Sous Chef  

Essentially, the sous chef is responsible for planning and directing food preparation in a kitchen. This will involve a large degree of supervising other kitchen staff, as well as keeping an eye out for problems that arise in the kitchen and seizing control of a situation at a moment’s notice. The sous chef may also need to effectively discipline underperforming staff members, as well as provide incentives for staff members to go above and beyond the expectations of their particular chef roles.

• Creativity: Knowledge of ingredients and how to use them in a creative way will serve you well.

• Leadership Skills: Sous chefs are in charge often manage the entire kitchen, from the dishwasher to the cooks. Being a good leader, who can assign tasks, hire the right people, motivate workers in a high stress environment will help you immensely.

• Hand-Eye Coordination: All chefs work with knives and must have excellent technique when cutting and preparing food. Hand-eye coordination is needed.

• Sense of Taste and Smell: Delicious food brings in customers. Sous chefs are the last line of defense to make sure each piece of food is safe, prepared correctly and tasty.

• Time Management Skills: Kitchens get busy quickly, food can get ruined easily if you cannot manage your time. Great time management will help you avoid burned or spoiled food and angry customers.