Senior Sous Chef

Senior Sous Chef — Cosme (Flatiron, NYC)

Location: Flatiron, Manhattan
Salary: $80,000–$90,000 annually (commensurate with experience)
Experience Required: 4–6+ years of progressive culinary experience, including 2+ years as a Sous Chef or senior BOH leader in a high-performance kitchen.
Highly Preferred: Experience in NYC fine dining, Michelin-recognized, or tasting-menu environments.

Ideal Candidate:
A service-driven Senior Sous Chef from a structured, detail-oriented kitchen who thrives in high standards, high volume, and mentorship-focused environments. This leader is calm under pressure, leads from the line, and is passionate about developing teams while executing at a top culinary level.

Job Details

Cosme is seeking an experienced, service-driven Senior Sous Chef to join our culinary leadership team.

This role partners closely with the Executive Chef to lead daily kitchen operations, drive excellence during service, and mentor a disciplined, high-performing BOH team. The Senior Sous Chef plays a critical role in maintaining the precision, consistency, and culture required to operate at a top-tier culinary level in a fast-paced, high-volume environment (300+ covers nightly).

We are looking for a leader who thrives in service, leads from the line, and brings both technical excellence and emotional intelligence to the kitchen.

Key Responsibilities Culinary Leadership & Service Execution

• Lead and execute lunch and dinner service with urgency, precision, and consistency

• Expedite service and ensure flawless timing, communication, and presentation

• Uphold and reinforce all recipe, portioning, and plating standards

• Work stations alongside the team during peak service periods

• Translate menu changes into clear execution across BOH and FOH

• Lead pre-service meetings, tastings, and culinary education sessions

• Maintain a calm, focused, solutions-oriented presence during high-pressure service

Team Leadership & Development

• Mentor and develop cooks, leads, and junior sous chefs

• Support hiring, staging, onboarding, and training initiatives

• Drive accountability, performance feedback, and growth planning

• Build a culture rooted in discipline, respect, and continuous improvement

• Partner closely with FOH leadership to maintain alignment and hospitality standards

Operations, Inventory & Cost Awareness

• Support ordering, inventory, and vendor relationships

• Monitor food waste, prep systems, and operational efficiency

• Partner on accurate inventory execution and cost control measures

• Contribute to achieving and sustaining food cost targets

• Complete administrative and reporting responsibilities with accuracy and urgency

Sanitation, Safety & Compliance

• Uphold NYC Department of Health and Department of Labor standards

• Maintain readiness for Health Department inspections (“A” grade expectation)

• Enforce best-in-class food safety, labeling, storage, and sanitation practices

• Ensure kitchen, prep areas, and equipment are maintained at the highest level

• Reinforce company HR policies, attendance standards, and professional conduct

Qualifications & Skills Experience & Technical Skills

• 4–6+ years of progressive culinary experience

• 2+ years in a Sous Chef or senior kitchen leadership role

• Highly preferred: Experience in NYC fine dining, Michelin-caliber, or tasting-menu environments

• Experience executing high-volume service while maintaining fine-dining standards

• Advanced knife skills and refined culinary technique

• Strong fish and meat butchery skills

• Experience with inventory systems, ordering, and food cost awareness

• NYC Food Protection Certificate (required or ability to obtain)

Leadership & Core Competencies

• Ability to lead from the line while developing future kitchen leaders

• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills

• Exceptional attention to detail, organization, and quality control

• Ability to remain composed and decisive under pressure

• Commitment to mentorship, accountability, and team development

• Spanish proficiency highly preferred, but not required

• Availability to work nights, weekends, and holidays

What We Offer

• Competitive salary: $80,000–$90,000

• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance

• Paid Time Off

• Growth and advancement opportunities within an established hospitality group

• A collaborative kitchen culture rooted in excellence, discipline, and respect

Why Join Cosme

This is an opportunity for a Senior Sous Chef who wants to operate at a high level, contribute meaningfully to a respected culinary program, and help shape the next generation of cooks and leaders.

We are seeking individuals who value precision, consistency, hospitality, and team development—and who are ready to lead in one of NYC’s most dynamic and demanding kitchen environments.