Sparrow Sous Chef

Sparrow Rooftop within the Dalmar & Element Hotel, as part of the Wurzak Hotel Group, is looking for a skilled Sous Chef to lead its culinary operations in downtown Fort Lauderdale. This culinary leader will be responsible for all Sparrow Rooftop restaurant food production. Develop menus, food purchase specifications, and recipes. Supervise, direct, and develop staff, including stewards. Develop and monitor food and labor budget for the department. Maintain highest professional food quality and sanitation standards.

General Requirements

• Develop recipes and portion specifications in accordance with consumer tastes, nutritional needs, product specifications, ease of preparation and established procedures and budgetary constraints; participate in other menu planning activities to include the determination of purchasing specifications, product and recipe testing and menu development.
• Interview, select, train, supervise, counsel and discipline all employees in the department.
• Provide, develop, train, and maintain a professional work force.
• Ensure all services to members are conducted in a highly professional and efficient manner.
• Ensure a safe working environment and attitude on the part of all employees in areas of responsibility.
• Ensures that high standards of sanitation, cleanliness and safety are always maintained throughout all kitchen areas.
• Establishes controls to minimize food and supply waste and theft.
• Make periodic and regular inspections of units to observe quality of food preparation and service; food appearance; and cleanliness and sanitation of production and service areas, equipment and employee appearance.
• Coordinate all training activities for kitchen and other production and service employees to include the identification and analysis of training needs and the design and implementation of programs to address these deficiencies.
• Assist operation managers as requested in areas such as plate presentation, special function menu planning and the design of new service areas.
• Prepare operational reports and analyses setting forth progress, adverse trends and make appropriate recommendations.
• Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.
• Plans menus for all food outlets and events.
• Schedules and coordinates the work of chefs, cooks and other kitchen employees to assure that food preparation is economical and technically correct and within budgeted labor cost goals.
• Approves the requisition of products and other necessary food supplies.
• Safeguards all food preparation employees by implementing training to increase their knowledge about safety, sanitation, and accident prevention principles.
• Develops standard recipes and techniques for food preparation and presentation which help to assure consistently high quality and to minimize food costs; exercises portion control for all items served and assists in establishing menu selling prices.
• Prepares necessary data for applicable parts of the budget; projects annual food, labor and other costs and monitors actual financial results; takes corrective action as necessary to help assure that financial goals are met.
• Consults with the Food & Beverage staff regarding food production aspects of special events being planned.
• Cooks or directly supervises the cooking of items that require skillful preparation.
• Ensures proper staffing for maximum productivity and high standards of quality; controls food and payroll costs to achieve maximum profitability.
• Evaluates food products to assure that quality standards are consistently attained.
• Interacts with food and beverage management to assure that food production consistently exceeds the expectations of members and guests.
• In conjunction with F&B management team, assist in maintaining a high level of service principles in accordance with established standards.
• Evaluates products to ensure that quality, price and related goods are consistently met.
• Develops policies and procedures to enhance and measure quality; continually updates written policies and procedures to reflect state-of-the-art techniques, equipment and terminology.
• Establishes and maintains a regular cleaning and maintenance schedule for all kitchen areas and equipment.
• Provides training and professional development opportunities for all kitchen staff.
• Ensures that representatives from the kitchen attend service lineups and meetings.
• Periodically visits dining area when it is open to welcome members.
• Perform special projects and other responsibilities as assigned.
• Participate in task forces and committees as requested.
• Consistent professional and positive attitude and actions when communicating with guests and associates.
• Practice safe work habits and comply with sanitary, safety, security and emergency procedures.
• Write shift reports including reports on any incidents of theft, accidents or injuries when assigned.
• Respond to guest requests, concerns and problems to ensure guest satisfaction.
• Any other tasks/duties as requested by management.
  
  
  

Education and Experience

• Associate's degree with major concentration in food preparation, management, nutrition or related field; or four years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 4 years progressive experience in fine dining high volume food production or catering.
• Familiarity with hospitality industry practices preferred.
• Ability to interact positively with supervisor, management, coworkers, members, and the public to promote a team effort and maintain a positive and professional approach.
• Ability to produce a high volume of work in a timely manner, which is accurate, complete, and of high quality.
• Ability to come to work regularly and on time, to follow directions, to take constructive criticism, and to treat co-workers, supervisors, and guests with respect and courtesy.
• Attention to details, good organizational skills and efficient time management.
• Ability to follow an appropriate course of action based on policies and procedures.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, sometimes under pressure, while simultaneously handling competing and changing priorities.
• Ability to satisfy the legal requirements for employment within the jurisdiction.
  
  
  

Our Perks

• Competitive Salary
• Paid Time Off
• Medical, Dental, Vision health insurance
• Robust supplemental insurance for Life, AD&D, Pets, legal, and more
• Wellness programs for mental, physical, and financial wellness
• Hotel and travel discounts
• Generous retirement/401k benefits
• Education and professional development
• Employee lunches and employee recognition programs
  
  
  

Who We Are

Wurzak Hotel Group (WHG) is a Philadelphia-based owner, developer, and operator of premium branded full-service, extended stay, and focus service hotels. WHG’s core expertise is its unique ability to develop and operate hotels and food and beverage outlets in an entrepreneurial manner maximizing returns on the investment and developing long-term relationships with our guests.

WHG has earned and maintains its competitive advantage by developing talent within the organization who embody the same entrepreneurial spirit of our leadership team and who seek to create value through tireless innovation, tight focus on the operational details, and uncompromised guest satisfaction. Wurzak Hotel Group has a proven track record of developing and managing hospitality assets for over 30 years and continues to be recognized as one of the region’s top hospitality companies.

WHG is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture where all our team members can thrive. We have a zero-tolerance policy for workplace discrimination on the basis of someone’s race, gender, disability, or any other basis protected under federal, state, or local laws.

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