Role Purpose 
The Executive Sous Chef is the operational second-in-command of the kitchen. This role is responsible for translating the Chef de Cuisine’s direction into daily execution through strong systems, training, follow-through, and shift leadership. The Executive Sous Chef owns the day-to-day consistency of the operation and serves as acting Chef de Cuisine when needed.  

Reports To 

• Chef de Cuisine operationally and administratively  

• Corporate Executive Chef only when acting in the absence of the CDC, there is a decision discrepancy over the menu or when directed 

• GM only when acting in the absence of the CDC, there is a decision discrepancy over the operation or when directed 

Collaborates with and helps in development of Sous Chef 1, Sous Chef 2, Pastry Chef. However, any disciplinary action for Sous Chef 1, Sous Chef 2, Pastry Chef belongs in the AORs of the Chef de Cuisine and GM. 

Direct Reports 

• Prep Supervisor 

• Lead Lines  

• Hourly culinary team through the management structure  

Primary Ownership 

• Daily kitchen operations and shift execution  

• Training systems and One Huddle implementation  

• Consistency of prep systems, station organization, line checks, and daily standards  

• Development of Sous Chefs, Lead Lines, Prep Supervisor, and future managers  

• Acting leadership of the kitchen when the CDC is off  

Planning Responsibilities 

• Assist the CDC in labor planning, prep planning, staffing plans, and event preparation  

• Build and execute training plans for new hires, promotions, cross-training, and leadership development  

• Prepare line-up plans, preshift notes, station assignments, banquet prep plans, and daily prep direction  

• Help forecast prep, staffing, and operational needs 4–7 days out  

• When acting in the absence of the CDC, assumes full authority over labor adjustments, staffing changes, discipline, service decisions, and operational priorities 

• Identify operational issues before they affect service and propose solutions  

Daily Execution Responsibilities 

• Oversee the daily operation of the kitchen and all kitchen managers  

• Run service, direct the line, and ensure strong communication and urgency  

• Monitor prep completion, line readiness, ticket times, food quality, and station performance  

• Follow up on ordering, prep, organization, line checks, and side work completion  

• Lead large events, high-volume services, and complex shifts  

• Function as Mid Manager when assigned  

People Leadership Responsibilities 

• Coach Sous Chefs, Junior Sous, Lead Lines, and hourly team members daily  

• Conduct line observations, coaching sessions, and skill assessments  

• Assist with interviews, onboarding, corrective action, and performance conversations  

• Identify future leaders and help build promotion and succession plans  

• Hold Sous Chefs, Junior Sous, and Lead Lines accountable for completing their assigned administrative, training, and operational responsibilities 

• Help maintain a positive, professional, and growth-oriented kitchen culture  

Financial Responsibilities 

• Support labor control, waste reduction, inventory accuracy, and food cost management  

• Verify ordering, prep levels, pars, and product usage are aligned with forecasted business  

• Help monitor labor throughout the shift and communicate concerns to the CDC  

• Assist with inventory counts, end-of-period inventory, and cost-saving opportunities  

• Ensure prep and ordering systems minimize waste and unnecessary spending  

Training and Development Responsibilities 

• Owns the execution of culinary training programs for the department  

• Builds, updates, and implements One Huddle games, quizzes, and training assignments  

• Ensures One Huddle is incorporated into onboarding, pre-shifts, cross-training, and promotion plans  

• Creates and manages development plans for Cook 1s, Cook 2s, Lead Lines, Junior Sous, and Sous Chefs  

• Ensure all training documents, line checks, prep trackers, station builds, disciplinary documentation, and shift notes are completed accurately and on time 

• Leads menu rollout training, mock services, station training, and tasting sessions  

• Maintains recipe books, prep guides, station builds, line checks, and SOPs  

• Verifies that all training systems are being actively used and followed  

• Own the Train Your Trainer Program 

Standards and Compliance Responsibilities 

• Ensure station builds, prep systems, line checks, sanitation, and food safety procedures are followed daily  

• Maintain consistency in recipe execution, plating, organization, labeling, dating, and storage  

• Correct quality issues immediately and communicate larger concerns to the CDC  

• Reinforce health department readiness and critical control standards on every shift  

• Help ensure all managers and hourly team members understand and follow expectations  

Meetings / Communication Responsibilities 

• Attend and support the weekly HOH leadership meeting  

• Communicate daily with the CDC regarding labor, staffing, prep, training, and operational concerns  

• Provide shift notes, coaching follow-up, and operational updates to the management team  

• Help lead pre-shifts, line-ups, tastings, and training meetings  

• Communicate expectations and follow-up consistently to all culinary leaders  

Decision Limits / Approval Requirements 

• May recommend schedule changes, training changes, or operational improvements, the CDC retains final approval unless delegated  

• May not change recipes, menus, systems, or department structure but can recommend changes involving the Chef de Cuisine and Corporate Executive Chef. No changes will be made without Corporate Executive Chef’s approval. 

• Acts with full operational authority when the CDC is absent or has delegated responsibility  

• Must escalate major employee issues, financial concerns, or operational failures to the CDC  

Service Expectations 

• Expected to spend the majority of time in the kitchen rather than in the office  

• Remains an active working chef, approximately 75% operational and 25% administrative  

• This role should rarely remain in the office during service periods and never be in the office during peak service periods 12-1pm and 6-8pm. 

• Leads service, supports stations, trains in real time, and ensures strong execution every shift  

• Steps into any station or role necessary to protect service  

• Maintains visibility, urgency, and calm during difficult or high-volume shifts  

• Functions as the operational leader of the kitchen when the CDC is unavailable  

Success Measures 

• Training systems are current, used, and effective  

• One Huddle, onboarding, and development plans are consistently implemented  

• Prep, line readiness, and station organization are reliable every day  

• Sous Chefs and hourly leaders show measurable improvement  

• Service execution remains strong and consistent across shifts  

• The kitchen continues to perform successfully in the CDC’s absence 

Role Purpose 
The Executive Sous Chef is the operational second-in-command of the kitchen. This role is responsible for translating the Chef de Cuisine’s direction into daily execution through strong systems, training, follow-through, and shift leadership. The Executive Sous Chef owns the day-to-day consistency of the operation and serves as acting Chef de Cuisine when needed.  

Reports To 

• Chef de Cuisine operationally and administratively  

• Corporate Executive Chef only when acting in the absence of the CDC, there is a decision discrepancy over the menu or when directed 

• GM only when acting in the absence of the CDC, there is a decision discrepancy over the operation or when directed 

Collaborates with and helps in development of Sous Chef 1, Sous Chef 2, Pastry Chef. However, any disciplinary action for Sous Chef 1, Sous Chef 2, Pastry Chef belongs in the AORs of the Chef de Cuisine and GM. 

Direct Reports 

• Prep Supervisor 

• Lead Lines  

• Hourly culinary team through the management structure  

Primary Ownership 

• Daily kitchen operations and shift execution  

• Training systems and One Huddle implementation  

• Consistency of prep systems, station organization, line checks, and daily standards  

• Development of Sous Chefs, Lead Lines, Prep Supervisor, and future managers  

• Acting leadership of the kitchen when the CDC is off  

Planning Responsibilities 

• Assist the CDC in labor planning, prep planning, staffing plans, and event preparation  

• Build and execute training plans for new hires, promotions, cross-training, and leadership development  

• Prepare line-up plans, preshift notes, station assignments, banquet prep plans, and daily prep direction  

• Help forecast prep, staffing, and operational needs 4–7 days out  

• When acting in the absence of the CDC, assumes full authority over labor adjustments, staffing changes, discipline, service decisions, and operational priorities 

• Identify operational issues before they affect service and propose solutions  

Daily Execution Responsibilities 

• Oversee the daily operation of the kitchen and all kitchen managers  

• Run service, direct the line, and ensure strong communication and urgency  

• Monitor prep completion, line readiness, ticket times, food quality, and station performance  

• Follow up on ordering, prep, organization, line checks, and side work completion  

• Lead large events, high-volume services, and complex shifts  

• Function as Mid Manager when assigned  

People Leadership Responsibilities 

• Coach Sous Chefs, Junior Sous, Lead Lines, and hourly team members daily  

• Conduct line observations, coaching sessions, and skill assessments  

• Assist with interviews, onboarding, corrective action, and performance conversations  

• Identify future leaders and help build promotion and succession plans  

• Hold Sous Chefs, Junior Sous, and Lead Lines accountable for completing their assigned administrative, training, and operational responsibilities 

• Help maintain a positive, professional, and growth-oriented kitchen culture  

Financial Responsibilities 

• Support labor control, waste reduction, inventory accuracy, and food cost management  

• Verify ordering, prep levels, pars, and product usage are aligned with forecasted business  

• Help monitor labor throughout the shift and communicate concerns to the CDC  

• Assist with inventory counts, end-of-period inventory, and cost-saving opportunities  

• Ensure prep and ordering systems minimize waste and unnecessary spending  

Training and Development Responsibilities 

• Owns the execution of culinary training programs for the department  

• Builds, updates, and implements One Huddle games, quizzes, and training assignments  

• Ensures One Huddle is incorporated into onboarding, pre-shifts, cross-training, and promotion plans  

• Creates and manages development plans for Cook 1s, Cook 2s, Lead Lines, Junior Sous, and Sous Chefs  

• Ensure all training documents, line checks, prep trackers, station builds, disciplinary documentation, and shift notes are completed accurately and on time 

• Leads menu rollout training, mock services, station training, and tasting sessions  

• Maintains recipe books, prep guides, station builds, line checks, and SOPs  

• Verifies that all training systems are being actively used and followed  

• Own the Train Your Trainer Program 

Standards and Compliance Responsibilities 

• Ensure station builds, prep systems, line checks, sanitation, and food safety procedures are followed daily  

• Maintain consistency in recipe execution, plating, organization, labeling, dating, and storage  

• Correct quality issues immediately and communicate larger concerns to the CDC  

• Reinforce health department readiness and critical control standards on every shift  

• Help ensure all managers and hourly team members understand and follow expectations  

Meetings / Communication Responsibilities 

• Attend and support the weekly HOH leadership meeting  

• Communicate daily with the CDC regarding labor, staffing, prep, training, and operational concerns  

• Provide shift notes, coaching follow-up, and operational updates to the management team  

• Help lead pre-shifts, line-ups, tastings, and training meetings  

• Communicate expectations and follow-up consistently to all culinary leaders  

Decision Limits / Approval Requirements 

• May recommend schedule changes, training changes, or operational improvements, the CDC retains final approval unless delegated  

• May not change recipes, menus, systems, or department structure but can recommend changes involving the Chef de Cuisine and Corporate Executive Chef. No changes will be made without Corporate Executive Chef’s approval. 

• Acts with full operational authority when the CDC is absent or has delegated responsibility  

• Must escalate major employee issues, financial concerns, or operational failures to the CDC  

Service Expectations 

• Expected to spend the majority of time in the kitchen rather than in the office  

• Remains an active working chef, approximately 75% operational and 25% administrative  

• This role should rarely remain in the office during service periods and never be in the office during peak service periods 12-1pm and 6-8pm. 

• Leads service, supports stations, trains in real time, and ensures strong execution every shift  

• Steps into any station or role necessary to protect service  

• Maintains visibility, urgency, and calm during difficult or high-volume shifts  

• Functions as the operational leader of the kitchen when the CDC is unavailable  

Success Measures 

• Training systems are current, used, and effective  

• One Huddle, onboarding, and development plans are consistently implemented  

• Prep, line readiness, and station organization are reliable every day  

• Sous Chefs and hourly leaders show measurable improvement  

• Service execution remains strong and consistent across shifts  

• The kitchen continues to perform successfully in the CDC’s absence