Executive Sous Chef at Five Crowns Newport Beach, CA

We are seeking an Executive Sous Chef to become a vital part of our culinary leadership team at an iconic restaurant brand known for excellence and a commitment to quality and guest satisfaction. Our establishment is a high-volume fine dining restaurant with a reputation for delivering exceptional culinary experiences. As an integral member of our leadership team, the Executive Sous Chef plays a crucial role in supporting the Executive Chef by managing kitchen operations, ensuring food quality, safety, and consistency, and fostering a collaborative and motivating work environment. This role is full-time and offers a competitive salary range of $75,000 to $80,000, reflecting the importance of this position within our esteemed brand.

The Executive Sous Chef will assume responsibility for the kitchen during the absence of the Executive Chef and direct all culinary operations necessary to exceed guest expectations. This includes overseeing food preparation, cooking processes, and presentation, ensuring consistent high standards throughout the menu offerings. The role requires hands-on involvement in preparing meats, fish, produce, and daily dishes such as sauces and soups, aligned with the forecasted business volume. Attention to detail and quality control are paramount to maintain the restaurant's reputation. Beyond cooking, an essential aspect of this position is leadership—training, mentoring, and providing clear direction to kitchen staff to achieve optimal performance and team cohesion.

Furthermore, the Executive Sous Chef is responsible for cost control measures, including managing labor and food costs, and ensuring compliance with stringent health and safety standards. This involves proactive management of daily logs, checklists, inventory rotations, and sanitation practices. The ability to lead line checks, station guides, and food safety audits contributes to the operational excellence required in this dynamic kitchen environment. Collaboration with the front-of-house team is also critical to address menu questions, allergens, and dietary concerns, ensuring seamless service delivery.

This leadership position demands strong organizational skills to juggle diverse tasks while maintaining high culinary standards. Candidates should possess at least five years of experience in fine dining, high-volume settings with progressive culinary management responsibilities. An associate's degree in culinary arts or equivalent practical experience is preferred. Proficiency in kitchen appliances, advanced knife skills, and a comprehensive understanding of food service regulations are required to uphold safety and quality. The Executive Sous Chef must demonstrate exceptional communication skills, both oral and written, with a commitment to hospitality and service excellence.

In addition to culinary expertise, candidates should have experience with budgeting, labor management, inventory tracking, and proficiency in POS and scheduling software. Ability to lead, motivate, and develop kitchen staff is indispensable to maintaining a positive and productive workplace culture. This role also requires physical stamina to work extended shifts, manage heavy lifting, and sustain the active movements necessary in a busy kitchen. Flexibility to work weekdays, weekends, and holidays is mandatory. Knowledge of Spanish is considered a plus but not required.

The Executive Sous Chef position offers an opportunity to advance within a respected culinary team, contribute creatively to menu development, and uphold the standards of an iconic brand dedicated to excellence in food and service.