Assistant Sous Chef

About the Role

An exciting opportunity has become available for an experienced and passionate Assistant Sous Chef to join a prestigious and private members' club located in Washington, DC, servicing UHNW clientele. The club offers a refined dining experience to its distinguished membership. This role is ideal for a hands-on culinary leader who thrives in a fast-paced, high-touch environment and is committed to delivering excellence in every dish.

Position Overview

The Assistant Sous Chef is a hands-on culinary leader responsible for supporting the daily execution of kitchen operations while maintaining the highest standards of food quality, presentation, consistency, and sanitation. As a key member of the culinary leadership team, this role provides daily guidance to Line Cooks and Stewards, assists with menu execution, seasonal offerings, and event preparation, and helps ensure exceptional dining experiences for members and guests.

Principal (Essential) Duties

• Prepare, cook, and present menu items in accordance with established recipes, quality standards, and presentation expectations.
• Assist in leading daily kitchen operations across à la carte dining, private events, banquets, and special functions while coordinating production and workflow.
• Monitor food preparation, service, and equipment functionality to ensure consistency, quality, portion control, and adherence to culinary standards while reporting maintenance needs promptly.
• Assist with menu execution, recipe development, seasonal offerings, and special event culinary planning.
• Maintain proper food handling, storage, labeling, and rotation practices while ensuring compliance with food safety and sanitation standards.
• Monitor inventory levels, assist with ordering and receiving products, and support food cost management through proper product utilization, waste reduction, and inventory control.
• Receive and inspect deliveries for quality, accuracy, and proper temperatures while reconciling invoices and ensuring proper product rotation (FIFO).
• Participate in recipe testing, tasting panels, and menu development sessions, helping create standardized recipes and prep procedures.
• Inspect plated dishes prior to service to ensure consistency, portioning, temperature, and presentation meet club standards.
• Communicate daily shift priorities, menu updates, and service expectations during pre-shift meetings to promote efficient kitchen operations.
• Conduct daily kitchen cleanliness inspections and ensure compliance with sanitation, health, and operational standards.
• Provide hands-on leadership throughout service by supporting team members, resolving operational challenges, and maintaining a clean, organized, and safe kitchen environment.
• Serve as the kitchen leader in the absence of the Executive Chef, monitoring staff productivity and identifying staffing or scheduling needs.
• Mentor, train, and provide day-to-day leadership to Line Cooks and Stewards by reinforcing recipes, plating standards, station responsibilities, and kitchen procedures while promoting teamwork and professionalism.

Qualifications & Experience

• Culinary degree, culinary certification, or completion of a recognized apprenticeship program required.
• Minimum of 5 years of culinary experience in a luxury hospitality, fine dining, private club, hotel, or similar high-end establishment.
• Minimum of 3 years of supervisory or kitchen leadership experience, including training, mentoring, and delegating responsibilities to culinary staff.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, HACCP principles, and kitchen best practices.
• Excellent understanding of cooking techniques, ingredients, kitchen equipment, and food preparation procedures.
• Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, service-driven environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively in job-related English.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and varied shifts in a hot, humid, and fast-paced kitchen environment.

Why Join Us

This is a unique opportunity to become part of a close-knit, high-performing culinary team within one of Washington, DC's premier private clubs. As an Assistant Sous Chef, you'll play a critical leadership role in delivering exceptional dining experiences while helping shape menus, mentor culinary talent, and uphold the club's commitment to culinary excellence. If you're passionate about refined cuisine, hands-on leadership, and creating memorable experiences through exceptional food and service, we invite you to apply.

The salary range for this role is $70,000 - $75,000 based on relevant experience.