What Is A Sous Chef?

What makes a great Sous Chef, why are they necessary, and what education do you need to become one? These are three of the most common questions in the culinary world and Fiumara Apparel is here to help you get answers.

First, a Sous Chef is basically in middle management. It’s a step below the Executive or Head Chef and the role is a vital one in any restaurant or commercial kitchen. In fact, the Sous Chef is considered to be the second-in-command in the kitchen. When the Executive Chef is out, the Sous Chef is the one that will step up to the plate and assume responsibility. Since the Sous Chef will have to handle a good deal of responsibility, the ideal candidate for the job is someone who is mature and familiar with a commercial kitchen and its operations. A Sous Chef will also need to think quickly, work with many different personality types and delegate responsibilities and tasks in an efficient manner.

Responsibilities Of A Sous Chef

Responsible for all of the food prep in the kitchen, the Sous Chef will probably be supervising a lot of kitchen staff. This might include doling out discipline when necessary and dealing with resolving conflicts. Some administrative duties are required such as scheduling, ordering kitchen uniforms, and even apprenticing new chefs, depending upon where the Sous Chef works. Because of their advanced responsibilities, Sous Chefs are typically one of the higher paid kitchen staff at a restaurant, earning on average anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000.

To become a Sous Chef you’ll need to have a degree from a culinary school or a combination of culinary school coursework and experience. The majority of Sous Chefs do not attend culinary school and though some choose to do so, it’s not a requirement for the position. Sous Chefs work long hours and work closely with the Executive or Head Chef. For this reason, it’s important that the Sous Chef and Head Chef have a very close relationship and get along well with each other. Special skills like menu planning, cost control, and inventory management will often fall on the Sous Chefs shoulders.

Need New Chef Apparel?

If you’re thinking of a career in a kitchen profession, get all of your chef and kitchen wear from Fiumara Apparel. We have the best selection and highest standard of chef coats, aprons, and front of house wear, all for the best price out there. Combined with our attentive customer service and fast delivery, Fiumara Apparel is here to take care of all your restaurant wear needs.