About the role
The RoleThe Sous Chef is the operational backbone of the kitchen. You are the person who makessure that what the Head Chef designs actually happens — every service, every day, at thesame standard.This is a systems role as much as a cooking role. We are looking for someone who thinks inpar levels, prep lists, schedules and checklists, and who can run the kitchen independentlywhen the Head Chef is not on the floor.
What You’ll OwnKitchen OperationsRun daily service on the pass; hold the line on timing, plating and standardsTake full charge of the kitchen in the Head Chef’s absence — service, team, anddecisionsBuild and run the daily prep schedule; make sure every section starts service readyOwn par stocks: set them, review them, adjust them by season and coversManage ordering, receiving, stock rotation and month-end inventoryControl waste, yields and utilisation across every station
Systems & ConsistencyBuild and maintain the systems that make consistency possible — recipe cards, prepsheets, station checklists, opening and closing routinesDocument processes so standards survive staff changes and days offTrain the team to the documented standard, then audit against itIdentify where the kitchen is running on memory instead of process, and fix it.
Hygiene & Food SafetyOwn hygiene standards across the kitchen, cold rooms and stores — non-negotiableMaintain temperature logs, labelling, FIFO discipline and cleaning schedulesEnsure FSSAI compliance and keep the kitchen audit-ready at all timesLead by example; hygiene is a leadership behaviour, not a checklist
Food & MenuHands-on prep and cooking — this is a working sous chef role, not a supervisory oneContribute to menu development and new dish creation alongside the Head ChefBring depth of knowledge on ingredients: seasonality, sourcing, handling, and what eachone is actually good forCost dishes accurately and work menu costs to target without cutting corners on qualityBuild relationships with suppliers and growers
PeopleLead, roster and develop a kitchen teamRun daily briefings; set the tone for the shiftMentor CDPs and commis with patience and genuine investment in their growthHold people to standard through clear feedback, not through fear
What We’re Looking ForEssentialMinimum 3 years in a professional kitchen at CDP level or above, with clear progressionExperience in a high-end, fine-dining or chef-driven restaurantProven ability to run a kitchen section independently and cover for a Head ChefStrong command of stock control, par levels and food costGenuine eye for detail — in mise, in plating, in the corners of the kitchen nobody looks atWorking knowledge of HACCP and FSSAI standardsCalm under pressure; steady on a hard serviceWilling to be based in Bangalore long-term
PreferredInternational kitchen experienceInterest or experience in fermentation and preservation — we work with a fermentationlarder, and while it’s not the core of this role, curiosity here goes a long wayExperience opening a restaurant or building kitchen systems from scratchBakery, charcuterie, or in-house dairy exposure
Who does well hereThinks in systems, not heroicsCurious about ingredients and unafraid of unfamiliar techniquesBrings ideas to the table; comfortable being challenged on themTakes ownership without being asked twiceWants to build something, not just hold a title
What We OfferA kitchen with a real point of view and the freedom to contribute to itDirect access to the Head Chef and founders; a short path from idea to plateGrowth alongside a group that is actively expandingCompensation commensurate with experience