Executive Sous Chef

The Marketplace Executive Sous Chef serves as the second‑in‑command of culinary operations for The Marketplace, partnering closely with the Marketplace Executive Chef to provide daily leadership and direction to the culinary team. This role translates the Executive Chef’s culinary direction, menus, and operational goals into consistent daily execution, ensuring high standards for food quality, production, service, food safety, allergen management, sanitation, sustainability, and fiscal responsibility. The Executive Sous Chef directly supervises culinary production staff and plays a key role in staff development, production planning, menu development, food‑cost and waste management, and overall operational readiness.

Essential Functions

• Provide visible, hands‑on leadership during daily production and service, setting clear expectations, delegating responsibilities, and holding team members accountable for quality, productivity, sanitation, communication, and established standards.
• Collaborate with the Marketplace Executive Chef to plan, develop, and execute the Marketplace menu cycle, considering student preferences, nutritional needs, seasonality, resources, food cost, and departmental standards.
• Lead daily culinary operations and production, including production meetings, staff assignments, forecasting, batch cooking, production quantities, service readiness, leftovers and repurposing, and communication of changes or concerns.
• Ensure consistent execution across stations and meal periods, focusing on food quality, flavor, freshness, presentation, portioning, and the overall student dining experience.
• Supervise, coach, train, and develop culinary staff; provide feedback, address performance concerns, complete employee evaluations, and promote a positive, accountable work environment.
• Assist with employee scheduling, recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and training while maintaining appropriate staffing and leadership coverage within approved labor budgets.
• Oversee menu and production practices to address food allergies, dietary restrictions, and preferences; ensure accurate allergen identification, recipe information, production practices, and labeling.
• Maintain accuracy of food‑production management systems and records, including recipes, yields, product linkage, production records, temperatures, production notes, nutritional information, and menu data.
• Monitor food production and waste data (e.g., Leanpath) to improve forecasting, batch cooking, portion control, yields, repurposing, and overall food‑cost performance.
• Coordinate food purchasing, inventory, and product availability while working within established food and labor budgets and minimizing shortages, overproduction, and waste.
• Uphold strong sanitation and food‑safety practices, including HACCP documentation, temperature records, cleaning schedules, proper food storage and rotation, and routine kitchen inspections.
• Ensure kitchen equipment is operated safely; communicate equipment or facility repair, maintenance, and replacement needs promptly.
• Plan and manage major theme meals, special events, culinary promotions, and other Marketplace initiatives; develop creative recipes and menus reflecting seasonal products, student interests, and culinary trends.
• Serve as a culinary representative for The Marketplace, engaging with students, student organizations, faculty, staff, and other campus constituents; identify opportunities to enhance the culinary program and student dining experience.
• Maintain effective communication between the Executive Chef, Lead Cooks, and other team members, ensuring consistent dissemination of operational information across shifts.
• Assume leadership of Marketplace culinary operations in the absence of the Marketplace Executive Chef.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Associate degree in culinary arts, hospitality, foodservice management, or related culinary training preferred.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible culinary experience, including supervisory or leadership experience in a high‑volume foodservice operation, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Experience in college or university residential dining, healthcare, hospitality, hotel/resort, or another large‑scale foodservice operation preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, develop, and hold accountable a diverse culinary team.
• Strong communication, organization, production‑planning, problem‑solving, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience with food‑cost management, inventory control, purchasing, production forecasting, recipe management, waste reduction, and working within established food and labor budgets.
• Must have or obtain ServSafe Manager certification within six months of hire.

Physical Requirements

• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or other tasks primarily using fingers.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to objects with fingers and palm.
• Repetitive motions: Substantial movements of wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Stooping: Bending forward at the waist, requiring full use of lower extremities and back muscles.
• Kneeling: Bending legs to rest on one or both knees.
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Standing: Remaining upright on the feet, particularly for sustained periods.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, often over long distances.
• Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force.
• Pulling: Using upper extremities to draw, drag, haul, or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally; may require substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.

Working Conditions

• Work occurs both inside and outside.
• Exposure to physical hazards such as moving mechanical parts, moving vehicles, electrical current, scaffolding, high places, high heat, and chemicals.
• Potential exposure to oils and cutting fluids via air or skin contact.
• Medium work: Exerting up to 50 lb of force occasionally, up to 20 lb frequently, and up to 10 lb constantly to move objects.

Compensation

The expected annual salary for this position is between $59,000 and $68,000, with offers based on qualifications, experience, skills, internal equity, and market considerations.

Benefits

Washington and Lee University offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package designed to support the well‑being of employees and their families. Details can be found at the university’s employment site.