Sous Chef - Commercial Production

Job Title: Sous Chef - Commercial Production

Job Location: Seattle-USA-98188

Work Location Type: On-Site

Salary Range

$78,000.00 - 82,000.00

About us

Since 1942, SkyChefs has taken culinary excellence to new heights. As a trusted partner to the nation’s leading airlines and retailers, we proudly deliver millions of meals and exceptional service experiences every year across 43 sites throughout the United States.

Built on a legacy of operational excellence, culinary expertise, and continuous innovation, we are committed to setting the industry standard in aviation culinary, airline services, last-mile logistics, and retail commerce. From the kitchen to the runway, our teams work together to deliver quality, reliability, and service at every altitude.

Our people are the heart of everything we do. At SkyChefs, a career is more than a job – it’s an opportunity to grow, lead, and make an impact in a fast-paced, team-driven environment. Join America’s first, foremost, and finest and take your career to new heights.

Role Purpose Statement

The Sous Chef is responsible for overseeing the preparation and production of high-quality airline meals while ensuring compliance with company standards, menu specifications, production schedules, and customer requirements.

This role provides direct leadership to a team of 25–50 kitchen production employees, ensuring meals are prepared accurately, portioned correctly, properly seasoned, and presented according to customer specifications.

The Sous Chef is accountable for maintaining the highest standards of food quality, safety, hygiene, and operational efficiency throughout the production process. You'll monitor food preparation from start to finish, conduct quality checks, and ensure all meals meet culinary and company excellence standards.

In the absence of the Executive Chef, the Sous Chef assumes full responsibility for kitchen operations, including staff supervision, production oversight, quality assurance, and adherence to all food safety regulations.

To be considered for this opportunity you must have

• Strong culinary knowledge and the ability to taste and evaluate food for flavor, seasoning, texture, and overall quality to ensure it meets high culinary standards.
• Proven experience leading and motivating high-volume kitchen or food production teams.
• Thorough understanding of food safety, sanitation, and quality control requirements.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven production environment.
• Flexibility to work weekends, holidays, day shifts, night shifts, and other schedules as required to support operational needs.

Main Accountabilities

Food Production

• Executes and supervises food production activities, e.g. proper cleaning, cutting, marinating, seasoning, cooking of food items etc.
• Assumes responsibilities of Executive Chef when he/she not available i.e. Vacation, off-days, menu presentation to customers, etc.
• Supervise, coordinate, and control kitchen helpers in food storage (e.g. maintaining tidiness, following the first in - first out principle)
• Conducts, coordinates, and supervises inventories
• Monitors material consumption and orders required food and equipment on a daily basis to satisfy the daily production plan
• Participates in the development of food products and menus as needed for menu presentations
• Must be aware of content in catering manuals; conducts updates when necessary
• Executes countermeasures in the production in case of customer complaints
• Supports training of kitchen helpers
• Other duties as assigned

Quality

• Maintains and monitors hygiene, health and safety standards and monitors that Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations are adhered to
• Maintains and monitors quality, conducts quality control checks according to HACCP regulations
• Conducts quality checks of goods received, batch tasting
• Monitors and ensures compliance with recipe specifications

Leadership

• Ensure that the area of responsibility is properly organized, staffed and directed
• Ensures
• Participates in daily face-to-face meeting to discuss current topics and daily performance and metrics
• Guide, motivate and develop the subordinate employees within the Human Resources Policy
• Make the company's values and management principles live in the department(s)
• Implement and control the cost budget in the area of responsibility; initiate and steer corrective actions in case of deviations
• Participate and support company sponsored initiatives such as Global Quality Standard (GQS), HACCP, Lean Manufacturing

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Three to five years of experience in commercial cooking or Apprenticeship or Certification from culinary school required
• Knowledge of food and hygiene regulations (HACCP)
• Understand and demonstrate concepts of financial controls (ex: keep food cost within budget, control stock levels while being cost conscious, minimize waste)
• Good communication and organizational skills
• Service orientation
• Hands on Leadership skills
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office and Windows-based computer applications

SkyChefs is an EEO and Affirmative Action Employer of Women/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.