Executive Sous Chef

Pay: $70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year (potential bonus program for the right candidate)

Job description:

Executive Sous Chef – Newport Vineyards & Taproot Brewing Co.

Location: Middletown, RI (In-Person)

Job Type: Full-time

Housing: Temporary housing available for the right candidate

About Newport Vineyards

Established in 1995 by brothers John and Paul Nunes, Newport Vineyards is New England's premier beverage and hospitality destination. As the region’s largest grape grower, we cultivate nearly 100 acres of historically preserved farmland using strictly sustainable agricultural practices.

Our historic property seamlessly blends industrial-chic winemaking and craft brewing with world-class hospitality. The estate features a buzzing full-service restaurant, Taproot Brewing Company, a curated marketplace, and expansive production and event spaces.

The Culinary Vision: True Farm-to-Table

At Newport Vineyards, "farm-to-table" isn't a marketing buzzword—it is our operational blueprint. Driven by a passion for scratch cooking, our culinary program relies heavily on our onsite agricultural infrastructure, including dedicated greenhouses and culinary gardens where we grow our own seasonal produce.

We are looking for a creative, driven Executive Sous Chef to help lead this culinary playground. This is an unparalleled opportunity to make your mark, leveraging hyper-local estate produce and craft beverages to help design unforgettable menus. Our dynamic culinary calendar ranges from refined, high-volume daily restaurant service and upscale, multi-course wine dinners to large-scale catering for weddings and vibrant, food-centric festivals drawing hundreds of guests.

Role Description

As the Executive Sous Chef, you will act as a vital leader in the heart of our hospitality operations. Working closely with executive culinary leadership, you will provide hands-on management, operational strategy, and creative input to a talented team across multiple kitchen stations and event spaces.

Key Responsibilities:

• Culinary Leadership & Creativity: Assist in menu development for our full-service restaurant, craft brewery, high-end wine pairing dinners, public festivals, and private catered events, heavily highlighting our onsite greenhouse and garden harvests.
• Kitchen Operations & Supervision: Direct day-to-day back-of-house operations, ensuring the consistent execution, timing, and beautiful presentation of high-quality, scratch-cooked dishes.
• Inventory & Quality Control: Manage kitchen inventory, rotation of estate-grown produce, ordering, and prep lists to ensure peak freshness and minimize waste.
• Team Development: Supervise, mentor, and train kitchen staff, promoting a collaborative, positive, and high-performance culture rooted in accountability and culinary excellence.
• Compliance: Maintain rigorous standards of kitchen cleanliness, food safety, and sanitation, ensuring full compliance with health regulations (ServSafe).

Qualifications

• Proven Leadership: A minimum of 3 years of experience in kitchen management or a senior line role (Sous Chef or strong Lead Line Cook) in a multi-faceted, high-volume environment. Experience managing both restaurant and banquet/catering operations is highly preferred.
• Agricultural Passion: Deep experience with, or a profound commitment to, farm-to-table, hyper-local, or scratch-cooking philosophies.
• Operational Excellence: Strong proficiency in kitchen management, including inventory control, staff supervision, and maintaining station consistency under pressure.
• Adaptability & Drive: Ability to thrive and maintain a sharp eye for detail in a fast-paced, multi-venue hospitality environment.
• Certifications: Active ServSafe Manager certification required.
• Education: Culinary degree or equivalent professional kitchen experience.

Benefits & Perks

• Temporary housing available for the right candidate to assist with relocation to beautiful Newport County.
• Competitive Salary
• 401(k) with company matching
• Comprehensive Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, and Vision)
• Paid Time Off
• Generous employee discounts across wine, beer, dining, and marketplace retail.
• No late nights and life/work balance

How to Apply

We are seeking a bright, driven, and positive culinary leader to join our management team. If you are ready to build a legacy around estate-grown food and drink, we want to hear from you.

Please submit your resume and a cover letter. In your cover letter, please skip the corporate jargon and tell us what you truly love about food, scratch cooking, and working with seasonal produce!

No walk-ins, please.

Email: Trisha@newportvineyards.com