Sous chef Jobs in Elizabeth, NJ

Our YOU FIRST Philosophy

In addition to no night shifts, ever and our fully chef-curated menu, our #1 priority has always been our people. We care about our customers, and we care about you! That’s where our YOU FIRST culture begins – each day, we put our employees first and strive to make them happy. They are empowered with an independence to make decisions that will help provide an exceptional breakfast, brunch, or lunch experience for their customers. In fact, we like to say, we love our employees more than bacon. And that says a lot.

A Few of The Perks (and not just the coffee!)

All employees are eligible for the following:

• Health Insurance*
• Dental & Vision Coverage
• Unlimited access to medical and behavioral telemedicine through Cirrus MD
• Flexible Spending Account - set aside money for health care expenses*
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account - set aside money for dependent care for children up to age 13*
• 401(K) Retirement Savings Program*
• 50% meal discount for you, along with spouse / dependent children at all company restaurants
• Child Discount Program at The Learning Experience
• Employee Assistance Program and personal / professional coaching
• Bright Horizon - back up child and elder care
• Supplemental Insurance (accident, critical illness, indemnity)
• Paid Time Off (PTO) - must meet the minimum hourly requirements
• Tuituion Reimbursement & High School Diploma Program
• Spot Pet Insurance
• Complimentaty premium access to the Calm App, plus 5 gift subscriptions
• Perks at Work (over 30,000 discount on purchases for travel, fitness, auto event tickets & more)

*FT Employees are eligible the first of the month after 60 days of employment and must enroll within 30 days of employment.

About The Position

Our Back-of-the-House team members have a mutual respect for quality food, and they perform their responsibilities as if placing a personal signature on every plate. Newly hired cooks will train in a specific station based on their comfort level & innate skill. In other words, you don’t need to master the art of flipping an egg to work at First Watch (unless you want to!).

Does this sound like you? Our Cooks (just to name a few):

• Communicate well with others and believe in the importance of teamwork
• Are responsible for delivering high-quality, safe food in a fast-paced kitchen
• Follow our amazing recipes (yep - our Chef is an award winner!) & Use only the freshest ingredients
• Maintain a clean, sanitized, and organized station
• Must be at least 18 years of age

First Watch is the leading Daytime Dining concept serving made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch using the freshest ingredients available. Guided by its “Follow the Sun” culinary philosophy, First Watch’s chef-driven menu rotates multiple times per year to feature the highest-quality flavors at their peak, offering elevated executions of classic favorites, fresh juices like the Kale Tonic, and fan favorites such as the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, Quinoa Power Bowl and signature Million Dollar Bacon. For every kid’s meal served, First Watch proudly donates a portion to organizations and causes making a positive impact to our communities – raising approximately $2.0 million to date. A recipient of many “Best Breakfast” and “Best Brunch” awards, First Watch was voted #1 Best Breakfast by Newsweek’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2025, and also named 2025 and 2024’s #1 Most Loved Workplace in America by the Best Practice Institute – an accolade most recently featured in The Wall Street Journal – after appearing on the list in 2022 and 2023, as well. With a commitment to quality, hospitality and community, First Watch is redefining Daytime Dining across more than 630 First Watch restaurants in 32 states.