Executive Sous Chef Job Description

Executive Chefs: The Role of Human Resources

Executive sous chefs are in charge of the kitchen. They handle more of the operational aspects of the kitchen. They hire, train, and discipline employees.

The National Bureau of Labor Statistics says demand for chefs and head cooks will rise 10 percent through the year. There is no official human resource department in many dining establishments. The human resource functions are handled by the executive sous chef.

The executive sous chef is responsible for interviewing and evaluating candidates and training new hires. The American Culinary Foundation accredited schools are the most common places for executive sous chefs to get their associates or bachelor's degree. They learn all of the basic techniques of cooking.

They get a lot of on-the-job training. The national median salary for executive sous chefs is over $50,000. The top 10 percent make over $74,103, while the bottom 10 percent make less than $39,498.

The Basics of a Sous Chef

The kitchen staff is expected to respect the boss if the Chef is unavailable or off for the night, as they would if the boss was in charge. A Sous Chef will work in the role for a while with the goal of becoming an Executive Chef. The Sous Chef of a kitchen will make sure that the food is of top quality and that staff are aware of the cost standards that come with the food.

If a steak costs $10 per 8 ounce serving, it is important that staff don't serve 12 ounces, which can cost the restaurant money. Being a Sous Chef is not easy. It is important for them to be quick on their feet and be able to make smart decisions during meals.

They often work long hours with little credit, but creativity is what will help them become a chef. Strong leaders and team players are important for the Sous Chefs to be, as they don't have complete authority over the kitchen. When stress and tempers rise, it's important to communicate with staff.

The Executive Chef should be respected by the Sous Chef and they should value his decisions. The Sous Chef should not be afraid to offer suggestions or ideas that can improve the kitchen. Gaining kitchen experience is one of the most important steps in becoming a sous chef.

It can take years to get to the rank of sergeant, but every experience you gain can help you get there. You will need to be determined and dedicated to succeed as a Sous Chef. You will need patience to deal with difficult staff and customers, and communication skills to ensure that your staff feels like they are part of your team.

Executive sous chef position in a commercial kitchen

The sous chef has responsibility for all the kitchen activities and operations, cooking variety of cuisines, and mentoring the junior chefs in cooking. Sous chefs have to show a lot of responsibility in the kitchen operations so that they are competent enough to handle the entire kitchen in the absence of an executive chef. One needs to have a lot of knowledge about cooking for being a successful executive sous chef.

Sous chefs who start as dishwashers in fast-food restaurants and other commercial kitchens are more likely to get their way up in kitchen rankings as they gain experience. A position as an executive sous chef can be found through a school. Some of the schools that offer programs in the field of cooking have campus placement programs that give direct placements.

The Chef's Role in a Restaurant

The word "sous" is French for "under" and means a sous chef is second in command to the chef. Smaller restaurants usually have one kitchen lead and one sous chef operating between that lead and the rest of the staff, whereas large hotels and convention centers have many sous chefs working a line. The sous chef must be calm under pressure.

They are often responsible for making changes on the fly when certain supplies don't arrive in time. They are the link between the chef and the team. It is a vital role in the kitchen.

The sous chef needs to project authority and confidence in order to manage staff in a busy environment. Keeping the entire team working together is a big undertaking. It requires clear communication and an ability to motivate and guide everyone, all while performing their own tasks as a cook on the line.

The job will likely be thankless, as you will be expected to work up to 12 hours a day. Your reward will be the satisfaction of being part of a successful restaurant, the trust and support of your lead chef, and the respect of your coworkers. You will need to continue learning on the job as you progress through your education in the kitchen.

How to be a S sous chef

The responsibilities of a sous chef are just one of the things that need to be looked at. The sous chef is in charge of the kitchen when the head chef is not there. If you want to prove you have managerial experience, you can work as a senior station chef, where you'll have to oversee other chefs.

To get a job as a sous chef you need to be a good leader in the kitchen. You can't expect to be a sous chef in a couple of years after graduating from school. Sous chefs usually have many more years of experience than four.

The sous chef needs to know how the kitchen works and the best way to prove that is to have a long track record on their CV. The other chefs are working safely and the sous chef is checking them. You can show that you understand the importance of working safely by wearing chef shoes.

Chef shoes are designed to combat kitchen dangers like slippery floors, sharp knives and hot liquids. The sous chef has to fix any problems that may arise in the kitchen when the head chef is not there. The sous chef will be in charge of fixing issues in the kitchen.

If you have worked in the kitchen before, you are more likely to deal with problems in the kitchen. When interviewing for a sous chef position, you should talk about how you solved issues and disagreements. It can be difficult to work as a chef.

The role of sous chef in a restaurant

Sous chefs are responsible for making improvements to existing dishes and for proposing new ones, using their flair and creativity to come up with new dishes that taste great but also look good. Sous chefs are able to prepare a variety of dishes, from starter to main course and dessert, and are proficient in every aspect of the kitchen. They help other chefs with their work during peak hours.

The sous chefs want to make sure that the dishes leaving the kitchen are prepared and served in a way that is pleasing to the eye and tastes great. The inventory management of the food stock in the cold room is one of the responsibilities of the sous chef. The aim of training personnel is to reduce food waste and control food costs.

The sous chefs are responsible for monitoring the team's performance. They want to create a culture of continuous improvement, maintain effective communication within the kitchen and with the head of the waiting team, and work to resolve any organizational or operational issues that may arise. The hours of work for a sous chef are closely related to the hours of work for their place of work.

They work a full time, six day week with their hours split between lunch and dinner. Shifts may include holidays and weekends. The job of a sous chef is tiring because of the hot environment.

The educational requirements to become a sous chef are usually related to a qualification in Catering and hospitality, but prior experience in a high level professional kitchen is what really counts. The path to becoming a sous chef may begin with a job in a restaurant or hotel kitchen as a kitchen assistant or commis chef, the lowest positions in a kitchen brigade. The role of sous chef is a vital one within the kitchen brigade and comes with a lot of responsibility.

A Chef's Perspective on the Salaries of Executive Chef

The second chef in the Executive Chef's kitchen will assist in preparing and planning menu, inventory and keep inventory in check, ensuring safety standards are observed in the kitchen and that the staff follows the rules of the kitchen. The line chef and the executive chef are in the middle of the kitchen. Being second in command in a field is a good opportunity to get some work done.

The chef is most likely to be promoted to the executive chef due to the fact that he is most likely to be on a move or promoted to other higher ranks. The sous chef is in a better position to be promoted because of the relationship between the chef and their assistants. A sous chef will be expected to perform other tasks for the executive chef.

The size of the kitchen station, kitchen organization and personnel are some of the factors that will determine how you spend your workday. The size of the restaurant may affect the hiring of a sous chef. The chief chef and the junior staff are the ones who are usually in charge of the sous chef.

Larger ones may hire more than one. There are opportunities for sous chef at hotels, cruise ships, resorts, casinos and professional kitchens. If you start by being a senior station chef, you will gain managerial experience as you will be responsible for overseeing other chefs.

One way to get a sous chef position is to demonstrate that you are a reliable leader. It is very rare for a sous chef to get out of a school. Not after a couple of years.