Walking around Brookfield Zoo can sure work up an appetite! Just imagine: 216 acres in a beautiful park-like setting, with amazing stops along the way, to see any number of nature's wonders. To quench the appetite there are numerous delightfully delicious eating destinations with wide variety of scrumptious food choices for our guests.

The Assistant Sous Chef, Food Service Operations (Temporary) is responsible for overseeing and assisting all food service production staff in conjunction with the Restaurant General Manager to assure guests have a quality and enjoyable experience, contributing to the Society's goals of generating revenue and providing an extraordinary guest experience. The Assistant Sous Chef will also work to accommodate the needs of customers and ensures the quality of products and high service levels for all customers.

As the Assistant Sous Chef, you will manage and oversee food preparation and production areas to maintain high levels of guest satisfaction through proper training and assuring adherence to sanitation, safety, speed of food delivery, recipes standards and quality standards, as well as compliance with Society policies and departmental standards and procedures while supervising staff as assigned. You will maintain the security of all assigned Society equipment, assets, and supplies; follow all food service cash handling procedures and maintain established service standards and financial results, balanced with sanitation standards and maintains standards for food handling, preparation and storage. Making use of your prior supervisory experience, you will coach and train staff, including staff development for growth and expansion in their areas of expertise, streamline production, and cross-train staff for future growth. Drawing upon your strong interpersonal skills, you will maintain effective communications among managers and staff to ensure timely delivery, proper display of food, and superior quality of products and services. As Assistant Sous Chef, you will coordinate staffing guides and the schedule for food service area in accordance with budgeted labor standards. Utilizing your relevant experience, you will assist Restaurant Management in all new menu concepts and new product execution, train Prep Cooks and Food Service Associates on new and current menu items to meet high standards, and assist Restaurant Management in daily inventory control and end-of-month inventory counts and procedures.

Position Requirements and Specifications
This is a temporary (seasonal) position. The minimum starting wage for this position is $14.25/hr.

The requirements for this position include the following:

• High School diploma or equivalent combination of training and/or experience required.


• Completion of at least two years of culinary school required.


• Minimum three years relevant catering, restaurant, or culinary experience required.


• Minimum one year supervisory experience required.


• Proven ability in creative planning and menu development required.


• Must possess strong interpersonal and communications skills.


• Must be able to obtain and maintain food service sanitation certification as required by city, county, and state, within one year of hire.


• Ability to work and complete task independently with little supervision.


• Knowledge of menu concepts, quality food preparation, and production techniques.


• Detail oriented, strong organizational skills and a high level of accuracy required.


• Outstanding customer service skills required.


• Proven ability to maintain customer satisfaction under pressure and meet critical deadlines.


• Must be at least 21 years of age.


• Experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience.

The desirable qualifications include:

• Basic computer skills required, with experience using Microsoft Outlook, Excel and Word desired.


• Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus.

Additional Information: Food Service employees are assigned to work restaurants, refreshment stands, mobile carts, or other outdoor sales locations. Incumbent must have ability to work non-standard hours including evenings, holidays, and weekends. Work schedules are based on the needs of the operation and may be adjusted due to weather conditions.

Additional Information
The Chicago Zoological Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Affirmative Action Employer - Minorities / Women / Veterans/ Disabled.