Sous Chef - Paid Holidays, Benefits, and Limited Weekends!

HHMI is focused on supporting and moving science forward in a variety of different ways ranging from conducting basic biomedical research, empowering educators, inspiring students, developing the next generation of scientists - even stretching into film and media production. Our Headquarters is in the greater Washington, DC metro area and is home to over 300 employees with expertise in investments, communications, digital production, biomedical sciences, and everything in between. The work housed here supports and augments the groundbreaking research conducted in HHMI labs across the nation. As HHMI scientists continue to push boundaries in laboratories and classrooms, you can be sure that your contributions while working here are making a difference.

Summary:

You don't have to give up creativity for stability! The additional Sous chef role at HHMI provides both. Enjoy the passion of restaurant-level creative menu ideation and decision-making while also enjoying the pay, holidays off, benefits, and work-life balance of a successful organization.

The ideal person for this job will have a strong culinary background, excellent leadership skills, and a passion for creating exceptional dining experiences. They will coordinate kitchen operations and manage kitchen staff. They will be responsible for guiding and developing staff during their shift. This role assists with menu planning and supports our efforts to continually improve dining satisfaction. They will handle administrative tasks such as checking inventory, scheduling, ordering, and data analytics using technical platforms, including Excel. They also ensure that food is top quality, the kitchen is in good condition, and sanitation and food standards are achieved.

The role requires flexibility, a great attitude, a strong focus on detail, and a hospitality and collaborative approach.

What we provide:

• A leadership position with the opportunity to create recipes, develop banquet and catering skills, and the chance to support the growth of a diverse team.

• Holidays off, limited weekends, and phenomenal benefits. As a member of our kitchen, you will have holidays off, predominantly work weekdays, and have access to quality benefits.

• An Executive Chef who believes in their team's capability and works diligently to champion everyone's growth.

• A team that believes in continuous learning and cultivates an environment where all team members help each other.

• A competitive compensation package that includes up to $10,000 in educational reimbursement each year and a significant budget for professional development.

What you'll do:

• Assist the Executive Chef with all kitchen operations.

• Supervises up to 15 kitchen staff in the absence of the Executive Chef.

• Mentoring and coaching staff on performance, procedures, and behavior.

• Create and maintain open, collegial relationships with peers and ensure they do the same within a team.

• Develop well-balanced menus that prioritize both flavor and health, ensuring they accommodate various dietary needs such as allergies, preferences, and nutritional guidelines while maintaining creativity and variety.

• Manage inventory by recommending the purchasing of food supplies and equipment.

• Estimate daily production needs on a weekly basis and communicate production needs to kitchen personnel daily.

• Assist in planning and implementing production for conference and internal catering events

• Assist the Executive chef in creating weekly staffing schedules based on business needs.

• Ability to make decisions with minimal direction, displaying a clear sense of ownership and accountability.

• Must maintain a flexible schedule, sometimes working late nights and on weekends to accommodate the varying needs of a conference center operation and corporate environment.

• Develop and maintain HAACCP plans in accordance with local, state, and federal food safety laws.

• Ensure kitchen sanitation and safety.

What you bring:

• High school diploma or equivalent.

  • AOS degree in culinary preferred but not required.

• 5 or more years experience as a line cook or sous chef.

• Must be ServSafe or equivalent certification for safe food handling.

• General professional kitchen knowledge around equipment use, maintenance, sanitation and safety, and ordering and tracking inventory.

• Interpersonal skills to effectively communicate and resolve problems when supervising kitchen staff and when working with vendors.

• Computer skills in a Microsoft Windows environment. Must include Excel and skills in database management and record keeping.

• Ability to plan food and beverage supply requirements and to operate within a prescribed budget.

• Ability to develop creative and appetizing meal menus and recipes.

• Ability to maintain multiple food preparation and serving operations for the main dining room, conferences, and special meetings.

• A strong desire to challenge oneself to learn new skills and broaden their expertise using available developmental resources.

• Feels empowered to try innovative approaches, do things differently, and share lessons learned with others.

Physical Requirements:

Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods of time; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example using a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about workspace. The position requires mobility, including the ability to move materials weighing up to 50 pounds.

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Compensation and Benefits

Our employees are compensated from a total rewards perspective in many ways for their contributions to our mission, including competitive pay, exceptional health benefits, retirement plans, time off, and a range of recognition and wellness programs. Visit our Benefits at HHMI site to learn more.

Compensation Range

Pay Type:

HHMI's salary structure is developed based on relevant job market data. HHMI considers a candidate's education, previous experiences, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity when making job offers. Typically, a new hire for this position in this location is compensated between the minimum and the midpoint of the salary range.

HHMI is an Equal Opportunity Employer