Executive Sous Chef

About Us: At Colette's Catering, our vision is to establish ourselves as the foremost leader in the events industry, creating community through passion, innovation, and renowned culinary experiences. We achieve this by offering unparalleled creative cuisine and gracious service, ensuring a legacy of memorable hospitality that resonates for generations. Our team members are committed to redefining the boundaries of hospitality and dedicated to exceeding expectations at every touchpoint. Our services include personalized menus, attention to detail, unique venues, creative event experiences and skilled event specialists and staff. We provide on-site and off-site catering, elegant plated dinners, buffets, corporate catering, cocktail receptions, action theme stations, bar services, and wine dinners.

Basic Purpose: Positively execute the food, image, team spirit, and profitability of Colette’s Catering & Events through well-planned and executed cuisines and culinary team leadership, ensuring the Brand Promise of “Total satisfaction for every special occasion.”

Essential Duties & Functions: Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Leadership & Supervision:
• Provide leadership and direction to the Culinary Team in the absence of the Executive Chef.
• Assist in the supervision, direction, and training of culinary team members.
• Participate in management meetings and weekly menu and BEO meetings to discuss event schedules and execution.
• Build and maintain an on-call team to support event needs.
• Culinary Production:
• Oversee the production of all items in the kitchen, preparing production lists and cooking methods for the team.
• Ensure high-quality production methods, presentation techniques, and cost controls are maintained.
• Assist in menu development, seasonal menu creations, and the documentation of recipes and photos for production consistency.
• Event Support:
• Set up, build up, and break down offsite kitchens as needed for events.
• Direct event chefs and staff on food presentation, menu knowledge, and dietary restrictions.
• Ensure good communication between Sales, Operations, Kitchen, and Warehouse teams.
• Sanitation & Organization:
• Maintain complete organization and sanitation of the cold food production area, including stock rotation in the walk-in refrigerator.
• Schedule deep-cleaning of kitchen facilities and equipment, sourcing and scheduling approved outside vendors as appropriate.
• Inventory & Cost Management:
• Responsible for ordering high volume inventory and managing relationships with vendors.
• Perform price comparisons to secure the best prices between vendors.
• Participate in kitchen inventory, ordering, and management of production, kitchen organization, and cleanliness.
• Assist with efforts to reach and maintain food cost goals, ensuring accurate invoicing and inventory control.
• Control weekly labor to sales and food to sales ratios, explaining fluctuations with detailed reports.
• Prepare monthly report on trends for labor and food costs, identifying areas for improvement and cost-saving opportunities.
• Training & Safety:
• Coordinate training activities for kitchen, bakery, and other production employees.
• Assist with maintaining kitchen safety and compliance documentation for local health, city, and county requirements.
• Ensure department staff adhere to safety practices and are properly dressed for work.
• Prepare monthly report on trends for labor and food costs, identifying areas for improvement and cost-saving opportunities.

Qualifications:

• At least 5 years of culinary experience, including 3 years in a management role.
• Experience in restaurants, catering, and production
• Knowledge of food and industry trends with a focus on quality, production, sanitation, safety, and food cost controls.
• Ability to calculate, create and distribute production sheets.
• Strong supervisory, leadership, training, management, and coaching skills.
• ServSafe or Department of Health Certification is preferred.
• Proficiency in computer skills and knowledge of MS Office products, including Excel.
• Excellent interpersonal, customer service, and oral/written communication skills.
• Flexible schedule, including weekends, and holidays.
• Knowledge of P&L, managing inventory, and cost controls
• Exceptional standards of cleanliness, health, and safety
• Creative and innovative thinking, solution-oriented

Preferred Education/ Experience

• Culinary Degree from a notable institution with a proven record of high achievement (preferred but not required)
• Experience in high end catering operations and/or fine dining, banquets, or other demanding culinary environments
• Demonstrated experience making lasting changes in places - you've left each company better and stronger than you found it

Additional Requirements:

• Culinary training and knowledge of varied cooking techniques and presentation styles.
• Maintain current Food Handler Certification.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Superior organizational and time management skills.
• Strong ability to multi-task and high sense of urgency.
• Physical ability to lift 50 lbs. repeatedly, carry 25 lbs., and work standing 6-8 hours a day.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Friendly, energetic, professional, self-motivated, and dedicated to quality work.
• Maintain a clean driving record, vehicle insurance, and ability to self-transport to event locations.

Physical Requirements:

• Work environment includes a catering warehouse, indoor and outdoor settings.
• Regularly required to stand for long periods, use hands for various tasks, bend, twist, stoop, lean, reach overhead, and lift up to 50 lbs.