Sous Chef

Gategroup is a leading global provider of airline catering and hospitality services, dedicated to enhancing the travel experience for millions of passengers around the world. With a strong presence in Newark, New Jersey, Gategroup operates high-volume food production units that prepare and deliver high-quality meals tailored to airline customers’ specifications. The company emphasizes quality, food safety, and culinary innovation to ensure that every meal served during a journey reflects the highest standards of hospitality and care. Recognized for its commitment to excellence, passion, responsibility, and respect, Gategroup fosters a work environment that supports inclusion, diversity, and professional growth. They offer comprehensive benefits including paid time off, 401k with company match, life insurance, medical, dental, and vision plans, disability options, and an employee assistance program.

The Sous Chef, Operations, based at their Newark facility located at 236 Vanderpool St, plays a crucial leadership role in this vibrant and fast-paced airline catering environment. Reporting directly to the Executive Sous Chef or Executive Chef, the Sous Chef is responsible for leading teams in the design and preparation of quality meals that meet rigorous specifications. This full-time, exempt position commands an annual salary starting at $70,000 and requires up to 25% travel, reflecting the dynamic nature of supporting multiple unit operations.

The Sous Chef’s role extends beyond culinary skills into crucial operational oversight and staff management. This includes ensuring compliance with regulatory food safety standards such as FDA, USDA, and HAACP regulations, supervising food production to ensure quality and consistency, and optimizing labor through effective manpower scheduling and attendance tracking. The Sous Chef guides a team of up to 40 kitchen staff, including head cooks and specialty cooks, fostering a culture of safety, efficiency, and continuous improvement.

Key aspects of the role involve hands-on responsibility for raw material ordering, daily production scheduling, training, and coaching employees to maximize productivity while minimizing labor and food costs. The Sous Chef ensures all processes align with company policies including wage and hour compliance, employee retention strategies, and performance management, integrating effective feedback to motivate and improve team performance. This position also demands strong communication skills, including the ability to work effectively with unionized teams under collective bargaining agreements.

Candidates for this position must be adept at maintaining a clean, safe kitchen environment conducive to producing hot and cold foods in high volumes, while managing the physical demands of the role such as lifting over 25 pounds and working extended shifts. The ideal candidate will bring at least 1-3 years’ experience as a Chef or Sous Chef, along with 7 years’ experience in cooking, preferably within large-scale food production or in-flight catering. An associate degree or certification in Culinary Arts is preferred, supported by ServSafe certification and knowledge of Microsoft Office.

Gategroup values innovation and the ability to implement operational improvements that enhance both team morale and business outcomes. This role offers a unique opportunity to grow within a company dedicated to making travel experiences memorable through outstanding culinary service. The Sous Chef, Operations embodies the company’s values by delivering excellent customer-focused products with passion, responsibility, and respect within an inclusive workplace environment.