Junior Sous Chef - Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! by Marriott Cape Town at Marriott International

JOB SUMMARY 

• Entry level management position that focuses on successfully accomplishing the daily objectives in the kitchen.  Assists in leading staff while personally assisting in all areas of the kitchen, including food production; purchasing and kitchen sanitation. Position contributes to ensuring guest and employee satisfaction while maintaining the operating budget. 

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 4 years experience in the culinary, food and beverage, or related professional area.

OR

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; 2 years experience in the culinary, food and beverage, or related professional area.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES 

Ensuring Culinary Standards and Responsibilities are Met

• Maintains food handling and sanitation standards.
• Performs all duties of Culinary and related kitchen area employees in high demand times.
• Oversees production and preparation of culinary items.
• Ensures employees keep their work areas clean and sanitary.
• Works with Restaurant and Banquet departments to coordinate service and timing of events and meals.
• Complies with loss prevention policies and procedures.
• Strives to improve service performance.
• Communicates areas in need of attention to staff and follows up to ensure follow through.
• Leads shifts while personally preparing food items and executing requests based on required specifications.
• Prepares and cooks foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.
• Supervises and coordinates activities of cooks and workers engaged in food preparation.
• Checks the quality of raw and cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
• Assists in determining how food should be presented and creates decorative food displays.

Supporting Culinary Team Activities

• Supervises daily shift operations.
• Ensures all employees have proper supplies, equipment and uniforms.
• Supervises staffing levels to ensure that guest service, operational needs and financial objectives are met.
• Ensures completion of assigned duties.
• Participates in the employee performance appraisal process, giving feedback as needed.
• Handles employee questions and concerns.
• Communicates performance expectations in accordance with job descriptions for each position.
• Participates in an on-going employee recognition program.
• Conducts training when appropriate.
• Monitors employee's progress towards meeting performance expectations.

Maintaining Culinary Goals

• Participates in department meetings and continually communicates a clear and consistent message regarding the departmental goals to produce desired results.
• Supports and assists with new menus, concepts and promotions for the Restaurant outlets and Banquets.

Providing Exceptional Customer Service

• Sets a positive example for guest relations.
• Handles guest problems and complaints seeking assistance from supervisor as necessary.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service within guidelines.

Additional Responsibilities

• Reports malfunctions in department equipment.
• Purchases appropriate supplies and manages food and supply inventories according to budget.
• Attends and participates in all pertinent meetings.

MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

Leadership

• Adaptability - Maintains performance level under pressure or when experiencing changes or challenges in the workplace.   
• Communication - Conveys information and ideas to others in a convincing and engaging manner through a variety of methods.
• Problem Solving and Decision Making - Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; obtains and compares information from different sources to draw conclusions, develop and evaluate alternatives and solutions, solve problems, and choose a course of action.
• Professional Demeanor - Exhibits behavioral styles that convey confidence and command respect from others; makes a good first impression and represents the company in alignment with its values.

Managing Execution

• Building and Contributing to Teams - Actively participates as a member of a team to move the team toward the completion of goals.
• Driving for Results - Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; assumes responsibility for work objectives; initiates, focuses, and monitors the efforts of self and/or others toward the accomplishment goals; proactively takes action and goes beyond what is required.
• Planning and Organizing - Gathers information and resources required to set a plan of action for self and/or others; prioritizes and arranges work requirements to accomplish goals and ensure work is completed.

Building Relationships

• Coworker Relationships - Interacts with others in a way that builds openness, trust, and confidence in the pursuit of organizational goals and lasting relationships. 
• Customer Relationships - Develops and sustains relationships based on an understanding of customer needs and actions consistent with the company’s service standards.
• Global Mindset - Supports employees and business partners with diverse styles, abilities, motivations, and/or cultural perspectives; utilizes differences to drive innovation, engagement and enhance business results; and ensures employees are given the opportunity to contribute to their full potential.

Generating Talent and Organizational Capability 

• Organizational Capability - Evaluates and adapts the structure of own assignments and suggests improvements to work processes to best fit the needs and/or support the goals of an organizational unit.
• Talent Management - Provides support and feedback to help individuals develop and strengthen skills and abilities needed to accomplish work objectives.

Learning and Applying Professional Expertise

• Applied Learning - Seeks and makes the most of learning opportunities to improve performance of self and/or others.
• Business Acumen - Understands and utilizes business information to manage everyday operations.
• Technical Acumen - Understands and utilizes professional skills and knowledge in a specific functional area to conduct.
• Basic Cookery - Knowledge of procedures and techniques for mixing, thawing, baking, and cooking, measurement tools, recipe execution (expanding and condensing as necessary), and methods for innovative preparation and presentation.
• Food Production and Presentation - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for preparing and presenting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques and sanitation standards.
• Cooking - Ability to prepare and present meals utilizing culinary principles, standards, techniques and equipment (e.g., grilling, sautéing, broiling, baking, using decorative food displays, following recipes).
• Food Storage and Rotation - Knowledge of procedures and temperatures for storing and rotating food stock in coolers, refrigerators, freezers, dry storage, etc. to maintain freshness ("First In, First Out").  This includes preparing, labeling, dating, rotating, and pulling perishable foods and drinks in accordance with storage guidelines; identifying food products that do not meet company or compliance standards; and knowledge of policies and procedures for discarding food items or products.
• Food Handling - Knowledge of basic food handling policies and procedures, as well as the procedures for assisting cooks in serving or preparing food.
• Kitchen Maintenance - Knowledge of general maintenance procedures and standards of cleanliness for the food storage and preparation areas.
• Kitchen Tools and Equipment - The ability to use and store kitchen tools (e.g., cutting tools, knives, tongs, slicers, spatulas) and ability to use kitchen equipment (e.g., grills, ovens, steam tables, deep fryers, kettles) properly and safely.
• Supply Storage - Knowledge of proper storage procedures for cookware, flatware, and supplies.
• Purchasing and Materials Management - Knowledge of practices and procedures needed to maintain material, equipment and supplies; including vendor identification and contract negotiation, supply requisition and purchasing, and inventory control.

Basic Competencies - Fundamental competencies required for accomplishing basic work activities.

• Basic Computer Skills - Uses basic computer hardware and software (e.g., personal computers, word processing software, Internet browsers, etc.).
• Mathematical Reasoning - Demonstrates ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly, correctly, and in a way that allows one to solve work-related issues.
• Oral Comprehension - Demonstrates ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Reading Comprehension - Demonstrates understanding of written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
• Writing - Communicates effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.