Sous Chef

Summary of Responsibilities:

The Sous Chef is responsible for all aspects of food preparation for all dining areas, catering events, and bar. This position ensures that all needed items are prepared focusing on quality, presentation, and schedule, and following production sheets, recipes, and temperature logs. This position assures meals service is satisfactory, following sanitation and Serv Safe procedures, observing and maintaining food storage, cooking temperatures, labeling and dating.

Essential Functions/Duties:

• Performs opening and closing procedures.
• Communicates to proper personnel through the correct channels when there are discrepancies with food items such as shortages, overages.
• Properly uses production sheets and temperature log books.
• Prepares, sets-up and monitors daily food production, special functions, service and resident satisfaction through proper food handling guidelines and portion control.
• Prepares all food items according to Serv Safe procedures.
• Makes sure service times are followed in all areas.
• Ensures all walk-ins, reach ins and storage areas are organized and all food is properly wrapped, labeled, dated and use by dated, and enforces Use By dates
• Ensures all foods are served at proper temperatures.
• Responsible for keeping food waste to a minimum and utilizing leftovers.
• Ensures food quality and serving lines by accurately following Serv Safe procedures, plate presentation, portion control and using standardized recipes.
• Replenishes food items as required.
• Maintains kitchen, dish room, and all storage areas in a clean and sanitary manner.
• Ensures the completing of sanitation assignments and logs in compliance with food and safety standards.
• Demonstrates interest in learning additional aspect of the job and offers suggestions to improve workflow.
• Completes sanitation expectations for all areas.
• Participate in and complete all required ongoing training, including monthly online and in-person training, annual skills competencies education, and role-specific certifications, to ensure continued competence and adherence to organizational and regulatory standards.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Strong proactive and efficient work ethic
• Ability to function in a fast-paced environment, with competing priorities and deadlines
• Demonstrated interpersonal communication, verbal and written

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• The Sous Chef provides day-to-day guidance and oversight to kitchen and utility staff in the absence or support of senior culinary leadership. This includes monitoring food preparation and service, enforcing sanitation and safety protocols, ensuring adherence to standardized recipes and temperature logs, and coordinating kitchen operations during opening, closing, and meal service. While this role may not carry direct hiring or disciplinary authority, it plays a key part in ensuring team compliance with operational standards and contributing to a collaborative, efficient kitchen environment.

Core Values:

• AMBASSADOR: Represents The Highlands at Wyomissing in a positive light with integrity. Takes pride in our community.
• COMMITMENT: Dedicated, adaptable, tolerant, dependable, focused, and passionate. Often does more than is required. Reports to work as scheduled and timely.
• COMPASSIONATE: Is empathetic, mindful, and kind.
• INNOVATIVE: Is curious. Identifies new methods and efficiencies.
• RESULTS-DRIVEN: Has a strong sense of urgency about solving problems and completing work. Exerts unusual effort over time to achieve a goal. Maintains commitment to goals in the face of obstacles and frustrations.
• TEAM ORIENTED: Works cooperatively and effectively with others to achieve common goals.

The Highlands' Traditions (Customer Service Expectations):

• SAFETY: Practices safe behaviors to ensure the safety of all.
• KINDNESS: Projects a positive image and energy. Courteous and respectful to all. Goes above and beyond to exceed customer expectations.
• SHOW: Takes pride in self-appearance. Stays in "character" and performs the "role in the show." Ensures work area is show-ready.
• EFFICIENCY: Performs role with consistency and efficiency. Uses time and resources wisely.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

• This position may be full-time or part-time in a health care facility that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Rotating shifts as well as weekend, holiday and work during inclement weather will be required.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• High school Diploma or GED (Required)
• Vocational / Technical Degree in Food Service (Preferred)
• 4-5 Years of high-volume cooking experience demonstrated proven culinary skills (Required)
• SERV Safe Certification (Preferred)
• Completion of the Highlands Hearthstone Ambassador training within 30 days of employment (Required)

Work Authorization/Security Clearances:

• Medical Screening
• Criminal History Clearance
• FBI Fingerprint Clearance (Only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 2 years)
• Immigration and naturalization (I-9) Clearance

Physical Requirements and Physical Demands:

• While performing duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Visual acuity must be adequate to perform job duties, including reading information from printed sources and computer screens.
• The position is continuously required to stand.
• This position frequently requires walking, bending, pulling with force, reaching above head, reaching above shoulder, lifting from floor level up, lifting from waist level up, lifting above shoulders/head, lifting 25 lbs., and occasionally lift and/or carrying objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
• This position occasionally requires sitting, climbing, crouching, squatting, crawling, kneeling, balancing, pushing/pulling (up to 350 lbs.), lifting 100 lbs. maximum, and frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
• This position seldomly requires lifting objects in excess of 100 lbs.

Safety Hazards and Physical Environment:

• May be exposed to blood borne pathogens - Low Risk
• May be exposed to communicable diseases
• May be exposed to extreme conditions, (i.e. heat or cold)
• May be exposed to high noise levels
• May be exposed to moving mechanical parts
• May be exposed to potential electrical shock
• May be exposed to toxic, caustic, chemicals, and / or detergents
• May be exposed to rare occasions during which it is necessary to interact with a resident exhibiting aggressive behavior.