Executive Sous Chef

About the Role

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts is seeking an Executive Sous Chef to join its team in Al Madinah, Medina. This full-time role involves exhibiting culinary talents, assisting in leading kitchen staff, and managing all food-related functions. The Executive Sous Chef will work to enhance guest and employee satisfaction while optimizing financial performance across all areas of responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide direction for all day-to-day kitchen operations, including banquets, room service, restaurants, bar/lounge, and employee cafeteria.
• Supervise all kitchen areas to ensure consistent, high-quality product production.
• Guide and develop staff, including direct reports, by setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Lead by example, demonstrating honesty, integrity, and sound financial/business decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with property policies, food handling, and sanitation standards.
• Develop and implement guidelines and control procedures for purchasing and receiving.
• Manage department controllable expenses, including food cost, supplies, uniforms, and equipment.
• Monitor the quality of raw and cooked food products and determine food presentation.
• Prepare and cook various types of food for regular service, special guests, or functions.
• Interact with guests to gather feedback on product quality and service levels, and address guest problems or complaints.
• Identify developmental needs of staff and provide coaching, mentoring, and training on cooking fundamentals and plate presentations.

Operational Leadership

This role involves providing leadership in kitchen operations, ensuring that guest service, operational needs, and financial objectives are consistently met. The Executive Sous Chef will establish and maintain collaborative relationships with employees, solicit feedback, and address concerns through an open-door policy. Responsibilities also include demonstrating new cooking techniques and equipment to staff and participating in the budgeting process for relevant areas.

Culinary Standards and Quality Assurance

The Executive Sous Chef is responsible for upholding culinary standards, ensuring that all food products meet quality expectations. This includes providing direction for menu development, monitoring food quality, and ensuring proper handling and temperature control of all food items. The role also requires maintaining purchasing, receiving, and food storage standards, and ensuring employees hold required food handling and sanitation certifications.

Guest Service and Staff Development

A key aspect of this position is ensuring exceptional customer service by supporting behaviors that exceed guest expectations. The Executive Sous Chef will empower employees to deliver excellent service, establish clear guidelines, and provide ongoing training. Furthermore, the role involves managing human resource activities such as performance appraisals for direct reports, interacting with the Banquet Chef and Catering department for training, and overseeing progressive discipline procedures in accordance with Standard and Local Operating Procedures (SOPs and LSOPs).

Qualifications and Experience

• 5-10 years of relevant experience in culinary leadership roles.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage kitchen staff effectively.
• Strong understanding of food preparation, handling, and sanitation standards.
• Proficiency in managing controllable expenses and participating in budgeting processes.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for leading and influencing teams.
• Ability to analyze information and evaluate results to solve problems effectively.