Sous Chef - Airline Catering

Job Title: Sous Chef - Airline Catering
Job Location: Austin-USA-78719
Work Location Type: On-Site
Salary Range: $57,000.00 - 71,000.00

About us

Since 1942, SkyChefs has taken culinary excellence to new heights. As a trusted partner to the nation’s leading airlines and retailers, we proudly deliver millions of meals and exceptional service experiences every year across 43 sites throughout the United States. Built on a legacy of operational excellence, culinary expertise, and continuous innovation, we are committed to setting the industry standard in aviation culinary, airline services, last-mile logistics, and retail commerce. From the kitchen to the runway, our teams work together to deliver quality, reliability, and service at every altitude. Our people are the heart of everything we do. At SkyChefs, a career is more than a job – it’s an opportunity to grow, lead, and make an impact in a fast-paced, team-driven environment. Join America’s first, foremost, and finest and take your career to new heights.

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly driven Sous Chef to join our culinary leadership team, reporting directly to the Executive Chef. This role is ideal for a hands-on leader with commercial food production experience who thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume environment and is passionate about both operational excellence and culinary innovation.

In this role, you will share oversight of production for premium airline catering, ensuring meals are executed to the highest standards of quality, consistency, and food safety. You’ll lead and develop team members in collaboration with the Executive Chef.

We’re looking for someone who combines strong kitchen leadership with a forward-thinking mindset. Someone who not only executes but also contributes to evolving menus, improving processes, and bringing fresh ideas to life.

• Work location: onsite @ our SkyChefs kitchen facility located near Austin Bergstrom Airport
• Work schedule: work 5 consecutive days on and have 2 consecutive days off. Must be flexible to work early mornings, evenings, weekends and holidays as needed to support our business operations
• Benefits: available day 1 of employment - no waiting period
• We operation 24/7, 365

Main Accountabilities

Food Production

• Executes and supervises food production activities, e.g. proper cleaning, cutting, marinating, seasoning, cooking of food items etc.
• Assumes responsibilities of Executive Chef when he/she not available ie. Vacation, off-days, menu presentation to customers, etc.
• Supervise, coordinate and control kitchen helpers in food storage (e.g. maintaining tidiness, following the first in - first out principle)
• Conducts, coordinates and supervises inventories
• Monitors material consumption and orders required food and equipment on a daily basis to satisfy the daily production plan
• Participates in the development of food products and menus as needed for menu presentations
• Must be aware of content in catering manuals; conducts updates when necessary
• Executes countermeasures in the production in case of customer complaints
• Supports training of kitchen staff

Quality

• Maintains and monitors hygiene, health and safety standards and monitors that Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations are adhered to
• Maintains and monitors quality, conducts quality control checks according to HACCP regulations
• Conducts quality checks of goods received
• Monitors and ensures compliance with recipe specifications

Leadership

• Ensure that the area of responsibility is properly organized, staffed and directed
• Guide, motivate and develop the subordinate employees within the Human Resources Policy
• Make the company's values and management principles live in the department(s)
• Implement and control the cost budget in the area of responsibility; initiate and steer corrective actions in case of deviations
• Participate and support company sponsored initiatives such as Global Quality Standard (GQS), HACCP, Lean Manufacturing
  

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Formal Culinary Degree or equivalent (Apprenticeship, Culinary Related Military Training, Certification with ACF, Etc.) required
• 3+ years experience in culinary operations
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, food safety and sanitation standards.
• Bilingual highly preferred
• Union experience a plus
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple production priorities in a fast‑paced, high‑volume culinary environment.
• Understand and demonstrate concepts of financial controls (ex: keep food cost within budget, control stock levels while being cost conscious, minimize waste)
• Strong leadership, communication and organizational skills
• Service orientation mindset with an entrepreneurial spirit
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Windows-based computer applications
  

SkyChefs is an EEO and Affirmative Action Employer of Women/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.