What does a sous chef do?

What is a Sous Chef?

A sous chef (pronounced soo-chef) is the second-in-command in a professional kitchen, directly beneath the executive or head chef. The term sous is French for ‘under,’ so ‘sous chef’ literally means ‘under chef.’

In short, a good sous chef helps keep the kitchen running smoothly and supports the head chef’s vision. Without them, things can get messy fast—orders may be delayed, mistakes can happen, and food quality might suffer. They play a key role in keeping everything organized, consistent, and up to the high standards expected in a busy kitchen.

What does a Sous Chef do?

Duties and Responsibilities
The sous chef acts as the operational leader in the kitchen. Their role includes:

• Supervising Kitchen Staff – Sous chefs oversee and coordinate the work of cooks, prep chefs, and other kitchen employees, ensuring that tasks are completed properly and on time.
• Managing Daily Operations – They often help the executive chef with planning menus and are frequently responsible for ordering ingredients and maintaining inventory, scheduling staff, and organizing kitchen activities for smooth service.
• Food Preparation and Cooking – In some kitchens, the sous chef is actively involved in cooking, preparing dishes, and ensuring the quality and presentation meet the restaurant’s standards.
• Quality Control – They check food for taste, texture, and presentation before it’s served, ensuring quality and consistency.
• Training and Mentoring – The sous chef is often responsible for training and guiding junior kitchen staff, providing hands-on instruction and leadership.
• Health and Safety Compliance – They ensure the kitchen adheres to health codes and safety standards, maintaining a clean, organized, and safe work environment.
• Stepping In for the Executive Chef – In the absence of the executive chef, the sous chef takes over leadership, managing the kitchen and making key decisions.

Different Types of Sous Chefs
There can be different types of sous chefs, especially in large or high-end kitchens, where the hierarchy is more complex. While ‘sous chef’ generally refers to the second-in-command, some kitchens divide the role further to handle specific responsibilities more efficiently. Here are a few common variations:

• Executive or Senior Sous Chef – acts as the direct assistant to the executive chef. The leadership role generally includes administrative tasks such as staff scheduling, ordering, and overall kitchen management
• Junior Sous Chef – supports both the sous and executive chefs, often taking on more hands-on cooking and team supervision
• Garde-manger Sous Chef – oversees the cold kitchen, responsible for salads, cold appetizers, terrines, pâtés, and charcuterie
• Grill Sous Chef – oversees the grill station, which focuses specifically on grilling meats, seafood, vegetables, and other foods, ensuring they are cooked to perfection and presented according to the restaurant’s standards
• Seafood Sous Chef – focuses on the selection, preparation, and cooking of fish and seafood, ensuring freshness and proper technique
• Saucier/ Sauté Sous Chef – specializes in sauces, stocks, and sautéed items, which, in classical French kitchens, is one of the most skilled and respected positions
• Pastry Sous Chef – specializes in desserts, baked goods, and pastries, working closely with or under a head pastry chef in establishments that have a dedicated pastry department
• Butchery Sous Chef – handles meat preparation, including breaking down whole animals, portioning cuts, and maintaining quality and hygiene standards in the meat department
• Banquet Sous Chef – focuses on large-scale meal preparation for events and banquets, handling logistics, timing, and coordination with front of house teams (a role common in hotels/resorts or catering operations)

What is the workplace of a Sous Chef like?

Sous chefs are employed by a wide range of establishments in the foodservice and hospitality industry, including:

• Restaurants – From small bistros to high-end fine dining venues, most restaurants with a professional kitchen employ at least one sous chef to help manage kitchen operations.
• Hotels and Resorts – Large hotel kitchens often have multiple sous chefs to manage different meal services (e.g., breakfast, banquets, room service) or specialty areas like pastry and butchery.
• Catering Companies – Sous chefs in catering manage food preparation for events.
• Cruise Lines and Airlines – These operations require sous chefs to help prepare large quantities of food while maintaining variety and quality for passengers.
• Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities – Larger healthcare institutions may employ sous chefs to help plan and prepare meals that meet dietary guidelines while also being appealing and nutritious.
• Corporate and University Dining Services – Companies and universities with large dining programs often employ sous chefs to help manage food preparation for cafeterias, events, and executive dining rooms.
• Private Households – Wealthy individuals or families may employ a sous chef to assist a personal executive chef in managing meal planning and preparation at home.

The workplace of a sous chef is typically a fast-paced, high-pressure kitchen environment where precision, teamwork, and time management are essential. Sous chefs spend most of their time on their feet in commercial kitchens, which can be hot, noisy, and crowded, especially during busy service hours. In settings where the kitchen is large and divided into specialized stations, the sous chef moves among these areas, supervising, assisting, and problem solving. Their workspace includes stovetops, ovens, prep tables, refrigeration units, and sanitation stations.

Work hours can be long, irregular, and include evenings, weekends, and holidays. Despite the intensity, it’s a highly collaborative and creative environment where attention to detail, communication, and leadership are key to maintaining smooth kitchen operations and delivering a high-quality dining experience.