Executive Sous Chef

Ozumo, San Francisco's iconic Japanese restaurant featuring sushi, robata and izakaya, is hiring an Executive Sous Chef to join our team. Qualified applicants will possess a minimum of three years sous chef experience in a high volume, fine dining restaurant and have a strong understanding of Japanese cuisine and ingredients. We are looking for a dedicated culinary professional who is organized, has a positive attitude and strives for excellence. The Executive Sous Chef will be responsible for ordering, scheduling, butchery, and overseeing culinary operations on a daily basis.

Key Responsibilities :

Kitchen Operations Management
Oversee daily kitchen activities, ensuring timely food preparation and execution of dishes according to quality standards. Schedule staff according to anticipated business needs to achieve the timely execution of food preparation and align with targeted labor costs. Maintain kitchen equipment and manage inventory to support seamless operations.

Menu Planning & Recipe Development
Work with chef team to create new menu items featuring traditional Japanese cooking and techniques, while taking advantage of the seasonality of ingredients. Develop and cost recipes to ensure they align with budgeted food cost. Train culinary team on preparation and execution of dishes to specifications.

Staff Leadership & Development
Hire, train, and supervise kitchen staff, including line cooks, prep cooks and dishwashers. Ensure that cooks are completing their duties while managing breaks. Foster a collaborative environment and provide ongoing mentorship to promote professional growth.

Quality Control & Food Safety
Ensure all dishes meet quality standards and comply with health and safety regulations. Monitor sanitation practices and conduct regular inspections to maintain a clean and safe kitchen environment.

Budgeting & Cost Management
Manage food cost by monitoring inventory levels, purchasing effectively and minimizing waste during preparation. Manage labor costs by scheduling effectively and monitoring staffing levels during the shift.

Essential Skills & Qualifications:

• Culinary Expertise: Extensive knowledge of Japanese cooking, ingredients and techniques, including sushi preparation, robata cooking, tempura, ramen and Izakaya fare.
• Personal Attributes: Must possess a positive attitude and the ability to work professionally, morally and ethically. The ability to provide genuine care for our kitchen team, while holding them accountable for policies and procedures.
• Leadership Abilities: Proven experience in managing and motivating a diverse kitchen team to maximize performance and develop skills. Must be able to work effectively with management and ownership to achieve the highest level of guest satisfaction and operational success.
• Organizational Skills: The ability to plan, organize and communicate effectively to ensure the smooth operation of the restaurant.
• Creativity: The skill to develop authentic Japanese dishes that align with our concept, are popular with our guests and enhance our profitability and reputation as one of the top destinations for authentic Japanese cuisine.
• Communication: Effective interpersonal skills to share information to achieve operational success while building lasting relationships with others.
• Experience: Qualified candidate must possess a minimum of three years’ experience, cooking traditional Japanese cuisine in a critically recognized fine dining restaurant, including a minimum of one year in the position of sous chef.
• Physical: Ability to work evenings, weekends and holidays as needed. Must be able to work on your feet for eight-to-ten hour shifts and be able to lift 25 pounds.
• Certifications: Must possess a valid CA Food Handlers Certification.
• Technology: Must possess computer skills, the ability to create spreadsheets and checklists and be able to work with POS systems (Toast), scheduling platforms (7Shifts) and Kitchen Management platforms (Margin Edge).
• Compliance: Ability to manage staff in accordance with California Labor Standards and Regulations.