What Is A Sous Chef And What Do They Do?

You've probably heard of the various kitchen positions that take up the back-of-house at most restaurants. Everything from the line cook to the executive chef has a crucial role in getting food prepared and out of the kitchen in a timely manner. And one of the most essential elements in a restaurant kitchen is the sous chef — who is, essentially, second in line behind the executive or head chef (most restaurants have one or the other) but still has a hand in food preparation, menu planning, and operations.

Think of the sous chef as the vice president of the kitchen. While sous chefs don't have the final say on how things are run (that's for the head chef to handle), they're the next-most important member of the kitchen and often have quite a bit of control over the staff and food preparation line. Depending on the size of the restaurant and its menu, it can take several cooks to adequately serve a room full of diners; much of that oversight and responsibility is handed to the sous chef.

The sous chef's direct responsibilities might differ depending on the role that the head chef plays. If the head chef is also the restaurant's owner and handles the operations of the entire establishment, then more responsibility might fall on the sous chef to properly run the kitchen. This includes deciding which kitchen staff members handle which stations, from desserts to sauces and garnishes. The sous chef might also be the one to inspect dishes before they head to the patron (just like Gordon Ramsay on "Hell's Kitchen").

Depending on the restaurant, Sous chefs also cook the dishes and work with the head chef to determine the menu, nightly specials, and other service elements. When it comes to the rest of the kitchen staff, the sous chef can take on a more administrative role, too, making sure their staff members are paid and that shifts are properly scheduled.

Besides the hierarchy, the sous chef role can seem quite similar to the head chef — so what's the real difference from one chef to another? It ultimately comes down to the level of responsibility. The sous chef can have a hand in just as many things as the head chef, but their role in menu development and operations is often less than the other two.

Sous chefs have more to do with adequately executing the menu and less with recipe development. While they might be looped into the development process, their primary role is to either cook those dishes to perfection or oversee the staff members who do. Sous chefs also make less money than executive or head chefs. Though the numbers change annually, the sous chef can expect to earn about $40,000 less than the head of the kitchen.