Chef, Sous Chef

WHO WE ARE:

Saks Fifth Avenue is a leading destination for luxury fashion, blending bold curation with a visionary, modern point of view. Since its inception in 1924, the company has delivered one-of-a-kind shopping experiences, featuring an expertly curated assortment of fashion and highly personalized customer service. Through an integrated retail model, we deliver a seamless customer journey across our portfolio of stores in leading luxury markets, complemented by a strong digital presence and remote selling offerings. Saks Fifth Avenue is part of Exemplar Luxury Group, the luxury collective uniting coveted brands with unrivaled customer experiences.

Job Description:

YOU WILL BE: The Restaurant Sous Chef is a critical culinary leader who promotes the excellence of Saks Global Restaurants. In this role, you will build and inspire a professional culinary team, driving them to create top-tier experiences for our guests. You will seamlessly oversee daily kitchen operations, manage high-profile catering and special events, and execute key restaurant initiatives while maintaining immaculate culinary standards. WHAT YOU WILL DO: • Culinary Operations & Line Leadership • Expediting & Service Flow: Monitors, organizes, and expedites all plates leaving the kitchen to guarantee flawless presentation, temperature, and flavor profile before reaching the guest. • Station Readiness: Inspects each Cook station daily to monitor prep lists, par levels, and overall service readiness. • Menu & Specials Innovation: Creates and executes daily specials and soups, upkeeping the current recipe book and providing clear instructions to designated kitchen stations. • Hands-on Versatility: Maintains technical mastery of all kitchen roles, possessing the skills and agility to step into any culinary position on the line as operational needs dictate. • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Works closely with the Front of House (FOH) staff to seamlessly execute tickets, handle dietary restrictions, and accommodate special guest requests. • Kitchen Administration & Financial Control • Food Cost Management: Monitors, measures, and documents daily food inventories to minimize waste and optimize food cost percentages. • Inventory & Purchasing: Manages inventory counts, processes batch invoices, and assists with month-end forecasts. Partner with the Executive Chef to order food and supplies in strict accordance with Corporate Purchasing Contracts. • Catering & Events: Collaborates with culinary leadership to plan, organize, and execute catering menus, private parties, and special restaurant promotions. • Performance Metrics: Drives the culinary team to achieve and maintain a 90% score or better on seasonal secret shop reports and health sanitation evaluations. • Food Safety, Sanitation & Quality Compliance • Impeccable Cleanliness: Oversees the rigorous maintenance and cleanliness across all kitchens, walk-ins, and storage areas. • Regulatory Adherence: Enforces all Health and Sanitation standards as directed by Saks Global, local/federal Health Departments, and third-party sanitation auditors. • Associate Development & Leadership • Team Performance: Oversees culinary Associates in completing daily tasks, fostering a culture of accountability and professional growth. • Coaching & Mentorship: Responsible for onboarding, coaching, and counseling direct reports, offering real-time feedback and culinary instruction. • Conflict Resolution: Enforces Saks Global policies and procedures uniformly, delivering disciplinary action and conflict resolution when necessary. • Culinary & Leadership Communications • BOH Alignment: Communicates daily and effectively with all line cooks, prep cooks, and stewarding/dish crew members to ensure kitchen synergy. • Management Integration: Partners closely with the Executive Chef and communicates daily with the broader restaurant management team regarding scheduling, P&L reports, and employee relations. • Interdepartmental Briefings: Participates in weekly department manager meetings, relaying pertinent updates to other business units and cascading critical corporate news back to the kitchen staff. WHAT YOU WILL BRING: • 4–6 years of progressive culinary experience in a premium, fine-dining, or luxury high-volume kitchen. • 4-year degree or culinary arts degree preferred. • Leadership Track Record: A proven history of leading, motivating, and coaching kitchen teams to achieve high-performance culinary objectives. • Business Acumen: Foundational financial acumen with experience managing food costs, waste, and inventory tracking. • Interpersonal Skills: Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively and tactfully resolve conflicts and collaborate across all levels of the organization. • Service Knowledge: Thorough knowledge of the order of service, kitchen ticket systems, and proper presentation guidelines. • Attributes: Strong attention to detail, highly organized, and an exceptional problem-solver under pressure with a "win together" team mentality. • Technical Savvy: Basic proficiency with Google Workspace and MS Office Product Suite (advanced proficiency preferred). • Physical Demands: Role requires physical stamina for extended standing, bending, climbing stairs, working in high-temperature environments, and lifting/carrying up to 35 pounds. • Scheduling Flexibility: Must be willing to work a flexible schedule tailored to hospitality business needs, which will include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

YOUR LIFE AND CAREER AT EXEMPLAR LUXURY GROUP:

• Opportunity to work in a dynamic fast paced environment at a company experiencing growth and transformation 

• Exposure to rewarding career advancement opportunities across the largest multi-brand luxury retailer from retail to distribution, to digital or corporate 

• Comprehensive benefits package for all eligible full-time employees (including medical, vision and dental)
• An amazing employee discount

Benefits: We offer the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, basic life insurance, supplemental life insurance, disability insurance, and a variety of additional voluntary benefits (such as critical illness, hospital and accident insurance).

Thank you for your interest with Exemplar Luxury Group. We look forward to reviewing your application.

Exemplar Luxury Group is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with Exemplar Luxury Group and would like to request special assistance or an accommodation, please contact candidatesupport@exemplarluxury.com.

Salary Range $70,915 - $88,644*

Compensation for this role varies by geographic location. The listed range reflects multiple markets, including higher-cost areas. Actual starting pay will be determined based on work location, experience, and other job-related factors.