Sous Chef - Upscale / Fine-Dining

Sous Chef

Upscale/Fine Dining | Chicago, IL

Salary:$75,000 to $85,000 annually

An established upscale/fine-dining restaurant in Chicago is seeking an experienced Sous Chef to join its culinary leadership team. This is an outstanding opportunity for a passionate chef who thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume environment and is committed to culinary excellence, team development, and delivering exceptional guest experiences.

Working alongside the Executive Chef, you'll help oversee daily kitchen operations while maintaining the highest standards of food quality, consistency, profitability, and sanitation.

Responsibilities

• Assist in leading daily kitchen operations in a high-volume, upscale/fine-dining environment.
• Ensure exceptional food quality, consistency, presentation, and execution.
• Support menu development, seasonal features, and special events.
• Manage food cost, labor, inventory, purchasing, and kitchen productivity.
• Utilize Restaurant365 or similar restaurant management software.
• Recruit, train, coach, and mentor culinary team members.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, sanitation, and health department standards.
• Partner with front-of-house leadership to deliver seamless service and outstanding guest experiences.
• Lead by example during busy service periods with professionalism, urgency, and attention to detail.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of Sous Chef or Senior Sous Chef experience in an upscale/fine-dining restaurant.
• Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing culinary teams.
• Strong understanding of food cost, labor management, inventory, and purchasing.
• Experience with Restaurant365 or similar inventory management software preferred.
• Food Safety Manager Certification.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Preferred

• Experience opening new restaurants or supporting major culinary transitions.
• Culinary degree or formal culinary training.
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.

Compensation & Benefits

• $75,000 to $85,000 annual salary
• Performance-based bonus opportunity
• Comprehensive health benefits
• Paid time off
• Career growth opportunities
• Collaborative, team-oriented culture

If you're a hands-on culinary leader who enjoys leading from the line, developing talented teams, and delivering exceptional dining experiences, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today to be considered for this Sous Chef opportunity in Chicago, IL.

The Restaurant Zone is a leading hospitality recruitment agency specializing in connecting top-tier talent with restaurants, hotels, and hospitality groups across the United States. We partner with growing brands and established operators to deliver high-quality candidates for management, executive, and specialized roles. Our team combines industry expertise, a vast candidate network, and a results-driven approach to help businesses build strong, reliable teams. At The Restaurant Zone, we focus on speed, quality, and long-term fit—ensuring both clients and candidates succeed.