Sous Chef

Job Title: Sous Chef
Location: International House at UC Berkeley
Reports to: Executive Chef

About International House: 

Founded in 1930 through a gift from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., International House is a 501(c) 3 non-profit, self-supporting residential and community-oriented facility located in the southeast foothills of the Berkeley Campus. The historic complex is adjacent to the California Memorial Stadium along Piedmont Avenue. The building has six floors of 470 single and double residential rooms, including a conference center featuring the Chevron Auditorium with a capacity of 350, several other smaller meeting rooms, plus a library, and a dining commons with a capacity of 325. Since its founding, it has housed more than 95,000 residents including two Governors of California and eight Nobel Prize laureates. Its mission is to foster intercultural respect and understanding among people throughout the world across cultural, economic, and ethnic lines.   

Each year I-House provides some 1,100 students and scholars from 75+ nationalities (including the USA) with an opportunity to live and learn together over the course of a typical 12-month cycle. With a renewed emphasis on the acquisition of intercultural leadership skills, I-House strives to augment and expand the impact of the residential life experience by encouraging lifetime personal and professional connections that transform lives and offer skills that enrich and enhance career opportunities. I-House’s rich array of programs serves the residents, the campus and local community.  

Position Overview:  

The Sous Chef uses skills as a seasoned, experienced food service professional and is able to identify and resolve a wide range of quality assurance issues in creative and imaginative ways. Inspects and audits dining unit meal services for menu consistency, adherence to food safety guidelines, production safety and food cost accuracy. Demonstrates good judgment in selecting quality assurance methods and techniques for obtaining solutions. The most important function of the Sous Chef position is to prepare, cook and serve all meals in accordance with daily and weekly menu and special item production requirements. This role spends 75% of time producing and serving meals as well as assigning and overseeing production, preparation and sanitation tasks to subordinates. Assures that all foods are merchandized and presented in an eye-appealing manner while meeting all SERVE-Safe and safety standards.  

Key Responsibilities: 

• Responsible for correct meat and vegetable cutting procedures both by hands-on performance and directing subordinates. 
• Sous Chef is responsible for the correct preparation, recipe adherence and presentation of all foods prepared in the kitchen.
• Audit’s dining facilities to ensure safety, sanitation, handling and storage of food and food equipment use.
• Conducts training in food production, presentation, portion control, sanitation, safety and service. 
• Responsible for the direct supervision of subordinates in food preparation, cleaning and cutting of raw foods, spice mixing, seasoning, frying and roasting, using specified temperatures, methods and equipment. 
• Ensures quality and creativity in menu planning and The Sous Chef ensures the weekly production of all menus and specialty items and is responsible for recipe adherence and presentation to meet production requirements.
• Responsible for food orders in conjunction with the Executive Chef.
• Monitor’s quality assurance systems in cooperation with dining management. 
• Participates in employment interviews and makes hiring recommendations.
• Monitors subordinates' work performance, providing constructive feedback for improvement. Documents unsatisfactory performance and takes part in progressive disciplinary actions as needed.
• May participate in the resolutions of grievances and complaints in concert with the Dining Manager and HR.

Required Responsibilities: 

• Prior experience in culinary food service operations
• Excellent verbal and written communication in the English language, active listening, dynamic flexibility, critical thinking, and ability to multi-task and ensure effective time management.
• Decision making and reasoning skills, and ability to develop original ideas to solve problems including operations analysis and quality control analysis. 
• Effective interpersonal and work leadership skills to provide guidance to all levels of personnel.
• Intermediate computer applications skills desired
• Knowledge of food and culinary production as evidenced by graduation from Accredited Culinary Institution of Higher Learning and/or equivalent verifiable work experience/training.
• Intermediate computer skills.
• Possession of current valid SERVE-Safe Certification.
• Ability to lift 25-30 pounds on a regular basis when cooking
• Ability to lead and direct in a unionized environment

      Preferred Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in related areas and/or equivalent experience/training. 

        Compensation and Benefits

• Compensation: $75,000- $80,000/year.
• I-House also offers a robust benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage with 100% employer-covered premiums (dependent on plan selection),
• Life insurance, short- and long-term disability, access to a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), commuter benefits, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• A 403(b) plan with a 5% matching and a 5% non-elective contribution. This organization also offers a 457(b)-retirement plan option.
• Paid vacation totaling 18 days of accrual in the first year (with accrual increasing after 5 years), paid sick time, 14 paid holidays, and generous family leave and accommodation.

Must be able to work in person in Berkeley, CA.

International House is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, parental status, ancestry, disability, gender identity, veteran status, genetic information, other distinguishing characteristics of diversity and inclusion, or any other protected status.