Pastry Executive Sous Chef

Job Description:

Reporting to the Executive Pastry Chef, the Pastry Executive Sous Chef will be a competent baker well-versed in basic methods and techniques. This candidate will assist the Executive Pastry Chef in leading all aspects of kitchen operation including creating menus, sourcing products, and working with all campus dining units to ensure products are creative, delicious, and easy to serve. The Pastry Executive Sous Chef will help ensure hundreds of desserts are prepared daily, supplying baked goods for 7 campus dining locations. This position has direct oversight of production and production team and assists the Pastry Executive Chef with the direction of all bakery staff.

Washington and Lee University actively promotes a dynamic and inclusive environment that allows students and employees of multiple backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives to learn, work, and thrive together. Successful candidates will contribute to that environment and exhibit potential for excellence in their areas of expertise.

Essential Functions:

• Assists the Executive Pastry Chef in leading all aspects of kitchen operation including creating menus, sourcing products, and working with all campus dining units to ensure products are creative, delicious, and easy to serve. Remains informed on current trends in the foodservice industry and finds opportunities to incorporate new and innovative ideas.
  
  
• Prepares yeast doughs, laminated doughs, pie and pastry crusts, cake batters of various types, icings and glazes, breads, rolls, biscuits, muffins, pastries, cakes, pies, cookies, bars, custards, fillings, and a range of other products according to recipe. Prepares and serves items in accordance with established portion and presentation standards.
  
  
• Uses CBORD Menu Management System to print recipes and reports.
  
  
• Follows and enforces guidelines, policies, and procedures as set forth by the Bakeshop. Ensures compliance with dress code and personal hygiene standards for dining staff. Complies with all Virginia Health Dept. policies.
  
  
• Engages with team members to ensure program quality, provides role modeling, addresses concerns and reviews product presentation. Provides consistent feedback and completes annual team member performance reviews thoroughly and in a timely manner.
  
  
• Portrays a positive attitude and encourages a strong teamwork environment. Interacts with all other departments in a positive and professional manner.
  
  
• Leads by example by working at a fast pace and efficiently multitasking to keep up with high-volume production. Ensures all needed product is produced daily.
  
  
• Assists with the purchase of food and equipment for the Bakeshop, completes weekly inventory, and determines daily production for the bakeshop employees. Helps maintain an inventory of fresh baked goods. Ensures that all production is recorded and that goods are delivered to the requesting unit. Delegates workload as needed to ensure production needs are met.
  
  
• Oversees all aspects of bakery preparation, service, and cleanup for the unit. Develops routine cleaning schedules for kitchen staff and inspects cleanliness of the facility. Cleans and maintains station while practicing exceptional safety, sanitation and organizational skills. Ensures proper equipment operation/maintenance.
  
  
• Leads and trains staff on pastry techniques and kitchen production management.
  
  
• Maintains accurate counts on all food items prepared, ensuring no discrepancies in amount of food needed verses amount of food prepared.
  
  
• In the absence of the Executive Pastry Chef, serves as a shift-lead to coordinate all operations of the Campus Bakery.
  
  
• Additional related duties as assigned.
  
  

Work Schedule: Varying hours, with typical shifts scheduled in 8.5-hour blocks on weekdays between 3am and 2pm. Occasional weekends required. Must be flexible and cooperative in fulfilling responsibilities and in meeting the needs of Washington and Lee University Dining Services.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED required. Baking and Pastry Arts Degree from an accredited institution preferred.
  
  
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience working in a professional bakery setting, or a combination of education and experience from which a similar skillset would be obtained. Food service management experience in a college or university setting preferred.
  
  
• Proficient in the use of computers. Able to learn new software programs. Computer menu management system experience preferred.
  
  
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to effectively communicate with students, peers and supervisors; and professionally communicate with multiple levels of employees within the University.
  
  

Application Instructions: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Resume and cover letter are required. Upload documents to the Resume/CV upload section of the application. You will be asked to provide names and contact information for three professional references.

External Applicants: Application instructions for external applicants are located on the jobs.wlu.edu or here .

Current W&L Employees: Apply from your existing Workday account. Instructions are located at jobs.wlu.edu or here .

Physical Requirements

• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with whole hand or arm as in handling.
  
  
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
  
  
• Repetitive motions: Making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
  
  
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires full use of the lower extremities and back muscles.
  
  
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
  
  
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
  
  
• Standing: Remaining upright on the feet, particularly for sustained periods of time.
  
  
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
  
  
• Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
  
  
• Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
  
  
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position to-position. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires the substantial use of the upper extremities and back muscles.
  
  

Working Conditions:

• The worker is subject to both environmental conditions: Activities occur inside and outside.
  
  
• The worker is subject to hazards: Includes a variety of physical conditions, such as proximity to moving mechanical parts, moving vehicles, electrical current, working on scaffolding and high places, exposure to high heat or exposure to chemicals.
  
  
• The worker is subject to oils: There is air and/or skin exposure to oils and other cutting fluids.
  
  

Type of Work: Medium work: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

Position Type:

Exempt, Full Time, Benefit Eligible

Minimum Pay:

$49,514.19 - Pay Commensurate with Experience

The university requires employees to become fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and new employees must provide proof of at least their first shot prior to the first day of employment. Boosters are required. Individuals may seek a medical or a religious exemption to the vaccination requirement.