Sous Chef

The DoubleTree by Hilton Lawrence is seeking a skilled and experienced Sous Chef to join our convention hotel culinary team. This is a hands-on leadership role in a busy, multi-outlet kitchen environment that spans banquet production, à la carte dining, and large-scale event service.

Working closely with the Executive Chef, the Sous Chef leads daily culinary production across all service formats — from guest dining to convention banquets — and assumes full operational responsibility in the Executive Chef’s absence. This is an opportunity for a seasoned culinary professional to grow their leadership skills in a well-supported, team-oriented kitchen.

Culinary Production & Kitchen Command

• Oversee and actively participate in all daily food preparation across assigned kitchen stations
• Lead service for à la carte dining, guest dining, banquets, and catering events — expediting orders and maintaining pace and quality
• Assume full operational command in the Executive Chef's absence, making real-time decisions consistent with established standards
• Conduct daily pre-service line checks: stations properly set, stocked, and organized; temperature logs and prep sheets complete
• Coach line staff in real time to correct technique, portioning, or presentation before it reaches the guest

Convention, Banquet & Event Production

• Review Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) for all upcoming events; coordinate production timelines, staffing, and mise en place
• Lead kitchen production for convention banquets and catering events — setup, cooking, plating, and breakdown at required volume
• Assist in developing and costing banquet menus, catering packages, and private dining offerings
• Collaborate with Event Sales and Catering teams to ensure seamless execution of every guest event

Team Leadership & Staff Development

• Directly supervise line cooks, prep cooks, and kitchen support staff; deliver real-time coaching and constructive feedback
• Lead onboarding and training of new kitchen hires, ensuring readiness to station standards before independent service
• Facilitate ongoing training in knife skills, station technique, allergen awareness, food safety, and new menu rollouts
• Assist with scheduling, time record review, and payroll accuracy in alignment with labor budget guidelines
• Foster a high-performance, respectful kitchen culture modeled on culinary excellence and accountability

Menu Innovation & Financial Stewardship

• Collaborate with the Executive Chef to research, develop, test, and cost new menu items across all dining formats
• Monitor and manage food cost performance; provide justification for variances and identify waste-reduction opportunities
• Maintain disciplined FIFO inventory rotation; assist with ordering aligned to par levels and budgeted food cost targets

Food Safety, Sanitation & Compliance

• Maintain full compliance with local and state health codes, HACCP principles, and brand standards at all times
• Enforce allergen separation protocols; ensure all team members can accurately communicate allergen information for every dish
• Supervise and enforce cleaning checklists; conduct regular kitchen walk-throughs and address deficiencies immediately
• Report all workplace injuries, accidents, and unsafe conditions to the Executive Chef and General Manager promptly

Experience

• Minimum 3 years of progressive culinary experience, including 1–2 years as a Sous Chef, Kitchen Supervisor, or equivalent leadership role
• Demonstrated experience across multiple service formats: à la carte, high-volume banquet production, member dining, and catering
• Proven track record managing kitchen staff schedules, food cost, and inventory

Skills & Knowledge

• Comprehensive command of classical and contemporary cooking techniques across all stations
• Strong grasp of food cost control, recipe costing, and inventory management
• Proficiency in reading, executing, and coordinating BEOs and production sheets
• Working knowledge of HACCP food safety principles and sanitation standards
• Basic computer proficiency for scheduling, ordering, and operational reporting

Salary : $40,000 - $45,000