Work Environment
This occupation is typically found in the following Career Sector(s):
Videos & Interviews
Videos on the Web
- Sous Chef- from: Youtube Search
Most commonly reported Work Activities
- Developing and Building Teams Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
- Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
- Coaching and Developing Others Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Training and Teaching Others Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
- Scheduling Work and Activities Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
- Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Working Life
'Sous' is a French word meaning 'under' - so as the title implies, the Sous Chef works directly under the Head chef (also known as Executive Chef). S/he answers to the head chef, but also has a level of authority over the other kitchen staff. If the Head Chef is unavailable or on a night off, the Sous Chef is in command. The kitchen staff are expected to offer the same respect to the Sous Chef as they would to the Head Chef.
As a Sous Chef, you typically do more ‘hands-on’ preparing, cooking and plating dishes compared to the Head Chef, but you may also have a hand in planning staff rotas and developing the menu. You would also be expected to oversee the work of the kitchen staff and work with the sommelier in creating an accompanying wine/drinks menu.
You may do a final check that the food is of the highest quality and the correct temperature before sending it out to the customer with the waiting staff. Health and hygiene standards are also essential to oversee continuously.
As a kitchen often is the ‘training ground’ for less experienced chefs (Commis Chefs and Chefs de Partie for example) you also have some training/teaching responsibilities.
Employment as a Sous Chef can be found in a variety of hospitality environments including; hotels, restaurants, pubs, cruise ships and cafes. Work is likely to involve early morning starts or late night finishes depending on the type of restaurant.
Most commonly reported Work Tasks
- Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations.
- Check the quality of raw or cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
- Determine production schedules and staff requirements necessary to ensure timely delivery of services.
- Check the quantity and quality of received products.
- Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation.
- Determine how food should be presented and create decorative food displays.
- Analyse recipes to assign prices to menu items, based on food, labor, and overhead costs.
- Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food.
- Prepare and cook foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.
- Recruit and hire staff, such as cooks and other kitchen workers.
Qualities - Sous Chef
A genuine passion for food and cooking is necessary to really thrive in this position.
It is important to show creativity and originality in your food presentation and be open to learning from the Head Chef in the kitchen.
You need to be able to delegate tasks to the team of chefs, but you also must listen and communicate effectively within the team environment to ensure the kitchen runs smoothly and efficiently.
As teaching less experienced and less senior chefs may be part of your responsibility, you need to be clear and able to provide learning experiences whilst also oversee the work of all the staff.
Being organised and able to multitask is key to keeping on top of your work in this fast paced environment. Attention to detail is also an important quality.
Interests - Sous Chef
This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:
Naturalist
Not surprisingly, some aspect of the natural sciences will run through the Naturalist's interests - from ecological awareness to nutrition and health. People with an interest in horticulture, land usage and farming (including fish) are Naturalists.
Some Naturalists focus on animals rather than plants, and may enjoy working with, training, caring for, or simply herding them. Other Naturalists will prefer working with the end result of nature's produce - the food produced from plants and animals. Naturalists like solving problems with solutions that show some sensitivity to the environmental impact of what they do. They like to see practical results and prefer action to talking and discussing.
Enterprising
Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.
Creative
Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.
Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.
Entry / Progression - Sous Chef
There are many pathways to develop your skills, experience, and qualification to progress to a career as a Sous Chef.
Most employers require kitchen staff to have HACCP/food safety training completed. HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point, and refers to procedures you must put in place to ensure the food you produce is safe. HACCP training is generally part of any chef training, but can also be accessed through some employers or other training providers.
Sample Education and Training Pathways
A number of courses are available throughout the country that focus on learning and skills that may be useful for this career. The examples and links below may guide you in your research.
Further Education (FET)
Further Education & Training (FET) Courses are delivered by local ETBs, ranging in duration from several weeks up to 20 months. Courses are designed to meet the labour market needs and often include a large element of work experience.
Example search terms include: hospitality, patisserie, confectionary.
Search for FET Courses
PLC Courses (FET)
PLC courses are full-time courses, one or two years duration, with awards at Level 5 and 6 on the NFQ. They are offered nationally in Schools and Colleges of Further Education.
Example search terms include: culinary arts, pre-apprenticeship.
Search for PLC Courses
Apprenticeships:
Apprenticeships are structured work-based training programs that combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction. They run from 2 – 4 years and are open to individuals of all ages, including school leavers, those seeking a career change, and existing employees who wish to upskill.
Examples: Commis Chef, Chef de Partie, Sous Chef, Executive Chef.
Search for Apprenticeships
Higher Education CAO (Undergraduate)
Higher Education courses at Levels 6 to 8 on the NFQ, delivered in Universities and Technological Universities & Institutes. Courses run from 2 – 5 years and places are allocated on a points-based system, processed by the Central Application Office.
Example search terms include: confectionary culinary techniques, pastry, baking, and desserts, food and nutrition, food science, health and safety, meal service, international cuisine.
Search for CAO Courses
Higher Education (Postgraduate)
Postgraduate courses are courses at Levels 9 and 10 on the NFQ and usually last 1 – 2 years full time, or longer if a PhD or part time. Entrants typically require an undergraduate award (Level 8).
Example search terms include: culinary innovation, food product, Irish food culture, food nutrition, health, food regulatory affairs.
Search for Postgraduate Courses
As with any chef position, sous chefs learn on the job all the time. The next step up for a sous chef is head chef. To qualify for promotion, a sous chef would be expected to have worked in a busy kitchen for some years. And if you eventually want to keep climbing the chef career ladder, you can look for work in a more prestigious restaurant, or you may aspire to open your own restaurant.
Professional Development
Professional development (CPD) courses are specialised training, formal education, or advanced professional learning that improves skills, professional knowledge, competency, and overall effectiveness in the professional world.
Professional organisations sometimes offer training or promote training providers. For example:
Check the Useful Contacts tab on this page to see if there are any professional bodies listed who may provide training related to this career.
Pay & Salary - Sous Chef
Salary Range (thousands per year)* €38k - €55k
Salaries vary based on employer, location, role, experience, and duties.
Data Source(s):
Excel / Indeed/ Payscale/ Glasdoor
Last Updated: July, 2024
Labour Market Updates - Sous Chef
Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Chefs; Cooks.
This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).
The five-year employment growth rate was negative for chefs; despite a growth of over 5,000 persons employed since 2021, employment levels in 2022 remained below pre-COVID-19 levels. One half of those employed as chefs were non-Irish citizens, far exceeding the national average of 19%. The number of employment permits issued grew from an average of approximately 500 per annum between 2019 and 2021 to over 2,100 in 2022; this is in line with the overall increase in employment permits issued in 2022.
A high volume of vacancies advertised through DSP Jobs Ireland (primarily for chef de partie roles), and the increased volume of advertised vacancies in the OVATE data, indicate that demand was strong for chefs in 2022. However, it should also be noted that there was a relatively high share of jobseekers registered with the DSP in December 2022 who indicated that they had previously been employed in food preparation trades. Despite an increase between 2020 and 2021, output from the further and higher education and training system has been, in the main, declining in recent years. As such, skill shortages persist.
Useful Contacts - Sous Chef
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Fáilte Ireland
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Restaurant's Association of Ireland
- 11 Bridge Court, Citygate, St Augustine Street, Dublin 8
- 01 6779901
- [email protected]
- Click Here
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Irish Hotels Federation
