Sous Chef | Italian Cuisine | $55K-$65K

Location: Smithfield, VA
Compensation: $55,000–$65,000 annually for the right candidate
Schedule: Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week

Are you a dependable, hands-on culinary professional who takes pride in great food and leading by example? We are seeking an experienced Sous Chef to help support the kitchen operations of an established Italian restaurant.

This is an opportunity for a seasoned kitchen professional who enjoys working alongside the team, maintaining high culinary standards, and helping create a kitchen environment built on consistency, accountability, and teamwork.

Italian cuisine experience is preferred, particularly in an independent, family-owned, or smaller restaurant environment. However, we are open to a range of strong BOH candidates who bring solid cooking skills, reliability, and the ability to support a busy kitchen.

Key Responsibilities

• Support daily kitchen operations, food preparation, and service execution.
• Help lead, train, and develop kitchen team members.
• Maintain consistent food quality, presentation, sanitation, and food safety standards.
• Assist with ordering, receiving, inventory management, and product rotation.
• Help monitor food costs, labor, waste, and kitchen efficiency.
• Collaborate with restaurant leadership on seasonal menus, specials, and culinary improvements.
• Communicate professionally with kitchen and front-of-house team members.
• Maintain a calm, solutions-oriented approach during busy services.
• Help foster a positive kitchen culture built on mutual respect, cooperation, and follow-through.

Qualifications

• At least 6 years of professional cooking experience.
• 3 years as a Sous Chef, Executive Chef, or in a comparable kitchen leadership role preferred.
• Italian cuisine experience is a plus.
• Experience in upscale casual dining, fine dining, or an independent restaurant.
• Strong understanding of cooking methods, ingredients, kitchen equipment, and food safety.
• Experience with inventory, ordering, and food and labor cost controls.
• Reliable, organized, and comfortable taking direction while helping lead others.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively under pressure.
• A positive attitude, sense of humor, curiosity about food, and pride in the craft.

What We Offer

• Annual compensation of $55,000–$65,000 for the right candidate, based on experience and the agreed schedule.
• Full-time schedule of approximately 40 hours per week.
• An opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to an established restaurant.
• A collaborative team environment where quality, initiative, and dependability matter.

We welcome experienced culinary professionals who want to contribute their skills, support their teammates, and help a kitchen thrive. If you're a reliable, hands-on leader with a passion for great food, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today to learn more about this opportunity.

The Restaurant Zone is a leading hospitality recruitment agency specializing in connecting top-tier talent with restaurants, hotels, and hospitality groups across the United States. We partner with growing brands and established operators to deliver high-quality candidates for management, executive, and specialized roles. Our team combines industry expertise, a vast candidate network, and a results-driven approach to help businesses build strong, reliable teams. At The Restaurant Zone, we focus on speed, quality, and long-term fit—ensuring both clients and candidates succeed.