EXECUTIVE SOUS-CHEF

Competition number: J1026-0637
 
Department:                Food and Beverage - Kitchen
 
Status:                         Full-Time continuing
 
Hours:                         35 hours per week
 
Annual/hourly salary:  $92,700 – $115,800 (position with benefits and pension plan)
 
Closing date:               29^th Nov, 2026
 
Anticipated start date: December 3, 2026
 
 
Introducing the National Arts Centre
 
The National Arts Centre (NAC) is Canada’s bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-produces performing arts programming in various streams – the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety – and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada. The NAC is located in the National Capital Region on the unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation.
 
At the National Arts Centre, we believe the performing arts are vital to the human experience. A house of dreams for the Canadian performing arts, we work with artists and arts organizations from across this land to revitalize our sector. 
 
Curious to learn more? Read our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, The Journey Ahead.  
 
 
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism and Accessibility
 
We are on a journey, committed to ensuring that equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, anti-racism and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples will guide our actions. 
 
The NAC welcomes applications from?candidates who can help us meet our vision, and contribute to the diversity of?lived experiences, perspectives, and approaches.?When you join the NAC, you will be part of an inclusive?community working hard to dismantle barriers to employees’?well-being, access, potential, and success. The NAC actively seeks candidates who identify as women, Indigenous, Black, Persons of Colour (IBPoC), members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and people?with disabilities. We encourage you to self-identify in the recruitment process.
 
Key activities:
 
Reporting directly to the Executive Chef, the Executive Sous-Chef oversees day-to-day culinary operations, including training and supervising staff and monitoring food quality. The Executive Sous-Chef provides professional and ethical leadership within the NAC’s Food and Beverage department. The role develops and mentors chefs and cooks, identifies opportunities to improve culinary operations, and supports the Executive Chef in developing innovative menu offerings.
 
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
 
The Executive Sous-Chef also closely monitors financial costs associated with human resources and schedules culinary staff to ensure proper coverage is maintained at all times.
 

• Selects, trains and supervises kitchen staff in the proper preparation of menu items, equipment use and safety work practices. Provides regular feedback, coaching, guidance to support employee development and consistent quality.  When necessary, administers disciplinary actions;
• Works with the chefs de partie (CDP) to order food ingredients in accordance with business volumes and maintains appropriate inventory levels. Inspects, selects and uses only the freshest, high-quality products, with an emphasis on local and regional Canadian ingredients, in the preparation of menu items;
• Schedules culinary staff so that proper coverage is maintained while keeping payroll costs in line and avoiding overtime;
• Monitors and tracks sick calls and absences and follows up as necessary;
• Ensures that food products are properly received, stored at appropriate temperatures, labelled, dated, rotated and placed in suitable containers, in compliance with public health regulations;
• Writes, maintains and updates all menu specifications, recipes and pictures, production forecasts, and ensures that they are followed. Creates weekly menus for the Green Room;
• Observes production flow and makes adjustments in order to adhere to control procedures for cost and quality;
• Ensures the maintenance and cleanliness of all kitchen equipment, reporting any malfunctions and coordinating repairs to prevent operational disruptions;
• Performs other related culinary duties as assigned, including special orders, buffet presentations, V.I.P. events, writing promotional menus;
• Ensures menus for specials and/or brunch are completed weekly;
• Supervises daily cleaning and inventory of walk-in, storage and refrigerators;
• Communicates with and assists the Executive Chef in creating innovative products;
• Represents the NAC and its Food and Beverage department with the highest level of professionalism and integrity in all aspects of work;
• Collaborates effectively and professionally with all NAC departments, external partners and suppliers.

• Diploma in Culinary Arts, or an equivalent combination of culinary education, training and relevant work experience;
• Red Seal certification is required;
• Minimum of three (3) years’ experience as a Sous Chef or similar role;
• Three (3) years of progressive management experience in a  large-scale, high-volume food and beverage operation, including responsibility for supervising a diverse culinary team of 15+ employees;
• Bilingualism in both official languages (English and French), written and spoken is required;
• Extensive knowledge of current food and beverage trends and culinary techniques;
• Experience working with catering software such as Caterease or comparable catering-management software;
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated initiative;
• Strong professional communication skills, both written and verbal, with staff, peers, leadership and guests;
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, schedule and manage culinary staff;
• Proven ability to plan and execute large-scale, multi-course events for hundreds of guests seamlessly;
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint);
• Ability to work under pressure in a busy environment;
• Available to work an irregular schedule (mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekend shifts and holidays);
• A past record of satisfactory attendance and punctuality is a requirement*.