Sous Chef Job Description

Many fine cuisine restaurants, hotels, cruise ships, etc. employ Sous chefs for managing their commercial kitchens. The job of a Sous chef is not restricted to just cooking, it involves coming up with the menu for the restaurant, serving specials, maintaining standard procedures in the kitchen regarding food process and hygiene. Sous chefs with a degree in Hospitality or Culinary Arts have a better chance of employment than those who are self-taught. The job profile is not only about cooking it also needs some interpersonal skills as the Sous chef acts like a conduit between the head chef and the other kitchen staff. A Sous chef is second in command in the kitchen and takes on the responsibility of handling the kitchen in absences of the chef.

Education and Salary

If you are planning to work as a Sous chef then it is advisable to get yourself enrolled into a culinary art school. There are schools who offer two and four-year degree programs that will train you to take on the responsibilities of a Sous chef. Course work will include learning different cuisines like French, Italian, Continental, etc. Along with the cooking, the course work will have lessons on kitchen safety and sanitation. After finishing the training a Sous chef will also be required to do an internship program, they will learn a great deal during their internship as it involves real-time interaction in the kitchen. Most people get attracted to this career is because they have a passion for cooking and the salary is also quite comparable to other professions in the restaurant industry. Sous chef on an average earn anywhere between USD 30,000 to USD 40,000 annually. Like in most jobs, the Sous chef salary also depends on the location, organization, education, and experience of the candidate.

Responsibilities

A Sous chef reports to the head chef and is responsible for executing the head chefs instructions by managing the kitchen staff. A Sous chef performs a variety of duties in the kitchen and restaurant to ensure smooth running of the eatery. Sous chefs are hired by high-end fine dining restaurants and have the responsibility of designing the menu and at times interacting with the patrons.

• The job involves executing the head chefs orders in the kitchen
• Taking inventory of food supplies and interacting with the administration regarding the same
• Ensuring that the supplies used in the kitchen are of top quality
• Is responsible for maintaining high sanitation standards in the kitchen
• Sous chefs job duties also involve planning the menu
• The job profile also includes ensuring that patrons are served efficiently

Some Sous chefs have sub specialties like Pastry Sous chef, the pastry Sous chef's job description will vary a little from that of an executive Sous chef. Some of the responsibilities of a pastry Sous chef are

• Supplies required for pastry preparations are stock piled
• Come up with the dessert menu
• Manage other kitchen support staff involved with dessert preparations
• Help the administration in preparing the budget for the pastry division
• Ensure high quality control measures are adhered to during preparation and serving of pastries

Commercial kitchens are high activity hubs and the Sous chefs are at the center of it they have to interact with the head chef, sommeliers, kitchen staff and the management. The job involves a great deal of management skills in the kitchen as they are required to look after staffing, allocate shifts and deal with kitchen employee issues. A Sous chef plays an important role in the smooth running of the kitchen.