Sous Chef

Want to be a part of a new an exciting opportunity and be part of a team that will set Graton Resort and Casino's newest Bistro on the map?

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:

• Responsible for redefining hospitality at Graton Resort & Casino while living, supporting, and promoting our values.
• 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.
• 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.
• Assist in supervision of all activity in the restaurant production kitchens and emphasize focus on Team Member training, mentorship, menu & product development.
• Plan and create new menu items for core menu, large party group menus, VIP Speakeasy secret menu.
• Work with the Graton farm team to utilize harvested produce into the restaurant food program.
• Conduct daily audits and vendor reviews to ensure all products meet minimum quality standards.
• Follow health, safety and sanitation guidelines, develop a strong foundation for health and sanitation standards and conduct monthly health inspections with an independent agency.
• Assist with the preparation and planning of meals by providing support to line cooks.
• Monitor and record inventory, and place orders as needed.
• Conduct month-end inventory of food and beverages.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Responsible for handling any Team Member or guest opportunities.
• 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.
• Set schedules and specific job duties, while maintaining Team Members' hours for proper staffing as defined through established service standards.
• 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.
• Hold daily Team Member huddles and maintain communication boards to communicate pertinent information to Team Members.
• Properly maintain Team Member records (i.e. Time & Attendance and corrective counseling).
• 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.

Required Qualifications:

• Ability to communicate effectively with Guests, Team Members and Management in both written and verbal form.
• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Two (2) years culinary experience in a related field preferred.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Demonstrate competence in the fundamentals of cooking and professional terminology.
• Demonstrated ability to develop culinary and beverage products in a high-volume environment.
• Must possess analytical, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
• Comprehensive food knowledge, which includes basic knowledge of profit and loss statements, cost control, menu planning, budgeting, training, inventory control and sanitation.
• Must possess the ability to work hands-on in any kitchen environment pertaining to a three-meal period and high-volume production in fine dining, butchering, baking, soups, stocks, sauces, roasting, sauteing, broiling, grilling, and cold food production.
• Ability to handle a flexible schedule and work weekends, holidays and shifts.
• Ability to delegate, empower and evaluate Team Members to achieve desired objectives with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Must be able to obtain a gaming license from the Graton Gaming Commission.
• Must possess or obtain a California Food Handler Certification.

Physical Requirements:

• Requires manual dexterity to operate job related equipment.
• Must be capable of lifting 50 pounds, push 150-250 pound pushcart, in/out of walk-ins of -10 degrees to 140 degrees with or without assistance.
• Requires the physical ability to stand for long periods of time, walk frequently, bend or reach to a height of six feet with or without assistance.
• Requires normal sense of smell, taste and touch.