CHICA, located at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, opened in 2017 and brings the bold, vibrant flavors of Latin American cuisine to one of the world's premier dining destinations.
CHICA delivers a refined yet energetic culinary experience that celebrates Latin cuisine as a unified cultural expression, drawing inspiration from Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and beyond.
The menu blends classic Latin dishes with contemporary culinary technique, complemented by a dynamic wine and craft cocktail program. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, CHICA is a high-volume, chef-driven restaurant that balances elevated culinary execution with the rhythm, warmth, and hospitality that define Latin culture.
At CHICA, food is expressive, vibrant, and rooted in authenticity while embracing modern culinary innovation. Every dish is designed to deliver bold flavor, refined execution, and memorable guest experiences.
Position Summary
The Sous Chef serves as a key culinary leader in CHICA's kitchen, responsible for supporting daily operations, maintaining exceptional culinary standards, and ensuring consistent execution across all service periods.
This role requires a highly organized, hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume environment and possesses a strong passion for culinary excellence, operational discipline, and team development. The Sous Chef partners closely with the Executive Chef and culinary leadership team to ensure food quality, labor efficiency, service execution, sanitation, and talent development align with CHICA's elevated standards.
The ideal candidate is a strong operator and leader who can maintain consistency, develop talent, and execute at a high level while preserving the energy, culture, and integrity of the CHICA brand.
Primary Responsibilities: Culinary Leadership & Service Execution
- Assist in leading daily kitchen operations across all stations and service periods.
- Ensure all menu items are executed according to recipe, plating, portioning, and quality standards.
- Maintain strong line control to ensure proper pacing, ticket accuracy, and service flow.
- Uphold CHICA's standards of bold flavor, presentation, consistency, and execution.
- Support seamless execution of breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch, and special-event services.
Operational Excellence
- Oversee daily prep production and ensure all stations maintain a strong mise en place.
- Maintain kitchen organization, workflow, cleanliness, and station readiness.
- Assist with scheduling, labor deployment, and daily operational planning.
- Identify inefficiencies and implement solutions to improve execution, productivity, and service flow.
- Support opening, closing, and shift transition procedures.
Quality Control & Product Stewardship
- Monitor ingredient quality, freshness, storage, and rotation.
- Ensure proper handling of proteins, seafood, produce, sauces, and specialty ingredients.
- Maintain strict portion control and minimize waste.
- Ensure dishes consistently meet CHICA's culinary and brand standards.
Leadership & Talent Development
- Train, mentor, and develop line cooks, prep cooks, and junior culinary team members.
- Foster a culture of accountability, professionalism, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
- Provide coaching, feedback, and performance development.
- Lead by example with strong kitchen presence and hands-on execution.
- Support recruiting, onboarding, and retention of culinary talent.
Financial & Inventory Controls
- Support inventory management, purchasing, receiving, and product utilization.
- Assist in monitoring food cost, labor cost, and waste reduction initiatives.
- Support cost-control measures while maintaining culinary quality.
- Ensure responsible product utilization and strong inventory discipline.
Food Safety & Compliance
- Maintain strict compliance with HACCP, food safety, sanitation, and health regulations.
- Ensure the kitchen remains clean, organized, and inspection-ready at all times.
- Enforce company safety standards and operational procedures.
Qualifications & Experience Required
- Minimum 3-5 years of progressive culinary experience with leadership responsibilities
- Strong experience in upscale, high-volume restaurant environments
- Strong culinary fundamentals, including butchery, sauces, knife skills, and station management
- Experience leading teams in fast-paced service environments
- Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills
- Food Handler Certification required upon employment
Preferred
- Strong knowledge of Latin cuisine or experience with Latin-inspired menus
- Luxury hospitality or chef-driven restaurant experience
- Formal culinary education or apprenticeship preferred
- Experience developing and mentoring culinary talent
Personal Attributes
- Strong leadership presence
- Calm and composed under pressure
- Highly disciplined and execution-focused
- Strong sense of urgency
- Passion for hospitality and culinary excellence
- Team-oriented and collaborative
Physical Requirements
- Ability to stand for extended periods
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
- Frequent bending, reaching, and repetitive kitchen movement
- Ability to work nights, weekends, holidays, and high-volume services
- Ability to perform in a fast-paced, high-pressure kitchen environment
Why Join CHICA
As a Sous Chef at CHICA, you will help lead a dynamic culinary team within one of Las Vegas' most exciting chef-driven dining concepts. This is an opportunity to grow within an environment where bold flavors, disciplined execution, and elevated hospitality define every service.