Sous Chef - Wooden Nickel
hace 20 días
Crested Butte
Job DescriptionSalary: $58,000 + OT Work Hard. Play Hard. Live Fully in Crested Butte. Ready to take your hospitality career to new heights, literally? Join Elk Ave Hospitality in beautiful Crested Butte, Colorado, where a professional career path in hospitality meets the unmatched lifestyle of mountain living. We offer competitive compensation, employee housing opportunities, and thoughtfully structured schedules designed to support a strong work-life balance. Here, you can build a meaningful career while still having time to enjoy everything this incredible mountain community has to offer. Whether your passion is skiing first tracks, biking wildflower-lined trails, fishing alpine waters, or simply soaking in the beauty of the Rockies, this is your chance to create a life that blends professional growth with personal adventure. We are looking for motivated, team-oriented individuals who take pride in their work, value hospitality, and want to be part of something bigger. About Elk Ave Hospitality At Elk Ave Hospitality, we are proud to operate a growing family of restaurants and hospitality businesses in Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley. Our collection of venues offers a wide range of guest experiences, from elevated dining to approachable everyday hospitality, all rooted in quality, consistency, and genuine care for our guests and our team. We believe hospitality can be both a craft and a career. With multiple venues, varied concepts, and opportunities for advancement, we are able to offer year-round employment, cross-training, and real pathways for growth. We are building a company for people who want to work hard, contribute to a strong team culture, and grow their skills over time. We are growing quickly and actively building career paths for people who want to develop their knowledge, expand their skills, and contribute to a strong hospitality culture. Our core values are Communication, Humility, Accountability, Integrity, and Respect. About Wooden Nickel Wooden Nickel is a historic part of the Crested Butte community and a long-standing fixture in the towns hospitality landscape. With deep local roots and a legacy that reflects the character of Crested Butte itself, Wooden Nickel carries a sense of familiarity, tradition, and mountain-town charm that has made it meaningful to generations of guests and locals alike. As part of Elk Ave Hospitality, Wooden Nickel continues that tradition by offering a guest experience grounded in warmth, consistency, and genuine service. It is a place where history, community, and hospitality come together. For team members, Wooden Nickel offers the opportunity to be part of a venue that is not only well known, but genuinely woven into the story of Crested Butte. Position Summary The Sous Chef plays a key leadership role in supporting daily back-of-house operations at Wooden Nickel. This position is responsible for helping lead kitchen execution, maintaining food quality and consistency, supporting team performance, and ensuring the kitchen is clean, organized, and set up for success. This role is ideal for a hands-on culinary professional who leads from the line, communicates clearly, and thrives in a fast-paced environment. The right candidate will bring urgency, professionalism, attention to detail, and a strong commitment to food quality, team development, and operational discipline. The Sous Chef reports to the Chef de Cuisine and Executive Chef. At times, this position may serve as the senior back-of-house leader on site and may be responsible for maintaining standard kitchen operations during service or assigned shifts. Benefits and Perks • Competitive compensation, • Health benefits, • Paid time off, • Employee housing opportunities, including access to top-tier affordable employee housing, • Opportunities for growth and advancement within Elk Ave Hospitality Culinary Leadership and Kitchen Execution • Help lead daily kitchen operations to ensure food is prepared and executed to company standards., • Support service by maintaining strong communication, urgency, and attention to detail throughout each shift., • Work all stations as needed and assist the team in delivering a smooth, efficient, and high-quality service., • Maintain consistency in food preparation, plating, and overall product execution., • Support the training, supervision, and development of cooks and stewards., • Lead by example through professionalism, accountability, consistency, and strong work ethic., • Help maintain a culture of discipline, teamwork, and respect within the kitchen., • Communicate clearly with culinary leadership and teammates to support operational success., • Support ordering, inventory, and product organization to maintain readiness and efficiency., • Help monitor product levels, proper storage, rotation, and waste awareness., • Assist in maintaining accurate inventory practices and cost-conscious kitchen habits., • Support prep planning, station organization, and kitchen readiness to ensure each shift is properly set up for success., • Ensure all kitchen areas remain clean, organized, sanitary, and in compliance with health and safety standards., • Maintain complete knowledge of proper food handling, sanitation procedures, and company policies., • Help oversee the cleanliness and care of kitchen equipment, storage areas, prep spaces, and production areas., • Ensure all food-related work areas meet company and health department standards at all times., • Prior culinary leadership experience required., • Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced kitchen environment., • Excellent communication skills and the ability to lead, support, and develop a team., • Strong problem-solving ability and the confidence to respond effectively during service., • A hands-on leadership style with a willingness to work alongside the team wherever needed., • Ability to work all stations in a professional kitchen., • Strong understanding of kitchen systems, prep organization, and line execution., • Experience with restaurant inventory systems and ordering processes., • Familiarity with Craftable or similar inventory management software., • Comfort with scheduling, spreadsheets, and general office software, including Microsoft Office., • Experience with recipe management software and kitchen administrative systems., • Understanding of food cost controls, waste reduction, and operational organization., • Strong written and verbal communication skills in English., • Ability to communicate in Spanish is appreciated., • Must be able to stand and move continuously for extended periods of time., • Must be able to walk, bend, twist, stoop, stretch, climb, and lift throughout each shift., • Must be able to work efficiently in a crowded, fast-paced kitchen environment., • Must be capable of adjusting to changes in pace, priorities, and business volume., • Must be able to lift at least 30 pounds., • Must be able to work mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended hours as needed in a seasonal hospitality environment. Success in this position means creating a disciplined, organized, and well-supported kitchen environment where the team can perform at a high level and guests consistently receive a strong product. This person leads by example, lives the core values, supports the operation with urgency and professionalism, and helps ensure Wooden Nickel delivers food, execution, and teamwork that feel dependable, well-crafted, and true to the brand.