Sous Chef - Full Time

Job Description

Summary of responsibilities:

Take your career to a world-class stage & join us at Fairmont Waterfront!

As a Sous Chef at Fairmont Waterfront, you will support a passionate culinary brigade dedicated to crafting exceptional dining experiences across ARC Restaurant and Lounge, In-Room Dining, and Banquet operations. You will play a key role in upholding our culinary standards, mentoring junior team members, and ensuring consistency in quality, presentation, and safety. Our culinary philosophy is deeply rooted in sustainability — from sourcing locally grown and seasonal ingredients from BC farms and producers, to building meaningful relationships with local suppliers who share our values. You will champion these principles as part of your daily leadership.

Culinary Operations

You will be at the heart of our kitchen operations, maintaining the highest standards of culinary excellence across all outlets and functions:

• Oversee daily kitchen activities in both ARC Restaurant and Banquet kitchens, supporting a high-volume operation of up to 200 restaurant covers and banquet events accommodating up to 500 guests
• Support the Executive Chef in executing the culinary vision across all outlets and functions
• Champion farm-to-table culinary philosophy by sourcing local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients; proactively build and maintain relationships with local BC farmers, artisan producers, and Indigenous suppliers
• Contribute to menu development for the restaurant, lounge, in-room dining, and banquet events, incorporating local and seasonal product availability
• Maintain and ensure a clean, organized, and safe kitchen environment at all times, in full compliance with Food Safe and HACCP standards
• Monitor inventory, assist with ordering through BirchStreet, and support food and labor cost control
• Implement and track food waste reduction initiatives and report on sustainability KPIs as part of the hotel's Green Key and environmental commitments
• Support recipe costing and food cost management in alignment with budgetary targets
• Help manage efficient scheduling to align with forecasted business volumes

Team Development & Communication

• Provide hands-on leadership to kitchen colleagues while fostering a supportive, high-performance culture
• Conduct pre-shift briefings and assist with training and onboarding of new team members
• Serve as a liaison between kitchen and front-of-house teams to support guest satisfaction and service delivery
• Lead the kitchen team in the absence of more senior chefs as required

Creativity & Innovation

We expect our culinary leaders to be curious, forward-thinking, and deeply committed to sustainable
practices:

• Contribute to ongoing menu evolution by staying informed on food trends, guest preferences, and local product availability
• Ensure thoughtful food presentation and consistent plating standards across all outlets
• Lead and participate in sustainability initiatives including food waste tracking, composting programs, and the reduction of single-use materials in kitchen operations
• Measure and report on sustainability KPIs including food cost %, waste diversion rates, and local sourcing percentages
• Foster relationships with local suppliers and farmers to ensure the freshest, most responsibly sourced ingredients are available to the culinary team

Qualifications

• Food Safe Certification (Level 1 or higher) — Required
• to 7 years of culinary experience in a high-volume luxury hotel or fine dining environment
• Minimum 2 years of experience in a supervisory role or above
• Strong knowledge of food safety standards, HACCP protocols, and kitchen operations
• Strong knowledge of allergen management protocols and dietary accommodation practices (e.g.,
• gluten-free, vegan, halal, kosher)
• Familiarity with food cost management, recipe costing, and kitchen inventory systems
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills
• Ability to thrive under pressure and maintain high standards during peak volumes
• Flexibility to work varied shifts including mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Red Seal Certification (Journeyperson Cook) — strongly preferred
• formal culinary diploma or Red Seal is an asset
• HACCP Certification — a valued asset
• Experience with recipe costing software, food cost and recipe management platforms, and POS systems (e.g., Avero, Micros, or equivalent) — an asset
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and kitchen management systems
• Knowledge of farm-to-table sourcing practices and established relationships with local BC producers — an asset
• Embrace the Fairmont brand promise and luxury in your role and in all your interactions.
• Foster an inclusive environment where every individual feels valued and respected
• Create an environment where colleagues are empowered, supported and recognized

Physical Requirements

• • Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods
  • Capable of lifting and carrying up to 50 lbs.
  • Comfortable operating standard kitchen equipment and working in high-heat environments
  • Shared office space within the culinary and F&B leadership teams

Additional Information

Employee Benefits:
Join our team and enjoy a range of exclusive colleague perks, including complimentary upgrades, extended stays, discounted stays across Fairmont & Raffles properties, special dining and wellness discounts, and added luxuries to enhance your experience. We believe in taking care of our team, ensuring that your hard work is rewarded with exceptional benefits.

Our Values

Respect:
We value the needs, ideas and individuality of others. We treat everyone with fairness and dignity.

Excellence:
We make genuine connections, and we cherish every opportunity to make the people around us feel special.

Belonging:
We celebrate our differences. We support each other and we always stand together.

Empowerment:
We have authority to take initiative and anticipate moments that create unforgettable experiences.

Integrity:
We build trust through mutual respect and being authentic.

Diversity & Inclusion

Fairmont is committed to creating an inclusive environment where diverse talent thrives. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds to join our team.