Sous Chef

Sous Chef

Join the culinary team at Birdsong, led by Chef Chris Bleidorn. Birdsong is a 2 Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco, focused on whole animal and heritage cuisine. We are seeking a talented individual to join our culinary leadership team as a Sous Chef, with an emphasis on R&D and Events. We are looking for humble, passion driven, hard working individuals with a dedication to learning and a strong motivation to positively contribute to the team and the restaurant.

This position will perform the full range of standard sous chef duties, with an added emphasis on developing new dishes alongside Chef Chris and leading the execution of our private dining events.

Requirements

• 2+ years in high-end kitchens with Michelin experience preferred
• Long-term commitment and stability - we want someone who plans to stay and evolve with us
• Management experience leading kitchen teams toward daily and weekly objectives
• A creative palate and genuine interest in dish development, flavor pairing, and refining new ideas through iteration
• Organizational skills for multi-unit storage (cold and dry storage, including a meat cellar), inventory tracking, and order management
• Technical expertise with professional equipment and refined cooking methods
• Comfort working under shifting priorities, balancing daily service needs with R&D projects and event planning
• Professional standards including California Food Handler's certification (manager's certification a plus)
• Clean work habits and strong attention to detail
• Strong sense of ownership and responsibility

Job Duties

The Birdsong R&D and Events Sous Chef helps run the kitchen while driving menu innovation and private event execution. The following is a description of the responsibilities they may take on, and these may evolve with time.

• Performing standard sous chef duties, including making sauces and preparing components for service
• Working closely with Chef Chris to develop, test, and refine new dishes, from concept through menu integration
• Detailed butchering of whole animals and heritage proteins
• Careful attention to our meat cellar program
• Closely overseeing, guiding, and teaching kitchen team members, Chefs De Partie and Commis Chefs
• Leading planning and execution for private dining events, including menu development tailored to guest needs
• Placing orders for daily production and event needs, receiving deliveries with accuracy against order guides and checking the quality of ingredients
• Effectively communicating with all aspects of the management team and members of the Front of House staff in order to facilitate the best experience for our staff and for our guests
• Upholding the standards and culture of Birdsong

Benefits

Birdsong provides comprehensive healthcare benefits, 401k options, commuter benefits and dining discounts.

Application Process

If these fundamentals resonate with you, please submit your cover letter and resume. The interview process will include a phone call, followed by an in-person meeting and potential one day work trial.

Compensation: Salary ($80,000.00 - $85,000.00)

Benefits & Perks: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Paid Time Off, 401k, Commuter Benefits, Dining Discounts

Required Skills

Team Leadership

Teamwork

Effective Communication

Leadership

Attention to Quality Control

Creativity

Culinary Creativity

Adaptability