Executive Sous Chef
Executive Sous Chef
We’re Seeking an Executive Sous Chef Who Leads from the Kitchen
At The Standard Spa, Miami Beach, food is part of the experience. From waterfront dining at Lido Bayside to poolside service, events, activations, and everything happening behind the scenes, our Culinary team helps bring the personality of The Standard to life.
We’re seeking an experienced, creative, and hands-on Executive Sous Chef to serve as the Executive Chef’s right hand and help lead our culinary operation.
This isn’t a leadership role designed for someone who wants to manage from the sidelines. We’re looking for a Chef who can develop people, maintain consistency, manage costs, organize a busy operation, and jump onto the line when service calls for it.
You’ll help lead the day-to-day culinary operation while creating an environment where great food, strong standards, creativity, and a genuinely great team can thrive.
Why You’ll Love Your New Lifestyle
Working at The Standard comes with perks designed to help you enjoy the lifestyle you help create.
- Complimentary Access to our Spa & Gym Facilities
- Up to 3 complimentary fitness classes per week, including yoga, pilates, bootcamp, and more
- Exclusive Spa Discounts on treatments and services
- Designated Employee Pool Days during the summer
- Restaurant Discounts throughout the property
- Boutique Discounts on retail items and essentials
- Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage
- Company-paid Life Insurance
- Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance
- 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match
- Paid Time Off
- Seven Paid Holidays, including a Floating Holiday
Live the lifestyle you help create.
Position Summary
The Executive Sous Chef supports the Executive Chef in leading the overall culinary operations of The Standard Spa, Miami Beach.
This position provides hands-on leadership across daily kitchen operations, food quality and presentation, culinary team development, scheduling, labor management, purchasing, inventory, sanitation, cost control, and execution of restaurant, pool, banquet, event, and special programming needs.
As the second-in-command of the Culinary team, the Executive Sous Chef assumes leadership of the kitchen in the Executive Chef’s absence and works closely with Sous Chefs, Cooks, Stewards, Food & Beverage leadership, and other hotel departments to ensure a consistent and exceptional culinary experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the Executive Chef in overseeing all day-to-day culinary operations throughout the property.
- Provide visible, hands-on leadership during preparation and service periods.
- Lead culinary operations in the Executive Chef’s absence.
- Direct Sous Chefs, Cooks, and culinary support team members throughout daily operations.
- Ensure kitchens are properly staffed, organized, prepared, and positioned for successful service.
- Conduct regular kitchen walkthroughs to monitor preparation, organization, cleanliness, equipment, and product quality.
- Maintain strong communication between Culinary and front-of-house Food & Beverage leadership.
- Anticipate operational challenges and proactively develop solutions.
- Assist with opening, closing, and shift transition procedures.
- Ensure prep lists, production levels, and station assignments are appropriate for anticipated business volume.
- Ensure all food is prepared according to established recipes, specifications, portion standards, and presentation expectations.
- Maintain consistency in taste, temperature, portioning, freshness, and presentation across all outlets.
- Inspect food preparation and finished dishes throughout service.
- Maintain high standards for ingredients and finished products.
- Ensure proper cooking techniques and culinary procedures are consistently followed.
- Monitor ticket times and kitchen execution during service.
- Work directly on stations when operational needs require.
- Ensure food is prepared and delivered efficiently without compromising quality.
- Address quality concerns immediately and coach the team when standards are not being met.
- Collaborate with the Executive Chef on menu development, seasonal changes, specials, events, and culinary programming.
- Assist with recipe development, testing, costing, and standardization.
- Bring thoughtful ideas to the table while maintaining the identity and direction of the overall culinary program.
- Stay aware of food trends, seasonal ingredients, local dining culture, and opportunities to evolve the guest experience.
- Support culinary activations, special events, member programming, and property experiences.
- Ensure recipes and preparation standards are properly documented and communicated to the Culinary team.
- Recruit, train, coach, motivate, and develop Culinary team members in partnership with the Executive Chef and Human Resources.
- Create an environment of accountability, respect, teamwork, and continuous learning.
- Lead by example through professionalism, organization, urgency, and culinary standards.
- Train employees on recipes, preparation techniques, equipment use, sanitation, safety, and service expectations.
- Provide ongoing feedback and coaching to Sous Chefs, Cooks, and culinary support employees.
- Identify high-potential employees and support their professional development.
- Assist with performance evaluations, coaching conversations, corrective action, and recognition.
- Ensure new Culinary employees receive a structured and effective onboarding and training experience.
- Conduct and participate in pre-shift meetings and Culinary team meetings.
- Assist with preparing and managing Culinary schedules based on business volumes and operational needs.
- Monitor staffing and labor throughout the day and make appropriate adjustments.
- Manage overtime and productivity while maintaining appropriate service and quality standards.
- Review anticipated occupancy, reservations, events, covers, and programming to properly plan production and staffing.
- Ensure appropriate deployment of Culinary team members throughout the operation.
- Partner with Culinary and Food & Beverage leadership to anticipate high-volume periods and special operational needs.
- Support the Executive Chef in achieving established food cost and financial goals.
- Monitor portion control, preparation methods, yields, and waste.
- Identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary waste without compromising quality.
- Assist with food inventory, ordering, receiving, and storage.
- Maintain appropriate product and ingredient par levels.
- Ensure deliveries are inspected for quality, quantity, and accuracy.
- Monitor product usage and communicate unusual variances.
- Assist with invoice review and purchasing controls as required.
- Ensure products are properly rotated and stored using established food safety procedures.
- Participate in regular inventories and assist with investigating discrepancies.
- Maintain the highest standards of food safety, cleanliness, and sanitation throughout all Culinary areas.
- Ensure compliance with applicable health department requirements and company food safety standards.
- Monitor food storage, labeling, dating, cooling, reheating, and temperature-control procedures.
- Ensure kitchen equipment, refrigeration, workstations, floors, storage areas, and food-contact surfaces are properly maintained.
- Ensure employees follow appropriate handwashing, glove use, uniform, grooming, and hygiene requirements.
- Conduct routine sanitation and safety inspections.
- Immediately address food safety concerns and unsafe working conditions.
- Partner with Stewarding and Engineering regarding sanitation, equipment, maintenance, and repair needs.
- Maintain required documentation and logs according to established procedures.
- Understand that Culinary plays a direct role in the overall guest experience, even when much of the work happens behind the scenes.
- Respond promptly to food quality concerns, dietary requests, allergies, and special guest needs.
- Partner with front-of-house leadership on guest recovery when necessary.
- Ensure allergy and dietary requests are communicated and handled according to established safety procedures.
- Support VIP experiences, special occasions, member events, and customized culinary requests.
- Maintain awareness of guest feedback and use it to continuously improve food quality and execution.
- Maintain and enforce The Standard’s Culinary and Food & Beverage policies, procedures, and service expectations.
- Hold the team accountable while maintaining a respectful and productive working environment.
- Maintain professional appearance, grooming, hygiene, and leadership standards.
- Protect confidential employee, guest, and business information.
- Identify and report operational, financial, safety, or employee concerns appropriately.
- Perform additional duties and projects as assigned by the Executive Chef or hotel leadership.
Required Skills & Qualifications
- Previous experience as an Executive Sous Chef, Senior Sous Chef, Sous Chef, or comparable Culinary leadership position required.
- Previous experience in a high-volume hotel, resort, upscale restaurant, or lifestyle hospitality environment strongly preferred.
- Culinary degree or formal culinary training preferred; equivalent professional experience considered.
- Strong knowledge of culinary techniques, production, recipe execution, and kitchen operations.
- Strong understanding of food cost, labor management, inventory, purchasing, and waste control.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, train, coach, and develop Culinary employees.
- Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and health department requirements.
- Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple kitchens, priorities, and service demands simultaneously.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to remain calm, organized, and decisive during high-volume service.
- Comfortable using scheduling, purchasing, inventory, and basic computer systems.
- Fluent in English; Spanish or additional languages are a plus.
- Flexible availability, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended hours based on business needs.
- Required food safety certifications must be maintained according to applicable regulations and company requirements.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, including shifts of 8 hours or more.
- Frequent bending, reaching, kneeling, crouching, and repetitive movement.
- Ability to safely work around hot surfaces, open flames, sharp objects, and commercial kitchen equipment.
- Ability to work in both hot and cold temperature extremes.
- Ability to lift, push, pull, move, and carry up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to grasp, turn, hold, and safely operate kitchen tools and equipment.
- Ability to move efficiently throughout kitchens, storage areas, walk-ins, and Food & Beverage outlets.
- Ability to clearly communicate with employees, leadership, vendors, and guests when required.
Work where hospitality, creativity, wellness, and community come together… every day.