Sous Chef (Non-Exempt)

Activities & Responsibilities

• Promote, work, and act in a manner consistent with the mission of Tartine.
• Comply with Standards of Service and assist in assuring the same from all kitchen employees.
• Assist in day-to-day operation of the kitchen, coordinate food production schedules and ensure the highest level of food quality, taste and presentation.
• Participate in actual food preparation and cooking, produce food consistently of high quality, taste, and presentation, and expedite during peak meal periods as needed.
• Control food cost by assisting in training kitchen staff on the proper methods of food preparation and handling.
• Create and streamline new menu items and methods to improve menu items with the Chef.
• Establish goals for the kitchen, anticipate and resolve problems concerning all facets of the kitchen, anticipate trends, enact approved profit-oriented and cost-saving ideas/activities. Establish and require strict adherence to health department and food handling guidelines.
• Develop menus & create and ensure adherence to recipes and product specifications. Train kitchen staff on all new menus.
• Maintain effective communication within the kitchen and dining room, be responsive to staff suggestions and concerns and work with the Chef to resolve problems.
• Maintain effective working relationship with dining room manager, staff and all other departments.
• Assist in food orders based upon projected levels of business.
• Conduct regular inspections of the entire kitchen/dishwashing areas and coolers and promptly act to correct deficiencies found during inspection.
• Follow restaurant policies, procedures, standards, specifications, guidelines, and training programs and complete them on a timely basis.
• Monitor compliance with health and fire regulations regarding food preparation and serving and building maintenance.
• Work with the Chef to achieve company objectives in sales, service, quality, appearance of facility and sanitation and cleanliness through training of employees and creating a positive, productive working environment.
• Monitor food preparation methods, portion sizes, and garnishing and presentation of food to ensure that food is prepared and presented acceptably.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, county, and municipal regulations that pertain to health, safety, and labor requirements of the restaurant, employees, and guests.
• Investigate and resolve guest complaints regarding food quality, service, or accommodations.
• Cooking personnel to ensure economical use of food and timely preparation.
• Maintain food and equipment inventories and keep inventory records.
• Schedule and receive food and beverage deliveries, checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
• Work with Chef to monitor budgets and payroll records and review financial transactions to ensure that expenditures are authorized and budgeted.
• Order and purchase equipment and supplies.
• Review work procedures and operational problems to determine ways to improve service, performance, or safety.
• Assess staffing needs and report to the Chef.
• Arrange for equipment maintenance and repairs, and coordinate a variety of services, such as waste removal and pest control.
• Record the number, type, and cost of items sold to determine which items may be unpopular or less profitable.
• Attend all scheduled employee meetings and offer suggestions for improvement.
• Coordinate with and assist fellow employees to meet guests' needs and support the operation of the restaurant.
• Fill in for fellow employees where needed to ensure guest service standards and efficient operations.
• Report any potentially harmful equipment or situations to the immediate supervisor or manager on duty without delay.
• Report safety-related accidents and incidents at once to the immediate supervisor or manager on duty.
• Follow all company and department safety policies and procedures.
• Operate equipment in a safe manner that will not lead to injury of yourself or others.
• Assist Dining Room Manager/Chef with training of kitchen staff.
• Assist Dining Room Manager/Chef with food management/menus.

  Timekeeping Responsibilities

  • Accurate Time Entries - Clock in and out at the beginning and end of each shift using the designated timekeeping system.
  • Ensure breaks and meal periods are accurately taken and recorded.
  • Use of Timekeeping Systems - Utilize the company's time and attendance software (e.g. Toast) correctly.
  • If any work is conducted off-site (emails, etc), use Time Clock Correction forms to record all work time.
  • Scheduling Protocol and Time Off - Review schedule when it is posted to check for any changes or approved time off requests.
  • Seek manager approval for any additional hours, schedule changes, or shift switches.
  • Notify supervisors of planned or emergency absences in a timely manner.
  • Ensure that both paid and unpaid time off requests are entered in the HR/Payroll system (e.g. Paychex).
  • Adherence to Legal Requirements - Follow federal, state, and local labor laws regarding breaks, overtime, and scheduling.
  • Understand the importance of accurate timekeeping for compliance and payroll accuracy.

    Minimum Qualifications

    • Five or more years of experience in varied kitchen positions including food preparation, line cook, fry cook, and expediter.
    • Able to communicate effectively with managers, kitchen and dining room personnel, and guests.
    • Able to work in a standing position for long periods of time (up to 8 - 9 hours).
    • Advanced understanding of professional cooking and knife handling skills. Understanding and knowledge of safety, sanitation and food handling procedures.
    • Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence.
    • Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.
    • Ability to add and subtract two-digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's. Ability to perform these operations using units of United States currency and weight measurement, volume, and distance.
    • While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to high, precarious places and fumes or airborne particles. The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock, and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.