Executive Sous Chef

HISTORY

The Rainbow Room, the quintessential New York venue, has been the site of some of the city's most celebrated events since first opening in 1934.

We are seeking skilled, passionate professionals who take great pride in delivering unparalleled experiences and who value teamwork, integrity and professional development in a spectacular, world-class setting.

Your Role...

• The Executive Sous Chef will be responsible for managing the kitchen, back of house personnel, ensuring the quality and consistency of production of all output, and proper handling and storage of all food items in accordance with health department and property standards.
• This position will manage food and labor costs and develop menu items for both the restaurant and banquet facilities.
• In addition to daily back of house management, the Executive Sous Chef will work as part of the management team to build sales and grow the business.
• The position requires excellent communication and team management skills, professional appearance, and the ability to maintain the highest of culinary standards.
• Above all must actively embody, inspire, and teach the core values to all employees.

Key Responsibilities:

PERSONNEL

• Training
  
  • Supervision of the training program for all new hires.
  • Assure that all new hires are trained to standards and successfully complete training requirements.
• Departmental Meetings
  
  • Meets with Culinary Management to discuss kitchen operations and to set and monitor the achievement status of organizational goals.
• Daily Pre-Shift Meetings
  
  • Participate and lead daily pre-shift meetings to discuss shift-related issues and provide the staff with necessary information.

• Grooming
  
  • All employees must maintain a neat, clean and well-groomed appearance per Rainbow Room standards.

FOOD DEPARTMENT

• Compliance
  
  • Ensure compliance with health, sanitation, liquor, safety and employment regulations by clearly communicating and reinforcing standards and procedures to all employees. Ensure that all hiring practices, employee disciplinary actions, and expectations of employees are in accordance with the federal, state and local laws as well as the Culinary Union. Ensure employees have all required certifications. Meet with the stewarding team to review equipment needs, cleaning schedule, project status, health/safety and sanitation follow up.
• Pastry Department
  
  • Work closely with Pastry Department.
• Stewarding Department
  
  • Work closely with Stewarding Department in an effort to ensure cleanliness is up to Department of Health standards.
• Maintenance and Organization
  
  • Ensure that storage and walk-in facilities are maintained and organized.
  • Rotate stock to reduce waste and ensure freshness.
  • Ensure that storage facilities are hygienic.
  • Ensure all food and beverage products meet company standards and specifications. Ongoing development of menus and recipes. Be knowledgeable of food trends and continuously self-educate on dynamic industry trends.
  • Ensures the physical maintenance of the restaurant and catering facilities, finishes, furniture, fixtures and equipment, both inside the facilities and at the facility and ancillary storage area.

• Proper Purveyor Relationships
  
  • Treat purveyors with respect and as partners.
• Purchases
  
  • All purchases need to be based on a balance of high quality, availability and cost.
  • Follow purchasing standard operating procedures.

• Training
  
  • Train staff to ensure we are exceeding guest, associate and owner expectations.
  • Educate all FOH and BOH staff continuously to update on the latest culinary advancements and SOPs.
  • Manage staff by training and evaluation of kitchen employees in accordance with policies and procedures to provide ongoing development and correct any deficiencies. Foster and promote a cooperative working climate, maximizing productivity and employee morale. Maintains a clean and safe work environment.
  • Work with Executive Chef and Executive Sous Chef to ensure service standards are met by providing front of house staff with knowledge of menu, ingredients and preparation methods. Demonstrate positive interpersonal skills with guests and staff.
• Innovation
  
  • Must be innovative at all times to ensure constant excitement of culinary goals.
  • Works with Executive Chef to create dynamic menu items that align with Seasonal and Local flavors and ingredients.

• Beverage Program
  
  • The beverage program will be intrinsic to our success. The Sous Chef needs to follow standard operating procedure to ensure integration of the program with food department.

MAINTENANCE OF THE FACILITY

• Responsibility
  
  • Fully responsible for the maintenance of the kitchen and BOH areas.
  • Comply and train staff on the BOH maintenance program.
  • Hold all personnel accountable for daily checklists.
  • Perform daily walk through of BOH areas.
  • Be vigilant of any maintenance issues and report to the appropriate department and follow up to ensure completion.
  • Comply with maintenance programs for all equipment and service contracts.

SERVICE

• Expectations
  
  • Assures that guest service meets or exceeds our standards during all meals.
  • Your department must be fully staffed for each meal period.
  • Inform FOH of relevant information and check with Managing Director and senior leaders regarding special food needs of VIPs.
  • Anticipate and address guests' service needs in relation to the kitchen as they arise and resolve all matters where expectations are not met.
  • Remain informed of level of guest satisfaction through communication directly with managers and door staff and personal observation.
  • Periodically communicate with Service Managers and Hosts throughout service to inform and advise of service-related issues.

ADMINISTRATIVE

• Technology
  
  • Must be fully practiced in and regularly use available technology and software to ensure modern reporting and costing of all goods and services.

• Manager's Logbook
  
  • Daily entry and review of information in managers' logbook that is relevant to operational concerns. Resolve all concerns.
• Management Meetings
  
  • Participate in weekly Management Meeting and provide input on issues. Responsible for resolving tasks.
  • Weekly Leadership Meeting
  • Semi-Weekly BEO Meeting
• Required Reading
  
  • Regularly read and review industry publications and other material related to industries and interests of our customers and regular patrons.

OPERATIONAL

• Shift Responsibilities
  
  • Perform opening, closing and specific kitchen shift responsibilities as directed
  • Address employee performance concerns by adhering to established procedures for progressive discipline and counseling.

FINANCIAL

• Most of the day-to-day needs will be handled by our Finance Department. However, it is the responsibility of the Sous Chef to oversee processes related to kitchen, food department and facility.
• Finding and taking advantage of opportunities that will improve the bottom line and cash flow.

DAILY

• Review daily reports from P.O.S. system.
• Review daily sales report.
• Review daily vouchering of invoices for proper expense distribution, purchase order support and approvals.
• Maintain employee files.
• Attend/Participate in all regular meetings.

WEEKLY

• Administer and check accuracy of payroll.
• Prepare payroll analysis as requested.
• Prepare weekly operating reports as required by restaurant and ownership.

MONTHLY

• Supervise inventory record keeping.

ONGOING

• Keeping files and records in proper order for easy access for management or outside auditors.

Please note that Management reserves the right to change, modify and/or alter any of the duties and responsibilities based on business demands.

Skills & Qualifications:

The individual must possess the above knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to excel at each essential duty. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• A minimum of 4 years of experience in a similar position at a fast paced, high-volume hotel, fine dining restaurant or catering facility.
• Must be fluent in English. Helpful if conversant in Spanish, French or Italian. Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business documents, safety rules, professional journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations. Ability to compose reports, business correspondence, task lists and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, team members and guests.
• Ability to apply creative solutions to practical problems and situations where limited standardization exists. Ability to remain flexible in determining a variety of problem-solving approaches. The employee must have the ability to maintain emotionally healthy composure and professionalism in stressful situations.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the Sous Chef to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the Sous Chef is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, kitchen equipment or controls and speak or hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The Sous Chef must regularly lift and/or move up to 15 pounds; frequently lift and/or move up to 5-30 pounds. Specific vision requirements include close vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Supervises kitchen staff. Responsibilities include interviewing, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance, rewarding and counseling employees; addressing employee concerns and resolving problems.
• While performing the essential duties of this job the employee is frequently required to work in a limited physical space with variable atmospheric conditions including ventilation, lighting, smoke and extreme temperatures. The noise level in the work area is usually moderate to loud.
• Must have open availability including early mornings, late nights, weekends and holidays.

PROFESSIONALISM

Not the least of the Executive Sous Chef responsibilities is to maintain a consistent air of professionalism and extraordinary leadership at all times. Recognizing the intense pressure of the kitchen environment the Sous Chef has the greatest opportunity to show true leadership by upholding an unfailingly calm demeanor at all times. The Sous Chef must exude leadership and professionalism by being resolutely intolerant of issues such as sexual or emotional harassment in all their forms and needs to work in an environment of evenhandedness of all employees. Maintaining leadership and professionalism will be paramount in the professional, financial and personal growth of the Sous Chef at Rainbow Room.

Other things to consider...

• A significant portion of the work day requires walking and standing
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space and to reach other locations of the restaurant on a timely basis.
• Must be able to bend, stoop, squat and lift up to 50 lbs. on a regular and continuing basis.
• Must be able to push and pull carts and equipment weighing up to 250 lbs. occasionally
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, listening and hearing ability and visual acuity.
• While performing the essential duties of this job the employee is frequently required to work in a limited physical space with variable atmospheric conditions including ventilation, lighting, smoke and extreme temperatures.
• Must be able to work in an area where the noise level is usually moderate to loud.
• Requires manual dexterity to use and operate all necessary equipment.

The above information is general in nature and level of work expected; it is not intended to be interpreted as an inclusive list of all duties, responsibilities and qualification required of employees assigned to this role.

The base compensation range for this role is $120,000- $125,000. This role is also eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, as well as access to our comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, 401(k) plan (with matching contributions), wellness benefits and all other benefits afforded to full-time Rainbow Room employees. This base range reflects a number of factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skill sets, and/or licensure required of an individual in this particular role. The base range is also specific to members of Rainbow Room's New York team, as we've considered factors specific to this geography.

The Rainbow Room is an Equal Opportunity Employer and shall treat all applicants for employment equally based upon job-related qualifications and without regards to race, color, age, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, national origin, disability, religion, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Job Location

New York, New York, United States

Position Type
Full time