What does a Sous Chef do?
Sous Chefs prepare the ingredients for the Head Chef. They also oversee the kitchen operations so that Head Chefs are left to focus on cooking the dishes, according to a restaurant’s recipes and menu. A Sous Chef resolves conflicts and disciplines kitchen staff so that kitchen and food preparation activities are not disrupted. They also plan and assign duties to kitchen staff every morning and set targets for them to meet by the end of the day to ensure the restaurant runs smoothly. A Sous Chef sometimes invites potential diners or clients to food tastings as a way of marketing a restaurant’s dishes.
Sous Chef skills and qualifications
A successful Sous Chef will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications that typically include:
- In-depth knowledge of the kitchen’s routines and utensils
- Ability to grasp and follow the Head Chef’s culinary instructions
- Knowledge of food preparation methods and presentation
- Knowledge of how to maintain and care for culinary utensils
- Diplomatic and conflict resolution skills
- Leadership skills
- Ability to work under pressure through rapid deadlines
Sous Chef experience requirements
The experience requirements of a Sous Chef can depend on the Head Chef they worked under, the size and a restaurant’s geographical location. Sous Chefs working in large and busy restaurants under several Head Chefs have diverse culinary and leadership skills and managerial abilities. Restaurants prefer hiring Sous Chefs with at least four years of culinary work experience.
Sous Chef education and training requirements
Sous Chefs are required to have a secondary school education and have a culinary or hospitality certificate, a Level 3 Diploma in Professional Cookery or Level 4 Diploma in Professional Culinary Arts or a similar degree from accredited institutions. Other Sous Chefs start at lower position in the kitchen like dishwashing and work their way up the ranks as they gain cooking experience at restaurants. These culinary studies can take from four months to about four years to complete. Basic first aid qualifications are often useful to respond to any kitchen accidents.
Sous Chef salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary of a Sous Chef in the UK is £27,125 per year. The salary figures depends on factors such as a Sous Chef’s education, work experience and a restaurant’s geographical location and prestige level.
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