Sous Chef

Brasserie Copain in Ballantyne, Charlotte is seeking an experienced Sous Chef to join our culinary leadership team.

Brasserie Copain is a full-service French brasserie bringing together traditional French cooking, seasonal ingredients, artisan breads, and thoughtfully prepared dishes. Located at The Bowl at Ballantyne, our restaurant combines classic French culinary techniques with an approachable dining experience centered around quality food and genuine hospitality.

At Brasserie Copain, our Sous Chefs play a key role in leading daily kitchen operations, developing team members, and maintaining culinary standards. Working directly with the Executive Chef, this position requires a strong combination of technical culinary ability, operational knowledge, and people leadership.

We are looking for someone who can confidently run a shift, oversee the line, execute classical cooking techniques, and lead a team through the demands of a busy restaurant. This is an opportunity for an experienced culinary professional to take ownership of their responsibilities and continue developing toward future Executive Chef opportunities.

What You'll Do

• Lead daily kitchen operations, manage assigned shifts, and oversee food quality, service timing, and plating standards
• Direct, train, and develop Dishwashers, Porters, Prep Cooks, and Line Cooks while maintaining accountability across the culinary team
• Establish clear expectations, provide ongoing coaching, and address team performance concerns
• Conduct daily line checks to ensure station readiness, product quality, proper storage, and recipe compliance
• Fabricate, trim, and portion proteins, including beef, pork, poultry, and seafood, according to established specifications and yield standards
• Execute and oversee classical French cooking techniques, including stocks, sauces, protein preparation, and seasonal menu production
• Train team members on butchery, cooking techniques, recipe execution, and plating standards
• Partner with the Executive Chef in recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, coaching, and evaluating kitchen team members
• Assist with ordering, inventory management, receiving, product rotation, and maintaining appropriate par levels
• Support food cost and labor management through production planning, portion control, waste reduction, and efficient staffing
• Conduct menu tastings and ensure team members complete required training and maintain current menu and recipe knowledge
• Collaborate with front-of-house leadership on service execution, menu education, and guest feedback
• Maintain food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance standards throughout the kitchen
• Communicate staffing needs, operational concerns, and opportunities for improvement directly to the Executive Chef
• Support seasonal menu changes and additional responsibilities assigned by the Executive Chef

What You'll Bring

• 3–5 years of progressive culinary experience, including leadership responsibilities in a high-volume, full-service restaurant
• Strong foundation in classical French cooking techniques, including sauces, stocks, protein preparation, and scratch cooking
• Proven butchery and protein fabrication skills, including portioning, yield management, and proper handling of meats, poultry, and seafood
• Demonstrated experience overseeing line operations, directing service, maintaining station standards, and managing timing and execution
• Experience training employees, developing team members, and managing performance
• Working knowledge of ordering, inventory management, food cost, and labor management
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills with the ability to make decisions independently
• Professionalism, dependability, and a commitment to developing both yourself and your team
• Open availability, including weekends and holidays, is required

What We Offer

• Health and dental insurance
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Monthly dining stipend
• Employee discounts at our restaurants
• Opportunities for continued leadership development and career growth within Brasserie Copain
• A structured, chef-driven kitchen with opportunities to contribute to culinary and operational decisions

Please visit www.copainbakery.com to learn more about Brasserie Copain, our restaurant, and our approach to food and hospitality.

Pay: From $60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person