Sushi Sous Chef Momosan

Under the direction of the Restaurant Chef / Executive Chef, the Sushi Sous Chef supports daily kitchen operations and leads sushi production with a strong focus on Japanese cuisine. This role prepares and cooks menu items, maintains food quality and presentation, supervises and trains team members, supports inventory and ordering, monitors food and labor costs, and ensures compliance with Foxwoods standards for sanitation, safety, and guest service.  Must have at least five (5) years of professional experience as a sushi cook and/or sushi chef in a restaurant or comparable food-service operation.  Advanced, hands-on fish fabrication skills, including safe handling, breakdown, trimming, and portioning of whole or large-format fish.  Mastery of nigiri and maki sushi preparation and presentation, with excellent knife skills and a strong understanding of sushi rice and sushi station execution.  Strong knowledge of Japanese cuisine and professional kitchen practices; experience with broader Asian cuisine is a plus.  Prior leadership, training, or supervisory experience preferred, with the ability to coach team members and maintain consistent standards.  Demonstrated ability to manage and coordinate the entire kitchen team across sushi and hot-food stations, including assigning duties, monitoring performance, supporting staffing and service flow, and maintaining consistent standards throughout the kitchen.  Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, temperature control, labeling, and health department requirements; must hold or obtain required food-handler credentials and ServSafe certification within Foxwoods timelines.  Ability to communicate in English with team members and guests, follow written and verbal instructions, and maintain a professional, guest-focused demeanor. Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak business periods.  Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and safely lift at least 35 pounds repeatedly, with or without reasonable accommodation.

 Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Leads and support daily sushi and kitchen operations, including prep, service execution, expediting, station setup, cleaning, stocking, and closing.
• Prepares sushi and Japanese menu items consistently to recipe, portion, quality, timing, and presentation standards.
• Demonstrates and maintains strong fish fabrication skills, including receiving, inspecting, breaking down, trimming, portioning, and storing fish safely.
• Executes nigiri and maki sushi at a high professional level, maintaining proper technique, consistency, rice quality, knife skills, and presentation.
• Supervises, coaches, and trains culinary team members on sushi techniques, recipes, food handling, equipment use, and departmental standards.
• Assists with prep lists, scheduling, inventory counts, ordering, receiving, and monitoring food usage, waste, and food costs.
• Supports labor management and productivity while maintaining appropriate staffing and service standards.
• Monitors product quality, portions, garnishes, temperatures, date labels, and required food-safety and sanitation logs.
• Maintains clean, organized, and safe kitchen, preparation, service, and storage areas; ensure compliance with health codes, company policies, and applicable regulations.
• Responds professionally to guest needs and concerns, communicate effectively with FOH and culinary leadership, and support special events and peak business periods.
• Assists the Restaurant Chef / Executive Chef with operational reporting, performance coaching, and other duties required to meet business needs.

Qualifications

• At least five (5) years of professional experience as a sushi cook and/or sushi chef in a restaurant or comparable food-service operation.
• Advanced, hands-on fish fabrication skills, including safe handling, breakdown, trimming, and portioning of whole or large-format fish.
• Mastery of nigiri and maki sushi preparation and presentation, with excellent knife skills and a strong understanding of sushi rice and sushi station execution.
• Strong knowledge of Japanese cuisine and professional kitchen practices; experience with broader Asian cuisine is a plus.
• Prior leadership, training, or supervisory experience preferred, with the ability to coach team members and maintain consistent standards. 
• Demonstrated ability to manage and coordinate the entire kitchen team across sushi and hot-food stations, including assigning duties, monitoring performance, supporting staffing and service flow, and maintaining consistent standards throughout the kitchen.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, temperature control, labeling, and health department requirements; must hold or obtain required food-handler credentials and ServSafe certification within Foxwoods timelines.
• Ability to communicate in English with team members and guests, follow written and verbal instructions, and maintain a professional, guest-focused demeanor.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak business periods.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and safely lift at least 35 pounds repeatedly, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Experience in a high-volume sushi restaurant or Japanese dining concept preferred.
• Experience supporting inventory control, ordering, food-cost management, and staff development preferred.
• Culinary education or equivalent professional experience preferred.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of the job the team member regularly stands and walks for sustained periods of time. Works at a quick pace, maneuvering between functions occurring simultaneously. The team member regularly grasps objects such as cookware, knives, plate ware and glassware. The team member frequently feels the temperature of objects such as hot stoves and cookware. The team member regularly reaches by extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction while serving and performing other essential functions of the job. The team member occasionally stoops, kneels and crouches. The team member frequently talks when communicating with guests, dining and kitchen staff. The team member frequently needs to hear voices while interacting with guests and staff. Many aromas and smells are present in the kitchen and dining areas. Balance is frequently required to prevent falling when walking, standing, moving or carrying cookware, plate ware, and food items. Lifting is regularly required when preparing and cooking food. Exerts up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move items such as plates, coffee trays and dishes. The team member is required to have close visual acuity to prepare and cook food and move around the kitchen. The team member is required to have visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work areas. The team member is occasionally subject to extreme heat, with temperatures up to 100 degrees while moving around in the kitchen. Occasionally subject to extreme cold when working in refrigerated areas. The team member is occasionally subject to loud noise when working in or around the kitchen areas. The team member is subject to hazards which includes proximity to moving mechanical parts, equipment found in kitchens and food service areas, sharp objects, and exposure to cleaning chemicals. Other hazards may include slick floors and hot stoves, cookware, plate ware or glassware. The team member is occasionally subject to atmospheric condition such as fumes, odors, or dusts. The team member is required to function in crowded or narrow aisles, passageways or work areas in the kitchen and dining areas. (To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. 
• Fast-paced restaurant kitchen with varying business volumes, hot and cold work areas, sharp tools, and kitchen equipment. Team members must follow all Foxwoods and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal policies, safety procedures, sanitation requirements, and standards of appearance. Schedules may vary according to business needs.
• Cross-training with hot-food kitchen stations is required. The Sushi Sous Chef must be willing and able to learn, support, and coordinate hot-food operations as business needs require, while maintaining sushi station standards.
• This position requires kitchen-wide team management skills, including coordinating work across sushi and hot-food stations, directing team members during service, and helping ensure smooth operations, food quality, safety, and labor efficiency throughout the kitchen.
• This job description summarizes the principal duties and qualifications of the position and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Additional related duties may be assigned. 

THE MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBE PRACTICES TRIBAL AND NATIVE AMERICAN PREFERENCE (33 M.P.T.L.) IN HIRING AND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER