FT Sous Chef

Shift:                        6:00am – 2:30pm

Status:                      Full Time; 9 shifts per biweekly pay period

Weekends:               Yes – Every Third

Holidays:                 Yes – Rotating

Under the supervision of an Executive Chef, the Sous Chef is responsible for the preparation of foods in support of patient and retail food operations at The Cedar Table. The Sous Chef operates as part of a culinary team and is responsible for the complete knowledge of food preparation, presentation and applicable food code for their service area.  Sous Chef utilizes advanced understanding of food preparation techniques, garnishing, equipment operation, and time management to meet service demands.  Demonstrates the Mercer Health values in their interactions with patients, customers, and staff and displays professional conduct at all times.

Duties and Responsibilities

Use proper production and culinary techniques to prepare foods required by the menu or special-order during meal periods.  Ensures that foods meet quality standards for all foods served from assigned areas and work with other staff in area to ensure food quality of the entire meal. Uses culinary knowledge of proper garnishing and plate presentation for meals/items served. Evaluate food products produced.  Where required, controls food production to ensure freshly cooked products are served.  Assure proper portions are used in order to better manage cost of food. Sets up, replenishes serving and production stations before and during the meal period. Requires attention to detail and speed of service to meet customer/patient demand.   

Prepare food and supplies in advance of meals to ensure smooth transition of meal period.  Uses appropriate batch cooking and cooling where needed for product quality. Reads, interprets and follows standardized recipes. Weighs, measures and uses standard as well as creative food production techniques to assemble and prepare ingredients. Records yields and temperatures of cooked and chilled foods as required. Successfully demonstrates knife skills ability and techniques. Demonstrates safe, effective equipment operation and assists with equipment training for new staff.

Assists with the testing and development of new recipes for patient and retail food production.  Identifies solutions for food production issues as needed. Assists Executive Chef in training staff on food production, food quality or food safety where needed.  Assists Executive Chef with all functions of the department’s personnel scheduling, including timecards and daily scheduling and staffing needs. Assists Executive Chef with all functions of food/supply ordering, receiving delivery, distributions of supplies to other departments and all related record keeping activities.

Assist Executive Chef with all functions of all monthly activities including but not limited to the following: physician cafeteria charges, end of month reports, all components of catering functions, and performance improvement functions.

Organizational Expectations

Practices within Mercer Health policies and procedures. Demonstrates positive patient/guest relations, positive and effective interactions with other staff members, and is accountable for assigned responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications

Completion of an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts or a minimum of 2 years as a kitchen manager or equivalent. SevSafe certified is preferred but will be a requirement of job responsibility.

Job Relationships

Supervisory Responsibility: acts as a lead staff member in directing activities of staff as it relates to food production and presentation. Must possess strong communication and leadership skills. Should demonstrate the ability to lead the kitchen by example and through instruction. The sous chef will work as a direct liaison between the staff and Executive chef.

Physical Requirements

· Constantly lifts objects weighing 50 pounds or less from one level to another

· Occasionally carries objects 50 pounds or less

· Occasionally pushes object weighing 80 pounds or less so that it moves away from you

· Constantly moves about areas

· Occasionally lowers self for placing trays on carts or cleaning floor areas

· Constantly reaches in any direction

· Constantly handles items by seizing, grasping, turning or otherwise moving

· Constantly uses dexterity to manipulate items for cleaning

Work Environment

The work involves risks which require special safety precautions.  Exposed to hot ovens, fryers, sharp utensils. 

Note:   The above statements are intended to describe the essential functions and related requirements of persons assigned to this job.  They are not intended as an exhaustive list of all job duties, responsibilities, and requirements.