Junior Sous Chef

Job DetailsJob Location: EMERYVILLE, CA 94608Salary Range: $30.00 - $32.00 Hourly Position Summary:  The Junior Sous Chef serves as a key member of the kitchen leadership team. They are responsible for overseeing daily culinary production, ensuring the highest standards of food quality, and mentoring staff. This role bridges the gap between hands-on production and kitchen management, focusing on standardization, staff training, and rigorous adherence to safety and sanitation protocols. Position Responsibilities:  Operational Leadership: Participate in daily kitchen stand-up meetings; lead specific production teams to ensure all Paula LeDuc Fine Catering and Events standards are exceeded. Inventory & Procurement: Coordinate with Purchasing department at the end of each shift to ensure seamless product availability for subsequent production cycles. Production Oversight: Manage daily prep lists and delegate tasks effectively across the "table" or station staff to meet strict deadlines. Quality Control: Supervise all food production for flavor, texture, and visual presentation; perform regular tastings and ensure recipe adherence. R&D Support: Assist in recipe testing and development; proactively identify and report recipe discrepancies to the Chef de Cuisine. Staff Mentorship: Train culinary staff on advanced techniques, including knife handling and the operation of specialized equipment (mandolins, meat slicers, steamers). Compliance & Safety: Enforce strict labeling/dating protocols and ensure all staff follow established safety, sanitation, and accident prevention principles. Personnel Management: Monitor staff performance; inform the Executive Sous Chef and Production Sous Chef of team strengths, training opportunities, or behavioral concerns. Sanitation Leadership: Prevent the use of contaminated products and strictly manage staff health protocols to ensure no ill employees are handling food. Administrative Support: Responsible for station-specific inventories; assist with monthly full-kitchen inventory, staff meal coordination, and pack-out logistics. Facility Management: Execute opening and closing procedures in the absence of senior kitchen management. Qualifications Essential Skills and Qualifications: Culinary Expertise: Advanced proficiency in recipe scaling, execution, and foundational sauce preparations (aiolis, demi-glace, foams, vinaigrettes, etc.). Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and manage a team of 4–8 cooks in a high-pressure environment. Organizational Skills: Ability to coordinate multiple complex activities simultaneously with extreme attention to detail. Communication: Strong interpersonal skills; must be able to communicate effectively with management, vendors, and clients. Technical Knowledge: Advanced understanding of weights, volume measures, and kitchen math. Language: Professional fluency in English is required; Spanish bilingualism is highly valued.