What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sous Chef / Line Cook position at Starr's Restaurant?
Sous Chef/Line Cook — Starr's Restaurant$18–22/hr Wed–Sat Waterloo, NY
Starr's Restaurant is a small, chef-driven fine dining experience in the Finger Lakes. We cook from scratch, we source with intention, and we care deeply about what lands on the table. We're growing — and we're looking for someone who wants to grow with us.
This is a rare opportunity to step into a sous chef role at an independent restaurant that's building something real. You won't just be executing dishes — you'll be learning a kitchen, earning trust, and eventually helping carry it.
The Role
We need someone who can support our Executive Chef across prep, mise en place, and service — and who has the foundation to hold the kitchen independently when needed. You don't have to be ready to do that tomorrow. But you need to be close enough that we can get you there.
If you fundamentally understand how food works — how flavors layer, how heat behaves, how a dish comes together from first principles — we can teach you the rest. If that foundation isn't there, this isn't the right fit.
What You'll Do
- Support the Executive Chef through prep, mise en place, and full dinner service
- Execute dishes consistently to spec with attention to timing and plating
- Hold the kitchen independently during service when needed
- Maintain proper food safety, sanitation, and kitchen organization
- Communicate clearly and calmly under pressure
- Learn our menu, our systems, and our standards — then help uphold them
Schedule
Wednesday through Saturday, four days a week. Nights and weekends are a core part of this role — please only apply if this works for your life. Possibility for more hours for the right fit.
What We're Looking For
- Real line experience in a full-service kitchen — independent restaurant background preferred
- A genuine understanding of food science and flavor — not just technique, but the why behind it
- Someone who can take direction, work within an established system, and check their ego at the door
- Calm under pressure, clear communicator, reliable presence
- Ready to step into more responsibility — even if you haven't held the title yet
We're a small, tight-knit team. Integrity matters here as much as technique.
Compensation
- $18–22/hr based on experience
- Meals during shift
- A kitchen where your growth is taken seriously
- Paid training
Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Food provided
Application Question(s):
- How do you learn best in a kitchen?
- Tell us about a mistake you made during service. What happened and what did you do?
- This role requires Wednesday through Saturday availability including nights. Is that workable for your life right now?
- Tell us about a chef or lead who had high standards and was hard to impress. What was that experience like?
- Describe a time you received correction on something small. How did you handle it?
Work Location: In person
Salary : $18 - $22