Sous Chef

Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, widely recognized as one of New York’s premier human services providers, is a settlement house founded in 1894 that provides an extensive array of effective and integrated services—social, educational, health, housing, mental health, nutritional and fitness— which significantly improve the lives of 16,000 people in need each year, ages 3 to 103, on the East Side of Manhattan. Our clients include older adults, homeless and formerly homeless adults, children and families, recent immigrants, disabled persons, adult learners and more. For more information on Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, please visit lenoxhill.org and check us out on Facebook or Instagram. 

The Neighborhood House has transformed our institutional food services to a farm-to-table model so that our clients across programs can eat, access and learn to use healthy, fresh, locally sourced and sustainable foods to improve their overall health and well-being.  We serve 250,000+ meals annually to clients throughout our programs including three meals a day in our Women's Mental Health Shelter, Early Childhood Center and Older Adult Centers.

We are looking for an innovative, ambitious, and mission-conscious Sous Chef to support the daily operations of our Food Services Program. This role requires strong leadership, hands-on kitchen experience, and a passion for healthy, sustainable food. The Sous Chef will work closely with the Food Services Management team to ensure the kitchen remains in full compliance with all City and State regulations and that all meals align with Lenox Hill’s farm-to-institution model.  

For more information on our innovative Teaching Kitchen and Food Services Model and links to our social media and program materials, visit www.lenoxhill.org/teachingkitchen. 

The Sous Chef will:  

• Oversee food preparation, storage, delivery, and service across all programs, including allergy-specific meals
• Supervise kitchen staff, assign tasks, manage prep lists, and coordinate daily meetings
• Lead and supervise the daily operations of the kitchen, setting the tone for professionalism, collaboration, and efficiency
• Manage the kitchen staff, providing clear direction, support, and ongoing skill development
• Maintain full compliance with all food handling procedures, including those of the Department of Health, as well as those of the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House
• Receive and label food orders, put them away properly, and manage kitchen inventory
• Ensure all recipes are followed consistently and meals are held at safe temperatures
• Keep the kitchen clean, organized, and inspection-ready at all times
• Support food tracking and inventory systems
• Support in-house special events, including menu execution, setup, and breakdown
• Occasionally deliver food to other sites
• Complete all other responsibilities and duties as assigned by the Chef Manager

Qualifications:  

• Minimum of 4-5 years experience cooking in restaurant or institutional kitchens
• 2-3 years experience in a culinary management role (overseeing food service staff)
• Experience working with multiple vendors
• Familiarity working within compliance standards for institutional food programs
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Demonstrate computer literacy, including Excel and pertinent culinary software.
• Work a fast-paced schedule, given our 7-day a week operating schedule and the expansive needs of our food services program.
• Share a commitment and passion for healthy, local, sustainable food
• Hold a certificate in Food Protection and Sanitation from the New York City Department of Health.
• Demonstrate strong management skills, as well as excellent organizational and interpersonal skills to work effectively with the Food Services team to bring Lenox Hill Neighborhood House to its next level of excellence.
• Fluency in Spanish is highly preferred.

 Schedule:

• This is a full-time role with managerial responsibilities and benefits; schedule flexibility is required.
• Availability needed: Sunday (7 AM – 3 PM) and Monday–Thursday (9 AM – 5 PM).
• Must be available to work select holidays.

Salary: $70,000 annually

What We Offer

• Comprehensive health insurance choices for staff and their families
• Extensive paid time off – 25 days’ vacation time; 12 holidays; and substantial sick time
• Wonderful paid parental leave policy for all staff
• Professional Development Opportunities – trainings, lectures and more
• Free Life Insurance – 3x annual salary
• Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical, Dependent Care and Parking/Mass Transit
• Supplemental Insurance Coverage (Accident, Hospital and Critical Illness)
• We like to have fun! Monthly Film and Dinner nights, bowling parties, Mets and Yankee games, cruises, food trucks, holiday parties, parties on our two Green Roofs, chocolate event for Valentine’s Day and ice cream socials, and much more.
• State-of-the Art Fitness Center, Gym and Swimming Pool        
• PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness) Eligible Employer
• The best colleagues in New York!

At Lenox Hill Neighborhood House we value respect, integrity, diversity and integrity. We are an equal opportunity employer. Lenox Hill Neighborhood House prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. Lenox Hill Neighborhood House conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations. The policy of equal employment opportunity (EEO) and anti-discrimination applies to all aspects of the relationship between Lenox Hill Neighborhood House and its colleagues.