Catering Sous Chef (Richmond)

• No excuses
• Do the right thing
• Can-do attitude
• Always growing
• Help first--be the solution
• Transparency and honesty--no BS

About you:

• Producing beautifully prepared dishes brings you joy.
• You have a natural awareness of inventory and are proactive in reducing waste.
• You have no trouble managing logistics behind the scenes.
• You enjoy the 'all hands on deck' mentality of a small kitchen.
• You have a true desire to build and develop a successful team.
• You clean up behind yourself and seek out opportunities to "leave it better than you found it."
• You pride yourself on creating and efficiently executing prep lists.
• You are an experienced line cook who wants more variety and responsibility.

How You Will Make an Impact:

Catering Sous Chef serves in a key leadership role with direct responsibility for supervising kitchen operations and supporting overall culinary excellence. This role is hands-on and highly collaborative, balancing kitchen leadership with active participation in off-site catered events. Responsibilities include managing kitchen staff, streamlining processes, ensuring product quality, training and developing team members, addressing operational issues in real time, and managing inventory and food costing. The Sous Chef plays a pivotal role in maintaining consistency, efficiency, and high-quality standards while serving as a culinary leader both in the kitchen and at catered events in the field.

• Food Quality, Preparation, & Menu Development-

  • Ensure consistent execution of high-quality dishes in accordance with recipes and presentation standards
  • Oversee food preparation for all catering events, ensuring flavor, texture, and visual appeal meet expectations
  • Monitor ingredient freshness and rotate stock using FIFO practices
  • Collaborate with the Executive Chef to develop creative, seasonal, and event-specific catering menus
  • Participate in and lead menu tastings with clients and event planners
  • Incorporate client feedback and adjust offerings as needed

  Event Execution-

  • Assist in coordinating kitchen logistics for off-site catering, including transportation, setup, and breakdown
  • Ensure all necessary equipment and supplies are packed and prepared for each event
  • Maintain clear communication with event coordinators and front-of-house staff for seamless service
  • Serve as the Lead Event Chef at assigned events, directing on-site culinary operations, maintaining food quality and presentation standards, and addressing operational challenges in real time.

  People Management-

  • Supervise and support kitchen staff on the preparation, cooking, garnishing, presentation, and delivery coordination of food for tastings and catering
  • Determine the schedule of production and staff requirements necessary to ensure timely delivery of services
  • Oversee daily cleaning of kitchen equipment, workstations, and storage areas (including implementing and maintaining cleaning schedules) and ensure strict adherence to food safety and sanitation regulations
  • Demonstrate new cooking techniques and/or eq