Sous Chef
Position Summary
From critically acclaimed Chef Sameh Wadi, Saffron is reopening this year in Northeast Minneapolis, with a menu and experience deeply rooted in Palestinian cuisine. The restaurant will be a celebration of culture, resilience, and hospitality. It is the ultimate dinner party you want to be invited to, where abundance, generosity, and connection define the experience.
The Sous Chef supports the Executive Chef in leading kitchen operations to deliver a world-class, consistent, and profitable dining experience. They are responsible for running service on the line, motivating staff, overseeing prep, placing orders with vendors, completing inventory, developing and implementing systems, and assisting in menu development.
The menu will focus on modern Levantine cuisine, coal-fired cooking, seasonal and local ingredients, and a thoughtful balance of modern and ancient cooking techniques.
Our Sous Chef is more than just a great cook. They are a builder of teams, a setter of standards, and a steward of culture.
Key Responsibilities
Culinary Vision & Standards
- Support the Executive Chef in developing, refining, and executing menus that honor the spirit and standards of the restaurant
- Uphold uncompromising standards for food quality, flavor, presentation, and consistency
- Support the Executive Chef in culinary execution across service, prep, and events
- Support the Executive Chef in menu rollouts, tastings, and continuous refinement of systems and recipes
Kitchen Leadership & Culture
- Support the Executive Chef in leading a high-performing, disciplined, and proud kitchen team of approximately 20 people
- Set the tone for a culture rooted in professionalism, respect, accountability, and teamwork
- Assisting to hire, train, schedule, and develop BOH staff at all levels
- Lead by example on the line and in leadership behavior
- Conduct performance reviews, coaching, and when necessary, corrective action
Operations & Systems
- Oversee daily BOH operations during dinner service
- Maintain prep systems, station structure, and service procedures that ensure calm, consistent execution
- Oversee prep work, ensuring quality, detail, and timeliness
- Ensure full compliance with health, sanitation, and food safety standards
- Maintain equipment, organization, cleanliness, and overall kitchen functionality
- Place orders with vendors and ensure proper receiving of deliveries.
- Complete regular product inventory
What Success Looks Like
- The kitchen runs calm, organized, and consistent, even on the hardest nights
- The team is trained, stable, proud, and continuously improving
- Food quality is excellent every night, not just on good nights
- Costs are controlled without compromising standards
- The kitchen culture is one that people want to be part of and stay in
Qualifications
- 3+ years of professional kitchen experience, including leadership roles
- Proven ability to build, lead, and retain strong kitchen teams
- Strong command of food cost control, inventory systems, and operational discipline
- A balance of creativity and rigor, with high standards and strong systems
- Deep respect for hospitality, craft, and teamwork
- Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays
Benefits
- Competitive salary
- 401(k) with company matching
- Health insurance & health savings account
- Room for growth within the restaurant group
- Paid time off
Pay: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Work Location: In person
