Job Overview
Employment Type
Full-time
Compensation
Salary
Range $80,164.40 - $85,000.00
Work Schedule
Rotating Shifts
Benefits
Paid Time Off
401K with company match
company sponsored life insurance
Medical Plans
Dental plans
vision plans
Voluntary Short-Term Disability Insurance
Voluntary long-term disability insurance
voluntary life insurance
Accident plans
Hospital plans
Employee assistance program
Commuter Benefits
Employee Discounts
Free hot healthy meals for unit operations roles
Job Description
gategroup is a leading global provider of airline catering and onboard services, committed to enhancing the travel experience for millions of passengers worldwide. This renowned company specializes in delivering high-quality meals and exceptional culinary services tailored to airline customers, emphasizing innovation, quality, and safety in their food production processes. As a full-time employer in the USA, gategroup fosters a value-driven culture centered around excellence, passion, responsibility, and respect, ensuring a positive workplace environment and a commitment to continuous improvement. The company offers competitive salaries ranging from $80,164.40 to $85,000.00 annually, along with comprehensive benefits to support employee well-being and professional growth.
The Japanese Sous Chef, Operations role is a dynamic position within gategroup’s culinary team, reporting directly to the Executive Sous Chef or Executive Chef for the unit. This specialized culinary role focuses on authentic Japanese cuisine, requiring deep expertise and leadership skills to support the design and preparation of meals for airline customers. The Sous Chef is instrumental in promoting quality food services, ensuring adherence to food safety and sanitation standards, and driving efficient food production efforts. This leadership position manages and supervises a diverse team of up to 40 culinary professionals, including head cooks, specialty cooks, and assistant cooks, primarily working in a fast-paced, high-volume food production environment.
Key responsibilities include ensuring compliance with company and government regulations such as FDA, USDA, and HAACP standards, overseeing food specifications and labor objectives, managing daily food production for hot and cold kitchens, and maintaining high standards of safety and cleanliness. The role also requires effective manpower planning, scheduling, employee training, and performance management to optimize productivity and minimize labor and food costs. Additionally, the Japanese Sous Chef, Operations plays a critical role in employee retention by coaching, counseling, and preparing corrective actions in line with collective bargaining agreements.
Candidates for this position must possess excellent culinary skills, especially in authentic Japanese cuisine, and have proven leadership abilities to manage team dynamics and drive positive program changes. The role involves regular physical activity, including standing, bending, lifting, and working in conditions with varying temperatures and noise levels. A rotating schedule with shifts typically exceeding 55 hours per week is expected. Up to 25% travel may be required, reflecting the operational needs of the airline catering services.
The organization values thinking skills such as information search, analysis, and problem resolution; engaging qualities including team leadership and people development; inspiring capabilities like effective communication and relationship building; and achieving competencies focused on delivering results under pressure and championing customer focus. These competencies align with gategroup’s core values, ensuring that employees not only meet technical job requirements but also embody a commitment to excellence, passion, responsibility, and respect.
Candidates interested in becoming part of a team dedicated to creating memorable travel and culinary experiences are encouraged to apply. The role offers not only a competitive salary and full-time employment but also a chance to contribute to a globally recognized company that prioritizes workforce diversity, inclusion, and continuous learning.
The Japanese Sous Chef, Operations role is a dynamic position within gategroup’s culinary team, reporting directly to the Executive Sous Chef or Executive Chef for the unit. This specialized culinary role focuses on authentic Japanese cuisine, requiring deep expertise and leadership skills to support the design and preparation of meals for airline customers. The Sous Chef is instrumental in promoting quality food services, ensuring adherence to food safety and sanitation standards, and driving efficient food production efforts. This leadership position manages and supervises a diverse team of up to 40 culinary professionals, including head cooks, specialty cooks, and assistant cooks, primarily working in a fast-paced, high-volume food production environment.
Key responsibilities include ensuring compliance with company and government regulations such as FDA, USDA, and HAACP standards, overseeing food specifications and labor objectives, managing daily food production for hot and cold kitchens, and maintaining high standards of safety and cleanliness. The role also requires effective manpower planning, scheduling, employee training, and performance management to optimize productivity and minimize labor and food costs. Additionally, the Japanese Sous Chef, Operations plays a critical role in employee retention by coaching, counseling, and preparing corrective actions in line with collective bargaining agreements.
Candidates for this position must possess excellent culinary skills, especially in authentic Japanese cuisine, and have proven leadership abilities to manage team dynamics and drive positive program changes. The role involves regular physical activity, including standing, bending, lifting, and working in conditions with varying temperatures and noise levels. A rotating schedule with shifts typically exceeding 55 hours per week is expected. Up to 25% travel may be required, reflecting the operational needs of the airline catering services.
The organization values thinking skills such as information search, analysis, and problem resolution; engaging qualities including team leadership and people development; inspiring capabilities like effective communication and relationship building; and achieving competencies focused on delivering results under pressure and championing customer focus. These competencies align with gategroup’s core values, ensuring that employees not only meet technical job requirements but also embody a commitment to excellence, passion, responsibility, and respect.
Candidates interested in becoming part of a team dedicated to creating memorable travel and culinary experiences are encouraged to apply. The role offers not only a competitive salary and full-time employment but also a chance to contribute to a globally recognized company that prioritizes workforce diversity, inclusion, and continuous learning.
Job Requirements
- Associates degree in the culinary arts or a culinary arts certification preferred
- minimum 1-3 years of experience as a chef and or sous chef required
- minimum 7 years of experience as a cook required
- previous supervisory experience working in a high volume, manufacturing, food production, restaurant or catering environment preferred
- in-flight catering experience or experience in a high-volume food service environment preferred
- ability to cook meals according to detailed specifications
- ability to work in a fast paced, deadline driven environment
- strong and effective leadership skills
- ability to successfully manage a team of cooks
- candidate must be comfortable with all levels of employees
- ability to train others
- ability to give negative and positive feedback to employees on a daily basis
- excellent time management skills
- ability to handle multiple tasks without losing focus on priorities
- strong organizational, analytical, communication and leadership skills
- innovative and able to make changes to the operation to improve the work environment and unit performance
- basic computer skills
- experience in authentic Japanese cuisine
- ServSafe certified preferred
- excellent written and oral communication skills
Job Qualifications
- Associates degree in the Culinary Arts or a Culinary Arts certification preferred
- minimum 1-3 years of experience as a chef and or sous chef required
- minimum 7 years of experience as a cook required
- previous supervisory experience working in a high volume, manufacturing, food production, restaurant or catering environment preferred
- in-flight catering experience or experience in a high-volume food service environment preferred
- ability to cook meals according to detailed specifications
- ability to work in a fast paced, deadline driven environment
- must have strong and effective leadership skills, and the ability to successfully manage a team of cooks
- current or previous labor relations experience is a plus, but not required
- candidate must be comfortable with all levels of employees and have the ability to drive positive program change
- ability to train others required
- must have the ability to give negative and positive feedback to employees on a daily basis
- excellent time management skills required
- ability to handle multiple tasks without losing focus on priorities
- strong organizational, analytical, communication and leadership skills required
- must be innovative and have the ability to make changes to the operation as needed to further improve the work environment and unit performance
- experience with menu design a plus
- basic computer skills required
- working knowledge of Microsoft Office products preferred
- experience in authentic Japanese cuisine
- ServSafe certified is preferred
- must have excellent written and oral communication skills
- bi-lingual in Japanese is a plus
Job Duties
- Responsible for ensuring food specifications and labor objectives meet all company and customer requirements
- supervises department for quality and quantity
- ensures items are produced and dated according to specification, and coding system is adhered to correctly
- keeps account of attendance, sets up paperwork, sets up each shift and assigns employees to specified sections
- orders raw material from storeroom and produces extra meals at last minute as needed
- prepares daily production sheet and assigns tasks to employees
- works with and directs employees through the use of the production sheet and passenger counts
- responsible for all food items after requisitioning them from the storeroom
- training and recurrent training of all employees on proper procedures of preparation
- ensures safety procedures are adhered to
- maintain cleanliness through shift to ensure quality product
- manages daily production of hot and or cold kitchens for quality and consistency
- ensures compliance with company wage and hour policy, including ensuring employees get the rest and meal breaks and ensuring company processes are followed
- trains and monitors employees on proper work procedures to ensure maximum productivity with minimum labor and food expenses
- monitors daily manpower planning and schedules employees
- responsible for employee retention and reducing employee turnover
- responsible for coaching, counseling and preparing corrective actions for employees in compliance with the applicable union collective bargaining agreement
- reviews and ensures employees in chain of command are in correct cost centers and correct job titles
- reviews and ensures union represented employees’ pay rates are correct based on wage scales and seniority
- employee must complete all company required training including but not limited to ServSafe
- compliance with all company required policies, procedures and processes including but not limited to required training
Job Criteria
Experience
Mid Level (3-7 years)
Job Location
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