Sous Chef

Date Posted: 07/20/2026
Req ID: 49492
Faculty/Division: University College
Department: College Administration
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Existing Vacancy: Yes

Description:

About Us

University College (UC) is the founding college of the University of Toronto. UC is home to over 5500 undergraduate students, who may study in any of the 330 academic programs offered by the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto (U of T). The college also directs Canadian Studies, Cognitive Science, and Public Health — interdisciplinary Arts and Science programs that challenge our students to excel intellectually — and a suite of seminar courses called UC One: Engaging Toronto, which enable first-year students to apply their learning to the city around them.

University College is located at the historic heart of U of T’s St. George campus in downtown Toronto. Our beautiful campus comprises the University College building, an architectural marvel and National Historic Site, as well as our three residences, and the UC Union. Affiliated with UC and sharing our spaces are the Centre for Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies, the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, and the Art Museum.

UC’s founding values and support for academic excellence have laid the groundwork for the inclusive and stimulating community that our students, faculty, alumni, and staff continue to enjoy today.

Your Opportunity

Reporting to the Executive Chef, the Sous Chef is the primary operational manager responsible for the day-to-day leadership of one of the University's most dynamic food service operations. Working in partnership with the Executive Chef, the successful candidate will translate strategic priorities into exceptional daily operations while leading a large, unionized team in delivering outstanding residential dining, retail food services, conference dining, catering, and special events.

This is a hands-on leadership role that combines operational management, culinary excellence, staff leadership, and service innovation. The Sous Chef provides operational oversight for approximately 30 CUPE-represented employees and is responsible for workforce leadership, operational planning, attendance and performance management, food production, customer service, inventory stewardship, and regulatory compliance.

The successful candidate will have an opportunity to shape the student dining experience at one of Canada's leading universities while helping build a culture of operational excellence, collaboration, continuous improvement, and exceptional customer service.

The Sous Chef also serves as designate for the Executive Chef during periods of absence and plays a key role in maintaining the continuity and success of a seven-day-a-week food service operation.

Your Responsibilities Will Include:

• Leading the day-to-day operation of University College Food Services, including residential dining, retail food services, conference dining, catering, and special events.
• Managing, coaching, developing, and supporting a large unionized workforce in a fast-paced operational environment.
• Coordinating food production, staffing, workflow, inventory, and customer service activities to ensure operational excellence.
• Supporting menu development, culinary innovation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Managing attendance, performance, employee development, workplace issues, and labour-relations matters in collaboration with Human Resources.
• Ensuring compliance with food safety, occupational health and safety, HACCP, and regulatory requirements.
• Monitoring operational performance and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, service quality, and the student dining experience.
• Acting as designate for the Executive Chef during periods of absence.

Essential Qualifications:

• EDUCATION:
• University degree, preferably in business or hospitality or equivalent combination of education and experience. Certified Red Seal Chef qualification certificate Current Food Handler Certification WHMIS Certification
• EXPERIENCE:
• Three to five (3 to 5) years’ relevant progressive culinary experience working in a large, commercial food and beverage establishment or equivalent combination of education and experience Experience in food preparation acquired through progressive Chef positions; culinary knowledge of vegetarian and cultural cuisines. Demonstrated experience supervising a large, preferably unionized, workforce within a high-volume institutional or commercial food service operation. Demonstrated experience in staff leadership areas such as attendance management, performance management, employee development, conflict resolution, labour-relations administration, food production, catering operations, inventory management, and customer service. Experience implementing operational improvements within a high-volume food services environment Experience within a post-secondary, institutional, conference, hospitality, or large-scale food service environment preferred.
• SKILLS:
• Knowledge of Province of Ontario food service regulations, contract food service management companies method of operations, catering/hospitality standards, health & safety regulations Excellent understanding of inventory management, food costing, labour management, and kitchen operations, and ability to resolve operational and food and beverage management matters Knowledge of food safety legislation, HACCP standards, demonstrated ability to apply collective agreements, labour-relations practices, and health and safety requirements. Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgement, make timely operational decisions, and manage competing priorities. Strong leadership; people-management, collaboration, and conflict-resolution skills All manual skills consistent with a Sous Chef position; ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume environment while maintaining quality and consistency Proficiency with food service management systems, POS systems, Microsoft Office applications, and related operational software
• OTHER:
• Demonstrated commitment to principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Demonstrated strong communication and interpersonal skills to communicate clearly, effectively and tactfully with all levels of the University community. Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills and the ability to work effectively under pressure. Must have good motivational, organizational, and administrative skills.

NOTE: Applicants are encouraged to apply by July 27, 2026; posting will remain open and applications will continue to be reviewed until filled.

Closing Date: 07/27/2026, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: Salaried
Personnel Subarea:PM
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: PM 2 -- Hiring Zone: $83,560 - $97,486 -- Broadband Salary Range: $83,560 - $139,264
Job Category: Hospitality