Hotel ZaZa is a boutique luxury brand known for its bold style, exceptional service, and unforgettable guest experiences. With properties in Houston, Austin, and Dallas, we blend artful design with a vibrant atmosphere that captures the spirit of Texas.
Position Summary
The Sous Chef owns the daily operation of the culinary program alongside the Executive Sous Chef and Executive Chef, drives the creative development of menus that are bold, seasonally rooted, and unmistakably ZaZa, and builds a kitchen culture where every team member — from the newest Cook III to the most seasoned Chef de Partie — feels genuinely invested in something worth being proud of. Guided by ZaZa’s six founding principles, the Sous Chef brings our vision to life through disciplined craft, fearless creativity, and an absolute refusal to be average. Safe and delicious food is the floor, not the ceiling. The city is watching. This role leads it.
Key Responsibilities
- Collaborate directly and continuously with the Executive Chef in the development, refinement, and evolution of all menus across the property’s culinary outlets, ensuring each is seasonally alive, locally rooted where possible, and unmistakably ZaZa in identity and execution.
- Actively contribute original culinary ideas, techniques, and creative concepts to the menu development process; bring technical mastery, cultural curiosity, and the courage to provoke, surprise, and delight through food.
- Drive the property’s commitment to culinary relevance by staying deeply attuned to emerging food culture, regional ingredient sourcing, and the cultural currents moving through the communities our guests live in and love.
- Develop and execute daily features, seasonal programming, tableside experiences, and menu innovations that engineer the unexpected moments ZaZa is known for — moments guests talk about the next day.
- Maintain comprehensive, detailed recipe documentation, plating specifications, and culinary standards for all menu items across all outlets.
- Own the full daily operational scope of the culinary team in partnership with the Executive Chef: production flow, mise en place standards, station quality, service execution across all outlets, and post-service debrief.
- Hold every station, every Chef de Partie, and every team member to the ZaZa standard without exception; refuse average output at every level of the operation.
- Oversee kitchen scheduling, labor management, and staffing plans in alignment with business volume, budget parameters, and the service standards that define the ZaZa experience.
- Manage food cost, yield, portioning, waste reduction, and ordering processes with precision and full financial accountability; drive cost efficiency with the discipline of someone who knows quality and cost are not in opposition.
- Lead all pre-service lineups, station tastings, and daily team briefings; ensure every team member enters each service period informed, aligned, energized, and proud of what they are about to produce.
- Maintain absolute compliance with HACCP, all local health department regulations, and hotel food safety standards across the full kitchen operation without tolerance for deviation.
- Oversee the execution of VIP dining programs, special events, banquets, and culinary activations at the level of hospitality precision ZaZa demands.
- Lead, develop, inspire, and formally manage the Chef de Partie team and the broader cook brigade; build a kitchen culture that makes ZaZa Principle 6 a daily lived reality: People First. Nobody Achieves Greatness Alone.
- Partner with the Executive Chef in identifying, recruiting, and retaining culinary talent who reflect ZaZa’s values, creative ambition, and uncompromising commitment to the craft.
- Drive a consistent culture of mentorship, creative freedom, accountability, and mutual respect throughout the culinary team — from the back-of-house to the pass and everything in between.
- Conduct formal and informal performance conversations, coaching sessions, and development plans for Chef de Partie and senior Cook I team members with honesty, care, and genuine investment in their futures.
- Champion the professional advancement of every person in the brigade; model ZaZa’s belief that our greatest ingredient walks through the back door every morning.
- Collaborate closely and productively with front-of-house leadership, the bar team, and the broader F&B division to ensure the guest experience is seamless, cohesive, and extraordinary from first impression to last.
Qualifications
- Culinary degree from an accredited institution is preferred but not required.
- Minimum of 6 to 8 years of progressive culinary experience including a minimum of 2 to 3 years in a formal leadership role in a luxury hotel, resort, or comparable upscale hospitality or fine dining environment. Demonstrated, hands-on experience contributing to menu development, seasonal culinary programming, and culinary brand identity is required.
- Prior leadership experience in a Forbes Four or Five Star, AAA Four or Five Diamond, or luxury lifestyle hotel or resort brand
- Demonstrated history of original menu development, seasonal culinary programming, and active contribution to culinary brand identity
- Established professional presence within the local culinary community and regional food and beverage culture
- Experience with the opening or creative repositioning of a culinary program
- Track record of successfully developing team members through the Cook → Chef de Partie → Sous Chef career pathway
- ServSafe Food Manager Certification or equivalent
Physical Requirements:
- Must be able to stand and walk continuously on hard surfaces for up to 10 to 12 hours per shift
- Must be able to lift, carry, and transport items weighing up to 50 lbs without assistance
- Frequent bending, stooping, kneeling, and reaching in confined kitchen workspaces throughout the shift
- Manual dexterity required for knife work, portioning, plating, and detailed food preparation
- Must be able to work in environments with significant temperature variation including high heat from cooking equipment and cold from refrigerated and freezer storage areas
- Ability to sustain a consistent physical pace during high-volume, time-pressured service periods
- This is a salaried leadership role; schedule demands and physical requirements vary based on outlet needs, event programming, and operational priorities
- Ability to work in refrigerated storage areas, loading docks, kitchens, and outdoor environments with varying temperatures.
- Ability to read, write, operate a computer, and complete receiving and inventory documentation.
No job description for any position can possibly include all duties, which may be requested by guests or required by the hotel. The objective of all positions is to effectively provide services personally or immediately refer requests to the appropriate department manager.
Hotel ZaZa is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender/sex, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, age, or veteran status. Hotel ZaZa also participates in E‑Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.
Pay: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
