This neighborhood bakery and pizzeria debuted in winter 2011, and it’s also the bread-baking hub for our group. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, pop in early for one of Head Baker Andrea Shirey’s bagels, rustic tarts or a fresh loaf of bread to-go. Later in the day, dig into our classic and seasonal wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, farmers’ market vegetable dishes and Italian-inspired proteins by Chef de Cuisine Dean Boswell and team. Don’t forget the Garlic Knot—it’s a local favorite!
The Sous Chef ensures the smooth and efficient operation of the kitchen by supporting the Chef in delivering high-quality dishes. This role encompasses leadership, organization, and culinary expertise to uphold the restaurant's standards of excellence. The Sous Chef reports directly to the Chef de Cuisine.
Compensation:
- 75,000 - 85,000 annually depending on experience
Company Highlights:
- Healthcare Coverage: Fully covered healthcare with 100% covered medical (PPO and HMO plans) Dental and Vision options are also available.
- Restaurant Discounts: Get 50% off at other RCF restaurants. For more details, visit rusticcanyonrestaurant.com.
- Wellness stipend - $500 annually
- Cell phone stipend - $75 a month.
Key Responsibilities
Kitchen Operations:
- Oversee daily kitchen activities, including:
- Food production
- Staff supervision and scheduling
- Ordering and inventory management
- Food and labor cost control
- Manage and maintain kitchen equipment by:
- Scheduling regular maintenance
- Logging services in the Repairs & Maintenance (R&M) log.
- Ensure timely completion of deep cleaning projects with exceptional standards.
Menu Development & Quality Control
- Collaborate with the Chef on:
- Menu creation and recipe testing.
- Ingredient sourcing and cost analysis.
- Maintain a binder or folder with detailed records of:
- Menu items and ingredients
- Current and accurate recipes
- Cost of Goods Sold (COGS).
- Minimize food waste by utilizing aging or surplus products effectively.
- Keep a running inventory of goods not in use on the menu
- Review list weekly during kitchen manager stand up
- Maintain quality and consistency of all dishes
- Maintain current and accurate pick up sheets for all stations and all meal periods
- Include portion information
Team Leadership & Training
- Assist the Chef in:
- Hiring and onboarding new team members.
- Training staff to uphold the restaurant’s standards.
- Provide continual training and coaching to staff, ensuring they understand and adhere to operational standards.
- Foster accountability by holding team members—and yourself—to the highest performance and behavior expectations.
- Developing team schedules within budgetary guidelines.
- Guide the team with daily prep lists to ensure efficient operations.
- Foster a positive work environment by leading with integrity and professionalism.
Safety & Compliance
- Uphold high standards of food sanitation and cleanliness.
- Maintain an “A” grade from the Health Department at all times.
Administrative Duties
- Attend weekly management meetings and monthly Profit & Loss (P&L) reviews, taking accountability for kitchen labor and COGS performance.
- Support media or charity events as needed.
- Contribute Daily Kitchen recap on the Nightly Notes via CTUIT.
- Weekly Schedules, ensuring labor is scheduled to set the budget.
- Coding and uploading invoices to PlateIQ.
- Preventative Repair & Maintenance.
- Food Ordering
- Monthly Inventory.
- Daily Health Department walkthrough and reporting out to management team.
Workplace Values
The Sous Chef is expected to embody the restaurant’s ethos:
Take your work very seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously. At Milo + Olive we work as a team and never say ‘that’s not my job’
Guiding Principles:
- Serve delicious, thoughtful food using the best local ingredients.
- Create a welcoming environment where guests feel like they are being taken into our home and cared for.
- Take care of ourselves and each other to feel proud of the work we do.
Requirements:
- Dedicated leader with a commitment to team success.
- Ability to work quickly and efficiently without compromising quality.
- Strong communication skills.
- Fundamental understanding of sanitation, cleanliness, and personal hygiene.
- California Food Handler’s card required.
- Regular, predictable, and reliable attendance.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Ability to effectively communicate with coworkers verbally.
- Ability to operate all equipment necessary for the job.
Physical Demands
- Requires moderate physical effort, including standing, carrying, bending, stretching, stooping, pulling, pushing, and lifting up to 50 pounds.
Working Conditions
- Exposure to noise, heat, temperature changes, kitchen elements, odors, and moisture.
- May require additional hours as dictated by workload and staffing needs.
Uniform Requirements
- Clean non-slip shoes
- Clean pants
- Clean shirt
This Sous Chef role is ideal for a proactive, detail-oriented individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is committed to culinary excellence while fostering a positive work culture.