Hospitality glossary · Jobs and roles
A sous chef is the second in command in a kitchen, working directly under the head chef (“sous” is French for “under”). They run the kitchen day to day and take charge when the head chef is off.
In practice
Definitions are easy. What matters is how the thing behaves in a real operation, and where it tends to go wrong.
In most UK kitchens the sous chef helps write the rota, orders stock, keeps food safety records up to date and often runs the pass during service. A large kitchen may have several, with a senior sous chef above the others. For many chefs it is the first job where they manage people, money and paperwork as well as food.
Using the sous chef to fill every gap in the rota. A sous who works every shift the head chef does not, and cooks on a section as well, has no time for the ordering, training and records that are the real job, and soon gets worn out. Give them time off the stove each week to do that work.
Questions
Something here that doesn’t match what you’re seeing in your own business? That is usually worth a conversation rather than another article.
A sous chef is the second in command in a kitchen, working directly under the head chef (“sous” is French for “under”). They run the kitchen day to day and take charge when the head chef is off. In most UK kitchens the sous chef helps write the rota, orders stock, keeps food safety records up to date and often runs the pass during service. A large kitchen may have several, with a senior sous chef above the others. For many chefs it is the first job where they manage people, money and paperwork as well as food.
Using the sous chef to fill every gap in the rota. A sous who works every shift the head chef does not, and cooks on a section as well, has no time for the ordering, training and records that are the real job, and soon gets worn out. Give them time off the stove each week to do that work.
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