About the position
As the Sky Room Sous Chef at Fairmont Breakers, you will play a pivotal role in leading a team of culinary professionals to create exceptional dining experiences for our guests. This position requires a passion for food and a commitment to excellence, as you will manage all aspects of the kitchen operations, ensuring that every dish served meets the high standards of our luxury hotel. You will be responsible for establishing daily priorities, assigning tasks to staff, and assisting in the execution of all kitchen operations. Your leadership will be crucial in maintaining a well-stocked kitchen, ensuring that all necessary tools, supplies, and equipment are available to meet business demands. In addition to overseeing daily operations, you will be tasked with creating and maintaining recipe cards, production schedules, and plating guides to ensure consistency and quality in our offerings. You will also be responsible for monitoring staff performance, providing feedback, and conducting performance reviews to foster a cooperative working environment. Your role will involve resolving guest complaints, ensuring guest satisfaction, and maintaining high standards of cleanliness and sanitation in the kitchen. As a Sous Chef, you will also have the opportunity to develop new menu items, assist in catering special events, and conduct monthly departmental meetings. Your culinary expertise will be essential in minimizing waste and controlling food and labor costs, while your ability to communicate effectively with team members will help create a positive and productive kitchen atmosphere. This position is not just about managing the kitchen; it’s about inspiring your team and creating memorable dining experiences that reflect the luxury and elegance of Fairmont Breakers.
Responsibilities
- Manage all aspects and day-to-day operations of the kitchen areas and personnel.
- Establish the day's priorities and assign production and prep tasks to staff to execute.
- Assist in executing all tasks in the kitchen.
- Ensure that each kitchen work area is stocked with specified tools, supplies, and equipment to meet business demand.
- Ensure that recipe cards, production schedules, plating guides, photographs are current and posted.
- Create schedules, assignments, anticipated business levels, changes, and other information pertinent to the job performance.
- Communicate additions or changes to the assignments as they arise throughout the shift.
- Review the purchase order list.
- Requisition the day's supplies and ensure that they are received and stored correctly. Communicate needs with Purchasing and Storeroom personnel. Ensure quality of products received.
- Ensure that colleagues report to work as scheduled; document any late or absent employees.
- Coordinate breaks for staff.
- Resolve guest complaints, ensuring guest satisfaction.
- Ensure that all opening duties are completed to standard.
- Ensure that all staff prepares items following recipes and yield guides, according to department standards.
- Review daily specials and offer feedback to Chef de Cuisine.
- Monitor performance of staff and ensure all procedures are completed to the department standards; rectify deficiencies with respective personnel.
- Monitor any shortages and make arrangements before the item runs out.
- Inspect the cleanliness of the line, floor, and all Kitchen stations. Direct staff to rectify any deficiencies.
- Ensure that colleagues maintain and strictly abide by State sanitation/Health regulations and Hotel requirements.
- Instruct staff and train on the correct usage and care of all machinery in the Kitchen operation, stressing safety.
- Conduct internal audits for sanitation.
- Develop new menu items, test and write recipes.
- Assist Catering Department with developing special menus for functions; meet with clients as requested.
- Minimize waste and maintain controls to attain forecasted food and labor costs.
- Monitor and ensure that all closing duties are completed to standard before staff clocks out.
- Foster and promote a cooperative working climate, maximizing productivity and colleague morale.
- Provide feedback to staff on their performance; handle disciplinary problems and counsel colleagues according to Hotel standards.
- Conduct performance reviews in a timely basis.
- Plan and conduct monthly departmental meetings and safety huddles.
- Research new local suppliers and special markets.
- Perform at special events and off-premise functions.
- Schedule and conduct month-end inventories.
- Take physical inventory of specified food items for daily inventory, to do ordering.
- Prepare menu analysis and recipe costing.
- Work on the line during service and assist wherever needed.
- Review sales and food cost daily with Chef de Cuisine.
- Prepare weekly work schedules for all kitchen personnel in accordance with staffing guidelines and forecasted labor costs, adjusting schedules throughout the week to meet business demands.
- Maintain complete records on Attendance Calendars of attendance and any performance/disciplinary conversations with staff.
- Interview and hire new personnel according to Hotel policies and standards.
- Prepare daily/weekly payroll reports, monitor timesheets, approve bi-weekly payroll, approve time off.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent vocational training certificate.
- Experience in a similar position at a full-service Hotel or Restaurant.
- Culinary college degree or apprenticeship required.
- Previous experience in culinary at minimum in a supervisory role required.
- Strong enthusiasm for food and wine, particularly classic American.
- Ability to understand and to make one's self understood to all team members required.
- Ability to communicate in Spanish an asset.
- Ability to input and access information in the property management system/computers/point of sales system.
- Experience in guests' communication.
- Ability to create menus and specials across multiple different venues.
- Fluency in English, both verbal and non-verbal.
- Fluency in Spanish an asset.
- Ability to compute basic arithmetic.
- Knowledge of food cost controls.
- Previously worked with all products and food ingredients.
- Ability to plan and develop menus and recipes, expand and condense recipes.
- Experience in Birchstreet, Dayforce, Watson/Unifocus & Microsoft Office preferred.
Nice-to-haves
- Ability to communicate in Spanish an asset.
- Experience in Birchstreet, Dayforce, Watson/Unifocus & Microsoft Office preferred.
Benefits
- Salary Range: USD $70,000 to $78,000
- Discounted hotel rooms and food & beverage rates to employees at our sister properties around the globe.
- Learning programs through our Academies to promote growth and development.
- Opportunity to develop your talent and grow within your property and across the world!
- Ability to make a difference through our Corporate Social Responsibility activities, like Planet 21 and WATCH.
