Sous Chef

Le Cavalier is a modern French brasserie located in the historic dining room of the HOTEL DU PONT, formerly known as The Green Room. Rooted in the traditions of classic French cuisine and hospitality, Le Cavalier combines a timeless setting with a contemporary approach to food, service, and guest experience.

Our culinary team is seeking a passionate, driven, and talented individual to join our team in Wilmington and become an important part of the Le Cavalier kitchen.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on culinary professional who understands that great kitchens are built on teamwork, leadership, consistency, and shared standards. This role is responsible for training, supervising, and working alongside kitchen team members to prepare, cook, and present food in accordance with established recipes, quality standards, and expectations.
As a member of the leadership team, this individual leads by example—creating a positive, respectful, and accountable kitchen environment while reinforcing the standards and values of the team every day. The position requires strong communication, attention to detail, a commitment to excellence, and the ability to motivate and develop others.

We believe leadership is not simply about directing others; it is about being part of the team, earning trust, setting the example, and helping everyone around you become better. This role provides opportunities to expand culinary knowledge, strengthen leadership skills, take on increased responsibility, and grow professionally within the organization.

Summary of Essential Job Functions

• Assign, in detail, specific duties to all associates under supervision for efficient operation of kitchen.
• Assist the Executive Chef with personnel functions as directed, e.g. interviewing, training, performance evaluations, resolving problems, providing open communication and recommending discipline and / or termination when appropriate.
• Train and supervise kitchen staff in the proper preparation of menu items.
• Schedule culinary staff so that proper coverage is maintained while keeping payroll costs in line.
• Communicate both verbally and in writing to provide clear direction to staff.
• Ensure proper receiving, storage (including temperature-setting) and rotation of food products so as to comply with health department regulations.
• Adhere to control procedures for cost and quality.
• Comply with attendance rules and be available to work on a regular basis.
• Perform any other job-related duties as assigned.

Abilities Required

• Must have the ability to communicate in English.
• Experience as a sous chef in a well-known fine dining establishment 
• Must have knowledge of protein butchery and fabrication
• Experience with French cuisine and charcuterie a plus
• Self-starting personality with an even disposition.
• Maintain a professional appearance and manner at all times.
• Can communicate well with guests.
• Must be willing to “pitch-in” and help co- workers with their job duties and be a team player.
• Thorough knowledge of food products, standard recipes and proper preparation.
• Ability to apply basic supervisory skills to plan, organize, direct, coach, train and discipline employees, as necessary.
• Finger/hand dexterity in order to operate food machinery.
• Ability to grasp, lift and/or carry, or otherwise move goods weighing a maximum of 100 lbs. on a continuous schedule.

Guest Satisfaction:
Our guests are what we are about. One of the keys to a positive guest experience is positive interaction with PM Hotel Group staff. It is essential that you remain professional at all times, and that you treat all guests and associates with courtesy and respect, under all circumstances. Every PM Hotel Group associate is a guest relations ambassador, every working minute of every day.

Work Habits:
In order to maintain a positive guest and associate experience, your work habits should always meet and strive to exceed hotel standards for work procedures, dress, grooming, punctuality and attendance. You should be adaptable to change in your work area and in hotel procedures with a willingness to learn new skills and/or improve existing ones, have the ability to solve routine problems that occur on the job, and ask for help whenever you are not sure how to do something.

Safety & Security:
The safety and security of our guests and associates is of utmost importance to PM Hotel Group. Every PM Hotel Group associate should adhere to the hotel security policies and procedures, particularly regarding key controls, lifting heavy objects, using chemicals, and effectively reporting safety hazards and safety concerns.

NOTE:
This description excludes non-essential and marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of the fundamental job duties. Furthermore, the specific examples in each section are not intended to be all-inclusive. Rather, they represent the typical elements and criteria considered necessary to perform the job successfully. Other job-related duties may be assigned by the associate’s supervisor.

Furthermore, this description is subject to change, at the sole discretion of the Company, and in no way creates an employment contract, implied or otherwise; each associate remains, at all times, an “at will” associate.