Travelle Restaurant/Bar Sous Chef-Full Time - The Langham, Chicago

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF POSITION:

Train, supervise, and work with all Travelle Restaurant and Bar Culinary staff to prepare, cook, and present food according to hotel standard recipes to create quality food products.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND JOB DUTIES:

•  Assigns, in detail, specific duties to all employees under supervision for efficient operation of kitchen.
•  Employs math skills to follow recipes, prep sheets, and inventory controls.
•  Selects, trains, and supervises kitchen staff in the proper preparation of menu items and all areas of kitchen operations.
•  Schedules culinary staff so that proper coverage is maintained while keeping payroll costs in line according to established budgets and re-forecasts.
•  Ensures proper receiving, storage (including temperature-setting) and rotation of food products to comply with Health Department regulations.
•  Adheres to control procedures for cost and quality, portioning, presentation.
•  Maintains specific set food and labor cost, established budgeted numbers and re-forecasts.
• Supervises daily cleaning of walk-in and reach-in boxes for safety reasons.
• Reports any equipment in need of repair to Chef and Engineering.
• Performs other duties as requested, such as V.I.P. parties and staff meetings.
• Maintains complete knowledge of and ensures staff's compliance with all departmental/hotel policies and procedures.
• Establish the day's priorities and assign production and prep tasks to staff to execute.
• Communicates additions or changes to the assignments as they arise throughout the shift. Identify situations, which compromise the department's standards and delegate these tasks.
• Take physical inventory of specified food items for daily inventory.
• Reviews the market list.
• Requisitions the day’s supplies and ensure that they are received and stored correctly.  Communicate needs with Purchasing and Storeroom personnel.  Ensures quality of products received.
• Meets with the Executive Steward to review equipment needs.
• Ensures that staff report to work as scheduled and document any late or absent employees.
• Coordinates breaks for staff.
• Inspects grooming and attire of staff; rectify any deficiencies.
• Checks and ensures that all opening duties are completed to standard.
• Ensures that each kitchen work area is stocked with specified tools, supplies and equipment to meet the business demand.
• Ensures that recipe cards, production schedules, plating guides, photographs are current and posted.
• Ensures that all staff prepares menu items following recipes and yield guides, according to department standards.
• Monitors performance of staff and ensure all procedures are completed to the department standards; rectify deficiencies with respective personnel.
• Is aware of any shortages and plans before the item runs out.
• Always promotes positive guest relations.
• Is familiar with all hotel services/features and local attractions/activities to respond accurately to any guest inquiry.
• Monitors and handle guest complaints by following the instant pacification procedures and ensuring guest satisfaction.
• Inspects the cleanliness of the line, floor, and all kitchen stations. Directs staff to rectify any deficiencies.
• Ensures that staff maintain and strictly abide by state sanitation/health regulations and hotel requirements.
• Maintains proper storage procedures as specified by Health Department and hotel requirements.
• Instructs staff in the correct usage and care of all machinery in the kitchen operation.
• Completes work orders for maintenance repairs and submits to Engineering.  Contact Engineering directly for urgent repairs.
• Ensures that excess items are utilized efficiently.
• Monitors and ensures that all closing duties are completed to standard before staff signs out.
• Fosters and promotes a cooperative working climate, maximizing productivity and employee morale.
• Oversees and directs training of new hires in specified phases of the kitchen operation.  Maintains an on-going training program for existing staff. Reevaluate positions in the kitchen and make changes wherever necessary.
• Provides feedback to staff on their performance; handle disciplinary problems and counsel employees according to hotel standards.
• Conducts scheduled performance appraisals.
• Interviews and hires new personnel according to hotel policies and standards.
• Prepares weekly work schedules for all kitchen personnel in accordance with staffing guidelines and forecasted labor costs.  Adjusts schedules throughout the week to meet business demands.
• Prepares daily/weekly payroll reports.
• Documents pertinent information in the logbook and follow up on items notated during other shifts.
• Plans and conducts monthly departmental meetings.
• Attends weekly staff meetings, F&B meetings, pre-convention meetings, and B.E.O. review meetings.
• Research local farm products, new suppliers, and special markets.
• Schedules and conduct month-end inventories.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Ability to lift, push, or pull material weighing up to 50 pounds. Standing for prolonged periods of time is possible. Walking, talking, bending, seeing, hearing, lifting, carrying, stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, reaching, grasping, holding.
• Dexterity to perform precession tasks with hands, fingers, and wrists. Considerable repetitive motion of hands, fingers, wrists, and shoulders is likely.

SPECIAL SKILLS REQUIRED:

•           Ability to supervise, train and direct employees and give correction when needed.

•           Thorough knowledge of food products, standard recipes and proper preparation.

•           Knowledge of food cost controls.

•           Advanced working knowledge of food safety and sanitation.

•           Ability to communicate in English with guests, co-workers and management.

•           Ability to compute basic mathematical calculations.

•           Ability to provide legible communication.

•           Ability to maintain hotel's standards, policies and procedures.

•           Ability to prioritize, organize, and delegate work assignments.

•           Ability to direct performance of kitchen staff and follow up with corrections.

•           Ability to motivate kitchen staff and maintain a cohesive team.

•           Ability to promote positive work relationships with colleagues 

•           Ability to ascertain staff training needs and provide such training.

•           Ability to analyze and resolve problems and exercise good judgment.

•           Ability to perform job functions with attention to detail, speed, and accuracy.

•           Ability to work well under pressure.

•           Ability to maintain good coordination.

•           Ability to transport cases of received goods to the workstations.

•           Ability to work long shifts when needed due to business.

•           Ability to work with all products and food ingredients involved.

•           Ability to use all senses to ensure quality standards is met.

•           Ability to operate, clean, and maintain all equipment required in job functions.

•           Ability to perform job functions without direct supervision.

•           Ability to ensure security of kitchen access, products and hotel property.

•           Ability to work all stations in kitchen.

•           Finger/hand dexterity in order to operate food machinery.

•           Ability to grasp, lifts, and/or carries, or otherwise, move goods weighing a maximum of 50 lbs. on a continuous schedule.

EDUCATION REQUIRED:

Any combination of education, training or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.  High School education preferred. Culinary of apprenticeship program preferred.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Four to five years high volume, hotel supervisory experience and hands-on line cooking experience.  Ability to adapt to changing production levels, manage, motivate, and lead other team members on a daily basis.

LICENSES OR CERTIFICATES:

Ability to obtain any government required license or certificate.

• Vacation Pay and Sick/Personal time (in accordance with Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick Leave Law)
• Paid Holidays
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance for you and your family (employee paid partial premiums)
• Basic Life Insurance, AD&D, and Short-Term Disability (company paid)
• Long Term Disability, Additional Life Insurance, Child Life, Spouse Life, Pet Insurance, ID Theft Protection Coverage, Prepaid Legal, Critical Illness, Hospital Care, Accidental Injury Supplemental Plans (available for purchase)
• 401k plan with Roth option and employer match
• Free meals while on duty
• Uniforms and cleaning of uniforms (for applicable positions)
• Free and discounted hotel stays
• Discounted parking
• Guidance Resources – company paid benefit for personal counseling