering events.
• Assist the Catering Executive Chef with menu planning, recipe development, and event execution.
• Execute high-profile campus events including donor receptions, board meetings, presidential functions, commencement activities, alumni events, and VIP gatherings.
• Ensure all catered food is prepared, presented, and served according to established quality standards.
• Collaborate with catering managers and event teams to ensure seamless event execution.
• Oversee catering production schedules, staffing plans, and event preparation timelines.
• Manage catering inventory, ordering, and event-specific product procurement.
• Support event setup, service, and breakdown as needed.
• Maintain flexibility to support evening and weekend events.
• Provide culinary leadership and operational support to residential dining during periods of lower catering activity.
• Assist with menu execution and food production within dining halls as needed.
• Support special campus dining events, themed meals, and promotional programs.
• Help maintain food quality, consistency, and operational standards within residential dining locations.
• Collaborate with residential dining leadership to address staffing and production needs.
• Supervise and coach cooks, culinary staff, and student employees.
• Assist in hiring, onboarding, and training culinary team members.
• Promote a culture of teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure staff adhere to recipes, production procedures, and presentation standards.
• Enforce all HACCP, food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety standards.
• Conduct routine inspections of catering production areas and event sites.
• Ensure proper product rotation, storage, labeling, and temperature controls.
• Maintain compliance with university, company, and regulatory requirements.
• Support the Catering Executive Chef in managing food cost and labor performance.
• Monitor inventory levels and minimize waste through effective production planning.
• Assist with purchasing, receiving, and inventory controls.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiencies while maintaining high-quality culinary standards.

Qualifications Required:

• Associate degree in Culinary Arts or equivalent professional culinary experience.
• 3-5 years of progressive culinary leadership experience.
• Experience leading catering operations and executing large-scale events.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and HACCP principles.
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including evenings, holidays, and weekends.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.

Preferred:

• Experience in higher education dining, hospitality, hotel, resort, or contract food service environments.
• ServSafe Manager Certification.
• Experience supporting VIP, donor, and executive-level events.
• Experience overseeing both catering and high-volume food production operations.