The Role

The Sous Chef is responsible for assisting in the overall coordination of food preparation, cooking, baking activities, dietary standards, and the quality and nutritional value of food prepared under the supervision of the Executive Chef.  The Sous Chef will continuously maintain a positive and courteous work environment for staff. The Sous Chef will act as a managing chef on duty in the absence of Executive Chef.  

Position Duties:

• Maintains production kitchen operations to ensure consistency with high-quality meal service.
• Understands classical cooking methods; prepares menu items and recipes under the guidance of the Executive Chef.
• Follows safe food handling procedures with special attention to critical control temperatures.
• Operates all kitchen equipment; has strong knowledge of proper knife cuts and handling.
• Execute all production and plating in a timely and efficient manner, consistently meeting and exceeding resident expectations.
• Ensure all food preparations and production lists/needs are completed and ready for service.
• Ensure meal services are prepared and ready at designated times. Communicate promptly with the Director, Executive Chef, or Dining Room Manager if food production cannot be executed as planned for meal service and make necessary corrections for substitutions or omissions.
• Communicate ordering needs and maintain accurate purchasing lists, ensuring all necessary items are identified and procured.
• Assist in maintaining organization and thorough product checks in walk-ins and food storage areas daily and communicate product utilization to minimize food waste.
• Utilizes and maintains production records and temperature logs to aid in future production, purchasing, and expenditures.
• Taste tests and evaluates food before serving to ensure standards are met, with a close eye for meal presentation.
• Oversees cleaning and sanitization of all cook stations, equipment and utensils during and after each shift.
• Ensure all production needs and cook station checks are performed before and after meal service by utilizing and developing checklists to maintain consistency.
• Ensure meal services are prepared and ready at designated times.
• Supervises kitchen team members on shifts in the absence of the Executive Chef.
• Trains, evaluates, and supervises kitchen team members under the supervision of the Executive Chef.
• Prepares menu items under the guidance of the Executive Chef. Utilizes recipes and assists with creating new recipes and identifying improvements.  
• Trains, evaluates, and recommends discipline to all kitchen personnel under the supervision of the Executive Chef.
• Customer Service: Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; responds promptly to customer needs; solicits customer feedback to improve service; responds to requests for service and assistance; meets commitments.
• Interpersonal Skills: Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; maintains confidentiality; listens to others without interrupting; keeps emotions under control; remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.
• Oral Communication: Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions.
• Teamwork: Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit; puts the success of the team above own interests; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; supports everyone's efforts to succeed.
• Motivation: Sets and achieves challenging goals; demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; measures self against a standard of excellence; takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.
• Quality: Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; looks for ways to improve and promote quality; applies feedback to improve performance; monitors own work to ensure quality.
• Safety and Security: Observes safety and security procedures; determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; reports potentially unsafe conditions; uses equipment and materials properly.
• Attendance/Punctuality: Is consistently at work and on time; ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; arrives at meetings and appointments on time.
• Dependability: Follows instructions; responds to management direction; takes responsibility for own actions; keeps commitments; completes tasks on time or notifies the appropriate person with an alternate plan.
• Initiative: Volunteers readily; undertakes self-development activities; seeks increased responsibilities; takes independent actions and calculated risks; looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; asks for and offers help when needed.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Position Requirements:

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• A culinary degree or culinary arts certificate is preferred.
• Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience managing kitchen operations in fine-dining, restaurant, hotels, or other food service outlets.
• ServSafe certification preferred.
• Proficiency in English.

As a responsible and safety-conscious organization, we are committed to maintaining a secure and drug-free work environment. To ensure the well-being of our team members and uphold our values, we require candidates to undergo a background check and drug testing as part of our selection process.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Must be able to bend, stoop, and reach to access ingredients and equipment in low cabinets, high shelves or tight areas.
• Must be able to stand and walk 90% of the workday.
• Must be able to lift, carry, push and hold up to 60 pounds.
• May be exposed to extreme temperatures from the ovens and freezers. Must be able to tolerate high temperatures and work comfortably in a hot and sometimes humid environment.
• Ability to handle kitchen tools and utensils, including precise knife skills. Good hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity are required for chopping, slicing, and plating dishes.

Compensation and Benefits:

Enso Village is committed to equal pay and transparency. The salary range for this position is $32.00 -$38.00 per hour. This range provided as a general guideline and compensation decisions are dependent on a variety of factors, including candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, external non-profit market data, and business considerations.

We provide team members with a supportive and inclusive work environment focused on health and well-being. Team members are offered comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision plans (eligibility on first day of employment)
• Life Insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance
• 403(b) program with generous match
• Generous time off including paid annual vacation, sick days, personal days, and holidays.
• Commuter program including the “Emergency Ride Home Program” from Sonoma County.
• Creativity Bonus – reimbursement up to $150 per year for completion of classes such as music lessons, art, foreign language classes or other approved creative outlets.
• Subsidized healthy, organic daily meals.
• “Quiet Hours” for all non-emergency matters from 5pm to 9am; no expectation for checking email during this time. No-meeting Friday’s.
• Opportunities for professional development and advancement within the organization.

We value applicants of all different backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets. If you think you could excel in this role (regardless of whether you meet all of the qualifications), we encourage you to apply. Enso Village is an equal opportunity employer which means that we consider applicants for hire and make employment decisions without unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, military or veteran status, disability, age, genetic information, or other legally protected status. We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to job applicants who request an accommodation.