Sous Chef, Banquets & Catering

Culinary and Service Standards

• Communicate to all key stakeholders regarding banquet planning and kitchen operations.
• Coordinate and plan the efficient and professional delivery of banquets and catered events in coordination with the Banquet Manager and the Manager, Banquet Sales & Catering Services.
• Review staffing requirements for events in cooperation with Catering Coordinator and ensure each event can begin a minimum of fifteen minutes prior to the service time.
• Meet with prospective clients and provide menu tasting when appropriate.
• Ensure consistent food preparation and the highest caliber of food presentation.
• Respond in a positive and timely manner to all internal and external guest requests and complaints, while meeting the Park Hospitality’s standards to exceed the guest’s expectations in addition to remaining budget conscious, also ensuring that required forms are filled out and submitted to the Executive Chef, Head Banquet Chef, and other stake holders.
• Ensure cleanliness and hygiene is maintained in the various kitchen areas including refrigerators and storerooms, rotate food products to ensure high standards of freshness.
• Keep refrigerators and storerooms organized and maintained in the various kitchen areas daily ensuring all food products are stored in accordance with provincial regulations.
• Actively participate in Park Hospitality’s environmental program and department specific initiatives in working towards sustainable operations.
• Maintain product consistency by conducting inspections of seasonings, portion, and appearance of food.
• Ensure that the delegation of tasks and food production is organized through the use of prep sheets from the Chef(s) and Chef de Partie(s) for the use of all staff.
• Assign work and side duties to staff in accordance with departmental procedures.
• Communicate additions or changes to the assignments as they arise throughout the shift.
• Identify situations that could compromise Park Hospitality’s standards, establish corrective actions, and delegate these tasks.
• Oversee food deliveries to ensure the products have been delivered and stored according to the standards set by provincial health regulations.
• Ensure food is stored in appropriate containers, labeled, and rotated to ensure high standards of freshness, minimizing waste and maximizing quality.
• Maintain and demonstrate an extensive knowledge of food handling and sanitation standards.
• Ensure the proper use of scales and measurements in all recipes, portioning, and food production by both yourself and the staff under your direct supervision.

Planning & Administration

• Seek opportunities to increase food revenue, decrease kitchen expenses and maximize departmental productivity without compromising our clients’ satisfaction.
• Provide input for menus, creating, developing, and recommending recipes, for the use of other staff, to create a consistent and quality food product.
• Create, communicate, implement, and maintain department objectives and ensure they are met and exceeded.
• Aid the Executive Chef and Banquet Head Chef in ordering and inventory of food products for the preparation and operation, of an efficiently run kitchen.
• Purchase food and related culinary supplies, maintain adequate pars to eliminate outages or shorts.
• Conduct yourself as the Banquet Head Chef would in their absence, in accordance with Park Hospitality values.
• Participate in opportunities to minimize inventory levels, minimizing capital while ensuring clients’ expectations are exceeded.
• Coordinate logistics of food and staff transport to multiple locations.

Health & Safety

• Ensure cleanliness and hygiene is maintained in the various kitchen areas including refrigerators and storerooms and that food products are rotated to ensure high standards of freshness.
• Ensure refrigerators and storerooms are organized and maintained in the various kitchen areas on a daily basis and that all food products are stored in accordance with provincial regulations.
• Strive to uphold a safe working environment and be Health and Safety conscious and actively involved in maintaining and improving a safe work environment.
• Ensure maintenance requests, incident reports and incident investigations are submitted and followed up.
• Oversee food deliveries to ensure the products have been delivered and stored according to the standards set by the Executive Chef and provincial health regulations and informs the Executive Chef/Head Banquet Chef of any discrepancies.

Staffing & Performance Management

• Recruit, train and develop all banquet kitchen employees.
• Coach and provide leadership to all the staff of the kitchen, ensuring the training and development of staff, providing input for performance, appraisals, and disciplinary action, within the values and guidelines of Park Hospitality.
• Identify training needs of staff and create plans to retain and develop talent in technical and behavioral competencies.
• Ensure that the morale of the kitchen staff is maintained by practicing positive strategies to motivate staff, encourage self-esteem and efficiency.
• Delegate duties to the back of house kitchen staff regarding operational aspects of the kitchen as necessary.
• Conduct pre-shift meetings with the Chefs and other staff and review all information pertinent to the day’s business.
• Promote professional work habits, encourage staff to act with integrity and recognize this trait in others.       
• Establish new goals annually for all direct reports and the monitor their business results through performance review evaluation, identify high potential and high performing employees for development/ succession planning.
• Champion and maintain a culture that respects all employees, encourages & motivates employees to improve, and that doesn’t use fear or bullying to increase productivity.
• Coach and mentor employees to ensure growth, confidence, independence, and interdependence.
• Conduct annual/end of the season employee evaluations that provide team members with new goals for coming evaluation period identifies and recognizes achievements, establishes developmental improvement plans and where appropriate, career development plans.
• Proactively address performance issues including the use of progressive discipline up to and including recommendation for termination when required.   

General Duties

• Adhere and comply with all Park Hospitality policies, safety regulations and safe work practices that will ensure a safe work environment.
• Maintain a professional image while working and provide extraordinary experiences to our park visitors while performing daily work activities.
• Demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with co-workers, volunteers, and visitors.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the principles of equity and diversity, and proven ability to work effectively with a diverse population.
• Perform other related duties and responsibilities as required.