Bistro Sous Chef

Position Summary:

We are inviting passionate culinarians to check out what is happening with the Graton Resort and Casino. We are introducing a new line of restaurants beginning with Bistro at Graton coming online in December of this year. Additionally, we are expanding our casino and adding more new restaurants in 2024. Bistro at Graton is a Chef-driven restaurant concept built on the idea of using sustainable ingredients sourced through local artisan farmers, growers, and purveyors. We are developing a food forward, multi-use operation featuring exciting meal periods, fashionable cuisine, and live entertainment.

The Sous Chef acts as the second in command to the Head Chef in the kitchen, following and enforcing all health and safety guidelines. Responsibilities include recruiting new Team Members, responding to guest opportunities, and developing menu items.

Essential Functions:
1. Responsible for redefining hospitality at Graton Resort & Casino  while living, supporting, and promoting our values.
2. Assist in the creative development of compelling new menu items, drive the menu concept ideations process and maintain a pipeline of new concepts, and identify new culinary techniques and presentations.
3. Explore new and exciting culinary techniques and presentations; leverage inspiration from industry trends, seasonality, ethnic and international cuisine, search for opportunities to infuse creativity into the development process, evolve cooking styles throughout the team.
4. Assist in supervision of all activity in the restaurant production kitchens and emphasize focus on Team Member training, mentorship, menu & product development.
5. Plan and create new menu items for core menu, large party group menus, VIP Speakeasy secret menu.
6. Work with the Graton farm team to utilize harvested produce into the restaurant food program.
7. Conduct daily audits and vendor reviews to ensure all products meet minimum quality standards.
8. Follow health, safety and sanitation guidelines, develop a strong foundation for health and sanitation standards and conduct monthly health inspections with an independent agency.
9. Assist with the preparation and planning of meals by providing support to line cooks.
10. Monitor and record inventory, and place orders as needed.
11. Conduct month-end inventory of food and beverages.
12. Foster and promote a cooperative working climate, maximizing productivity and Team Member morale, serve as a role model and mentor to the line cooks, maintain a professional kitchen culture and drive exceptional quality products and guest experiences.
13. Maintain quality control of products, equipment, supplies and services, ensuring excellent and consistent quality of service and presentation. Ensure kitchen workstations are set up with established par levels of inventory prior to beginning of meal service.
14. Ensure that kitchens and equipment are in good working order to ensure a clean and hazard free work area that complies with the Department of Health, OSHA, and Graton Resort & Casino's guidelines.
15. Responsible for handling any Team Member or guest opportunities.
16. Evaluate and oversee job performance of Team Members, coach and counsel Team Members who are not meeting standards. Understand the steps of discipline according to Graton Resort & Casino's policies.
17. Set schedules and specific job duties, while maintaining Team Members' hours for proper staffing as defined through established service standards.
18. Conduct group and individual training regarding policies and procedures on an ongoing basis. Set daily, weekly, and monthly goals and opportunities and lead the unit to achieve the desired result.
19. Hold daily Team Member huddles and maintain communication boards to communicate pertinent information to Team Members.
20. Properly maintain Team Member records (i.e. Time & Attendance and corrective counseling).
21. Responsible for participating in the creation of annual budgets and managing and leading the unit in all forecasting and cost controls to meet or exceed units operating financial potentials and goals.