Founded in 1881, The Pendennis Club is a historic private club in downtown Louisville dedicated to providing an exceptional dining and hospitality experience for our members and their guests.
We are seeking an experienced, motivated, and hands-on Executive Sous Chef that is to serve as a key member of our culinary leadership team. Working directly with the Executive Chef, the Executive Sous Chef will help oversee daily kitchen operations, à la carte dining, private events, and large-scale banquet production while maintaining the Club's standards for food quality, presentation, consistency, sanitation, and service.
This position is ideal for an accomplished Sous Chef who is ready to take the next step in culinary leadership and play a significant role in the continued development of the Club's culinary program.
Key Responsibilities
- Culinary Leadership: Assist the Executive Chef in directing all aspects of daily kitchen operations and serve as the kitchen's primary leader in the Executive Chef's absence.
- À La Carte & Banquet Operations: Help coordinate and execute both regular Club dining and private events, including large-scale banquet functions.
- Food Quality & Consistency: Ensure that all food is prepared according to established recipes, specifications, presentation standards, and quality expectations.
- Kitchen Management: Direct kitchen employees during preparation and service to ensure an organized, efficient, and professional operation.
- Staff Development: Train, mentor, coach, and help schedule cooks and other culinary team members.
- Menu Development: Collaborate with the Executive Chef on seasonal menus, daily specials, banquet offerings, and new culinary concepts.
- Banquet Execution: Assist with banquet planning, production schedules, plating, timing, staffing, and execution for member events and private functions.
- Purchasing & Inventory: Assist with ordering, inventory management, receiving, product rotation, and maintaining appropriate stock levels.
- Food & Labor Cost Control: Help monitor food costs, portion control, waste, production levels, and kitchen labor.
- Sanitation & Food Safety: Maintain strict adherence to food-safety, sanitation, storage, labeling, and kitchen-cleanliness standards.
- Equipment & Facility Care: Help ensure kitchen equipment is properly used, maintained, and kept in good working condition.
- Foster a professional, respectful, team-oriented kitchen culture.
Qualifications
- 3–5 years of progressive culinary experience, including at least 2 years in a Sous Chef, Chef de Cuisine, or comparable culinary leadership role.
- Strong culinary fundamentals, knife skills, production knowledge, and proficiency in a variety of cooking techniques.
- Large-scale banquet, catering, hotel, private-club, or high-volume event experience strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, train, motivate, and hold kitchen employees accountable.
- Strong organizational and communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple meal periods, events, and production demands simultaneously.
- Working knowledge of food and labor cost controls, purchasing, inventory, and waste management.
- ServSafe Manager Certification or equivalent food-safety management certification required or obtainable within an established period after hire.
- Culinary degree or formal culinary training preferred but not required for candidates with substantial applicable experience.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule when Club operations and special events require it.
Compensation
Salary Range: $20+ an hour , based on experience, culinary background, banquet expertise, leadership experience, and qualifications.
Exceptional candidates with substantial private-club, hotel, fine-dining, or high-volume banquet experience may be considered above the posted range.
Benefits & Quality of Life
The Pendennis Club offers a competitive benefits package and a schedule that provides an attractive quality of life compared with many traditional restaurant culinary positions.
Benefits include:
- Health and dental benefits
- Paid time off
- Two weeks of paid PTO following the first year of service
- Limited Saturday requirements
- Approximately four Sundays per year
- Very limited late-night schedules
The Sous Chef will have the opportunity to work alongside the Executive Chef in a historic private-club environment, develop a talented culinary team, and contribute directly to both the Club's everyday dining program and its signature member and private events.
Pay: From $20.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Food provided
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
