Pit Master Sous Chef

The Pitmaster Sous Chef is responsible to maintain and manage the smoker – including production of smoked proteins, tending to the wood burning process, inventory of the items, and cleanliness of the smoker after each round of production.

The Sous Chef is responsible for the successful achievement of operational, financial, and quality goals. Trains, supervises, counsels, and motivates the kitchen teams while controlling production, quality and food costs.

This position is responsible for the development and implementation of menus, the consistent preparation of innovative and creative cuisine of the highest quality, presentation, and flavors, resulting in outstanding guest satisfaction, improved market share, increased covers, and revenues.

Sous Chef must work in conjunction with the Guest Service managers and supervisors to ensure adherence to the policies, procedures and standards of conduct established by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

The Sous Chef Interacts on a daily basis with contemporaries in Chef positions across the Hospitality Group.

Production:

• Insure that the culinary and utility staffs are performing to the established standards.

Food Preparation:

• Prepare foods correctly for service according to the standards of the specific dish, and the various meal periods.
• Accurately develops the proper quantities of product through use of station checklists and forecasting.

Food Service:

• Prepare all foods according to the POS system print out, while producing and executing the special request items to meet guest expectations. The established pace of service is to be maintained in order to sustain a steady flow of service.
• Creation and costing of breakfast, lunch and dinner menu’s in accordance to the branding of the specific food outlets policies and procedures.
• Set the example, create and ensure kitchen standards are followed in a positive and professional manner.
• Ensure that the Chef de Partie and culinary staff are following through with the noted daily tasks by following checklists and your demonstrations of proper technique and guidance.
• Effectively oversee that the expediting of breakfast, lunch or bunch and dinner shifts are being followed to standard.
• Demonstrate a proactive approach to managing large parties in the Dining room, in cooperation with the Guest Service Managers
• Oversee production of all prep items ensuring recipe adherence, ticket times, and food production meet or exceed standard as established by yourself and the Guest Service Manager.
• Insure adherence to the recipe cards and plate presentation.
• Work in corporation with purchasing agent to insure the freshest and cost effective ingredients are present in the Restaurants
• Pull, print, read and post BEO’s from visual 1 for the Woodlands and the Lodge daily to have the most up to date information for all functions.
• Pull change log Monday thru Saturday and update all production sheets and BEO book with the updated information.
• Assist in supervising utility and receiving staff for cleanliness of storage and kitchen areas.
• Assist in making sure staff is scheduled appropriately.
• Ensure that food is properly ordered for the area of operations you are managing

Inventory Control:

• Thoroughly understand and adhere to the Food Order Guides system of ordering food in the kitchen.
• Order according to established pars and forecasting.
• Properly rotate all food in storage utilizing the F.I.F.O. system.
• Accurately conduct monthly inventory.
• Accurately place orders for pastry and baked goods with the use of the ordering checklists.
• Communicate product levels to storeroom manager when subpar.
• Complete weekly spot inventories on high dollar items and communicate those findings to the Storeroom Supervisor to reconcile with perpetual inventories.

Sanitation:

• Follow food safety and sanitation guidelines and ensure that staff understands and practices the same, including, but not limited to:
• Maintain a working knowledge of the Temperature Danger Zone (41˚-135˚F)
• Thoroughly sanitize station, equipment and hands after handling potentially hazardous foods.
• Prevent potential cross-contamination through hand washing and awareness of surroundings.
• Read and follow the standards of the Appearance Policy provided by CW.
• Clean as you go, maintain a clean and orderly work station at all times.
• Keep jackets, pants, aprons, shoe and hats as clean as possible.
• Were protective gloves when handling ready to eat foods.
• Obtain and maintain a valid ServSafe® certification and manage to the standards of the ServSafe® criteria.
• Ensure all employees obtain and maintain food handler’s certification from the Health Department. Create and nourish a positive working relationship with the local Health Department. Work through any Health Department issues, correcting immediately when possible, and do not allow any repeats on critical violations.
• Supervise Daily detailed cleaning of the kitchens. Ensure sanitation throughout property including kitchen, dining rooms, and outdoor public areas such as Fire Pit dining area, gardens, walkways, back dock and dumpster area etc.

Safety:

• Insure that you and your direct reports have successfully completed all required Safety Training, including but not limited to, Safety orientation, Fire Extinguisher Training, Lifting, etc., Asbestos Awareness, Preventing Slips, Trips, Falls
• Successfully complete Driver Safety Training and complete the process to become an approved driver before operating a company automobile.
• Fill out an incident report for all accidents that happen on your shift.
• Complete the incident follow-up form for each accident
• Wear slip resistant shoe to prevent slips, trips and falls.
• Practice safety in the work place at all times, including but not limited to:
  Understand and identify hazards in the work place so proper actions may take place in order to reduce injury.
• Maintain a sharp knife while safely handling as to not obtain injury.
• Have a working knowledge of safely prepping, using and cleaning of all equipment in the kitchen.
• Lift with your legs and always ask for assistance when necessary.
• Utilize a pushcart whenever transporting products over a distance.
• Take action to secure a hazard through the supervisor by reporting issues immediately.
• Ensure that others are practicing safety procedures at all times.
• Troubleshoot and locate potential problems with the Kitchen facilities and equipment (i.e. maintaining machinery, cleaning equipment regularly, spotting safety hazards, etc.). Ensure repair and maintenance of kitchen equipment by partnering with our maintenance department.
• Stay informed and current on all areas of Risk Management.

Financial Responsibility:

• Insure that the culinary Staff under your direction are clocking in and out accurately and according to the CW attendance policy.
• Be financially aware of the cost of food and cost of labor and effectively contribute to the control of both.
• Be aware and understand overtime and maintain practices to avoid accruing any pertaining to yourself and other staff members.
• Ensure employee standards are consistent through documented, timely performance evaluations, training checklists and daily reviews, and discharges when necessary.
• Attends daily front of the house line ups to highlight specials and up selling techniques associated with those specials
• Make sure quality and timeliness of food product maintained to that particular areas standards.

Communication:

• Effectively communicate with co-workers and managers to maintain an efficient work space.
• Hold daily line-ups to inform the crew of the daily duties and tasks at hand.
• Effectively communicate to Cooks, Stewards and front of the house employees.
• Attend all meeting that have to do with the Hotels business needs and your specific areas.
• Effectively communicate menu changes, special events or any other changes that pertain to your specified units.

Teamwork:

• Demonstrates teamwork within your direct work group as well and surrounding departments.
• Identify and act when assistance is needed under any circumstance.
• Assist in strategies to develop efficiencies with the work group to streamline production and labor.
• Take the initiative to step in and direct other to assist others in a collaborative effort.
• Work on all staffing plans for kitchen staff.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

Culinary Degree and 5 years’ experience accompanying professional managerial experience with the hotel and restaurant industries.

Knowledge:

Thorough knowledge of all aspects of Kitchen operations including but not limited to:

• thorough understanding of profit and loss management, marketing and management of Kitchen
• knowledge of American regional cuisine, and menu development

Experienced in the development and administration of operating and capital budgets, manpower planning, purchasing, and control of operating equipment and sensitivity to design and refurbishing of restaurant and kitchen facilities.

Experience:

Progressive track record with deluxe hotel, resort and restaurant organizations. Proven record of culinary accomplishments. Functional experience in guest service, dining room, catering and back of the house management.

Personal Characteristics:

• Excellent leadership, communication and presentation skills
• Gracious and approachable manner in dealing with guests and employees
• Strong partnering and networking skills
• Ability to develop and work as part of a team, and develop partnerships both within your unit and outside
• Demonstrate a calm demeanor and positive attitude

Business Acumen:

• Ability to:
  
  • read and analyze financial (profit and loss) statements
  • develop annual operating budgets
  • forecast business levels
  • analyze food cost via monitoring of recipes, production, spoilage, waste, breakage, etc…
  • understand and implement internal controls relative to food storage and production
  • conduct menu engineering analysis
  • forecast labor needs and adjust staffing as business levels change

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience in presenting training and development programs as well as administration of a union contract preferred.
• Must be willing to make a long-term commitment to the Resort, the management, and the culinary and Food and Beverage teams to establish and maintain a reputation for excellence in cuisines locally, regionally and nationally.

Benefits:

• Beautiful historic setting
• Competitive benefits for eligible employees include:

• health insurance
• pension plan
• vision plan
• medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Sick, vacation, and holiday pay
• 401(k) plan with a portion of contributions matched
• life insurance
• long-term disability
• accidental death and dismemberment insurance
• group travel accident insurance

About Colonial Williamsburg:

From our Historic Area to Hotels, Colonial Williamsburg’s mission “that the future may learn from the past” is part of everything we do. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational institution welcoming guests to the world’s largest living history museum which brings the past to life through museum theater, 18th-century trades, historic sites, and more. The Foundation also includes two world-class art museums, featuring the nation’s premier folk art collection, plus the best in British and American fine and decorative arts from 1670–1840. The Colonial Williamsburg Company boasts a rich history as well, having hosted and entertained guests from around the world with an impressive collection of amenities including our hotels, guest homes, food and beverage outlets, championship golf courses, and spa & fitness center.

Our Team:

Universal acceptance for everyone, everywhere is at the heart of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. We promote diversity & inclusion of thought, culture, and background, which connects our entire team. As such, Colonial Williamsburg is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state or federal law or local ordinance.

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