Job Description

The Sous Chef at Mar’sel Restaurant serves as a key culinary leader responsible for supporting the Chef de Cuisine in all aspects of kitchen operations, food production, team leadership, quality assurance, and financial performance. As the second-in-command of the culinary team, the Sous Chef plays a critical role in maintaining Mar’sel’s reputation for excellence by ensuring the consistent execution of elevated standards of cuisine, exceptional guest experiences, and adherence to Terranea Resort's luxury hospitality standards.

The Sous Chef oversees daily kitchen operations, mentors and develops culinary staff, maintains rigorous food safety and sanitation standards, and contributes to menu innovation while ensuring efficient labor and food cost management.

Responsibilities

• Culinary Leadership & Food Quality
• Assist the Chef de Cuisine in planning, organizing, and directing all culinary operations for Mar’sel Restaurant.
• Ensure the consistent preparation and presentation of all food items according to restaurant recipes, specifications, and quality standards.
• Monitor food production processes to maintain the highest standards of taste, appearance, and portion control.
• Lead by example through active participation in daily service and station execution.
• Conduct regular quality inspections of ingredients, preparation techniques, and finished dishes.
• Support menu development, seasonal offerings, tasting menus, and special event menus.
• Collaborate with culinary leadership to introduce innovative techniques and elevate guest dining experiences.

Team Supervision & Development

• Supervise, coach, and motivate cooks, and other kitchen personnel.
• Assist in recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and training culinary team members.
• Develop staff skills through hands-on instruction, performance feedback, and professional mentoring.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure clear communication between kitchen stations and front-of-house teams.
• Conduct daily line-ups and pre-shift meetings to establish service expectations.

Operational Management

• Manage daily kitchen operations in the absence of the Chef de Cuisine.
• Coordinate production schedules and station assignments to maximize efficiency.
• Ensure timely execution of service during breakfast, lunch, dinner, banquets, and special events as required.
• Maintain organization and cleanliness throughout all kitchen and storage areas.
• Monitor equipment functionality and coordinate maintenance requests when necessary.
• Ensure compliance with all Terranea Resort operational policies and procedures.

Financial Performance & Cost Control

• Assist in managing food, beverage, and labor costs to achieve departmental financial goals.
• Monitor inventory levels and help control waste through effective utilization and forecasting.
• Participate in ordering, receiving, and storage of food products and supplies.
• Verify product quality and quantity upon delivery.
• Maintain accurate inventory records and assist with monthly inventory counts.
• Analyze food cost variances and implement corrective actions when necessary.

Food Safety & Compliance

• Ensure strict compliance with local, state, and federal health regulations.
• Enforce HACCP standards, sanitation procedures, and food handling guidelines.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of refrigerators, freezers, storage rooms, and production areas.
• Conduct routine safety and sanitation inspections.
• Train team members on food safety practices and workplace safety procedures.
• Ensure proper documentation of temperature logs, sanitation records, and compliance reports.

Guest Experience

• Support the delivery of exceptional dining experiences consistent with Mar’sel’s luxury dining standards.
• Address guest concerns related to food quality promptly and professionally.
• Collaborate with front-of-house leadership to ensure seamless service execution.
• Participate in VIP events, chef’s table experiences, wine dinners, and other special culinary programs.

Qualifications

• Must have a strong customer service aptitude.
• Must have good verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to implement and uphold service standards
• Ability to prioritize and organize work assignments
• Ability to interact with all associates and guests of the resort
• Ability to work well in stressful, high-pressure situations
• Must be able to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and able to constantly lift, carry, pull or push up to 30 pounds of force
• Must be able to stand or walk for long periods of time

Experience, Education, & Licensure:

• Must have a minimum of 3-year culinary management experience, 5 years of experience in culinary arts in an upscale Restaurant, Hotel, Resort or Club environment
• Previous experience as a Sous Chef, Junior Sous Chef, Chef de Cuisine, Kitchen Manager
• Experience in high-volume and luxury resort environments highly desirable
• Must be able to speak, hear, understand, read, and write the English language
• Culinary Arts degree desired
• Serve Safe, Sanitation and HACCP proficiency

Compensation:

Base Pay Start Rate: $72,000/Yr. - $85,000/Yr. + Bonus!

We offer a competitive benefit package for full-time, regular team members that includes: group medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits, as well as participation in a pre-tax flexible benefit plan for healthcare and dependent care reimbursement and an employee assistance program. We also offer paid time off/sick time and are proud to offer participation in a 401(k) plan with a company match!