The Sous Chef assists the Executive Chef and Executive Sous Chef in the daily activities of the Central Kitchen, including hands-on safety/sanitation needs, production, and presentation of goods for the park. They assist with par levels and quality product. The Sous Chef oversees the activities of the Central Kitchen staff in the absence of the Executive Chef or Executive Sous Chef. They assist with partial inventory counts, some purchasing of supplies, and cost control.

Responsibilities include overseeing most daily operations of the Central Kitchen and packaging room production under the direction of the Executive Chefs. The Sous Chef creates production lists based on need and delegates tasks according to other members of the culinary team. They ensure that all requisitions are completed in time for delivery to the park, Hotel, Marketplace, and Catering events. The Sous Chef alerts Executive Chefs and/or other management of any concerns regarding product shortages, staffing, or safety and sanitation. They work front line as needed, as dictated by business needs, and maintain a solid knowledge and understanding of all goods while skillfully applying culinary and cooking techniques consistently.

The Sous Chef ensures that product quality, freshness, and presentation meet company standards through daily inspection before being sent out for delivery. They standardize production recipes to ensure consistent quality, identify new techniques and presentations, and contribute to the creation of new and exciting festival products for the Park’s themed events throughout the year. The Sous Chef ensures that appropriate maintenance and safety standards are followed, and that the kitchen team strictly adheres to state and federal regulations regarding food storage, handling, preparation, and other safety and sanitation codes involving culinary utensils, kitchen equipment, and overall cleanliness.

They maintain Culinary Excellence Standards, train, motivate, and manage kitchen personnel, and supervise culinary activities as assigned. The Sous Chef maintains a safe, hazard-free bakery operation, ensuring that accidents are reported immediately, and accident reports are completed, working directly with First Aid and Security as appropriate. They assist with monitoring recipes and coordinate with other departments such as Purchasing and Warehouse to maintain essential ingredients and supplies necessary for efficient production in the Kitchen. Additionally, they assist the Executive Chefs with completing all transfers from CP Kitchen and Packaging Room to outlets throughout the park, including Catering and all in-park needs.

The Sous Chef also counsels team members and ensures appropriate policies and procedures are followed, ensuring compliance with departmental standards. They create a positive work environment by leading through example, supervise hourly staff, provide work direction, performance reviews, and coach the team, providing retraining as needed. They monitor business flow and report back any needs to the Executive team, continually checking the quality of materials and the condition of equipment and devices used for cooking. The Sous Chef follows established standard operating procedures for reporting repairs and/or equipment failure to other departments such as Foods Base, Maintenance, and Park Services. Finally, they inform the Executive Chef of pertinent information and any irregularities occurring in the CP Kitchen operation.

This position requires the following education and experience, or an equivalent combination of both: a High School Diploma or GED, and 2 - 4 years of related culinary experience. Minimum age requirement is at least 21 years. Qualifications include basic computer skills, a California Food Handler's Card, and college or culinary training, or extensive cooking and production experience. The candidate should have an understanding of proper use and maintenance of major kitchen equipment, including stoves, refrigeration, slicers, knives, and dish machines. They must be able to work nights, weekends, and holiday periods to meet business needs, and must pass a mandatory (or random) drug test, per Company policy, unless prohibited by state or provincial law. Additionally, the candidate must be able to pass a background check, if 18 years of age or older, which may include credit, criminal, DMV, previous employment, education, and personal references, per Company policy, unless prohibited by federal, state, or provincial law.

Certification: Driver’s License

• Salary range: $66,560 - $72,500/yr based on prior experience.

• High School Diploma or GED.
• 2 - 4 years of related culinary experience.
• California Food Handler's Card.
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word.
• Understanding of proper use and maintenance of major kitchen equipment.
• Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to pass a mandatory (or random) drug test.
• Ability to pass a background check.