Bourbon Steak - Executive Sous Chef

About the role

The Executive Sous Chef will assist in leading the kitchen operations for The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square. This includes overseeing all food preparation areas, managing department controllable expenses, and ensuring compliance with food handling and sanitation standards.

Responsibilities

• Provides direction for all day-to-day operations.
• Understands employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees' absence or determine appropriate replacement to fill gaps.
• Guides and directs staff, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors.
• Solicits employee feedback, utilizes an "open door" policy, and reviews employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems or concerns.
• Supervises and coordinates activities of cooks and workers engaged in food preparation.
• Demonstrates new cooking techniques and equipment to staff.
• Develops and implements guidelines and control procedures for purchasing and receiving areas.
• Establishes goals including performance goals, budget goals, team goals, etc.
• Communicates the importance of safety procedures, details procedure codes, ensures employee understanding of safety codes, monitors processes and procedures related to safety.
• Manages department controllable expenses including food cost, supplies, uniforms and equipment.
• Participates in the budgeting process for areas of responsibility.
• Knows and implements the brand's safety standards.
• Provides direction for menu development.
• Maintains purchasing, receiving and food storage standards.
• Prepares and cooks foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.
• Ensures compliance with food handling and sanitation standards.
• Follows proper handling and right temperature of all food products.
• Maintains required food handling and sanitation certifications.
• Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.
• Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards and meeting the expectations of the customers on a daily basis.
• Displays leadership in guest hospitality, exemplifies excellent customer service and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations.
• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.
• Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service. Establishes guidelines so employees understand expectations and parameters. Ensures employees receive on-going training to understand guest expectations.
• Reviews comment cards, guest satisfaction results and other data to identify areas of improvement.
• Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaches, mentors, or otherwise helps others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Ensures employees are treated fairly and equitably.
• Trains kitchen associates on the fundamentals of good cooking and excellent plate presentations.
• Administers the performance appraisal process for direct report managers.
• Interacts with the Banquet Chef and Catering department on training regarding food knowledge and menu composition.
• Observes service behaviors of employees and provides feedback to individuals and or managers.
• Manages employee progressive discipline procedures for areas of responsibility.
• Ensures disciplinary procedures and documentation are completed according to Standard and Local Operating Procedures (SOPs and LSOPs) and supports the Peer Review Process.

Qualifications

• Education and Experience: High school diploma or GED; 6 years experience in the culinary, food and beverage, or related professional area. OR 2-year degree from an accredited university in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; 4 years experience in the culinary, food and beverage, or related professional area.