Culinary Creative Director Jobs in Utah (NOW HIRING)

Join the Wildest Team in Town!

SSA Group at Utah's Hogle Zoo is looking for a creative and friendly Catering Jr. Sous to join our team!  

Position Title: Catering Jr Sous Chef

Reports to: Sous Chef, Chef and Catering Management Team.

Who are we:

For more than 50 years, SSA has partnered with cultural attractions to design the hospitality experience journey, freeing our partners to remain mission focused.

We bring together admissions, culinary, and retail with innovation and human connection to shape a seamless guest journey.

Our focus is on people, innovation, and operational intelligence as a means to create special moments with lasting impact. We call it 452 Hospitality, the foundation of how we serve our partners and their communities.

Responsibilities 

• Live out 452 Hospitality by delivering warm, welcoming, and memorable experiences for every guest and client
• Ensure restaurant/location is adequately prepped and staffed (BOH) for daily operation.
• Oversight of location kitchen duties, ensuring quickservice, food service, safety and quality, availability, merchandising, and guest service standards are all met and exceeded.
• Oversight of safety logs, including food temperatures, rotation and waste.
• Ensures proper uniform, hygiene, handwashing, and glove use with staff.
• Responsible for supporting Safety training with knife handling skills, ensuring all direct reports display proper use of knives and slicers.
• Creates daily prep and item lists, delegating to employees as necessary.
• Actively helps to support operations and fill holes as necessary to ensure smooth service.
• Maintains a checklist of routine or daily cleaning tasks and ongoing projects or menu planning.
• Assists the Sous Chef in assigning associates to duties, coaching through projects, daily tasks, and guest interaction.
• Actively and efficiently responds to guest and client feedback, with a report to the operations manager to ensure that any potential complaints are mitigate against further occurrence.
• Oversees personnel duties, including but not limited to:

• Training new employees and issuing performance reviews.
• Actively managing and issuing progressive documentation to coach and counsel the employee on performance with oversight from the operations manager.
• Reports employee attendance and any hour discrepancies to the payroll department. Oversees break and rest break management for BOH employees.
• Inspects equipment and performs routine maintenance and cleaning as necessary.
• Assists team to ensure all tasks are completed in a timely manner by helping complete daily tasks as necessary.

• Communicates up to the Sous Chef and Food Service Operations Manager(s) in regard to any issues seen with daily service or quality.
• Works directly with restaurant supervisor(s) to ensure respective locations are operating to standard.
• Remains knowledgeable of and supervises in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.
• Perform other tasks as deemed necessary.
• Maintain a clean, safe and organized work environment.
• Uphold and demonstrate a complete understanding of company policies and procedures.

Job Requirements 

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to articulate to our General Manager and personnel.
• Proven leadership skills with an understanding of the importance of team building/development, while fostering partnerships with other branch managers.
• Exceptional problem-solving/decision-making skills combined with the ability to be organized.
• Demonstrates multi-tasking, detail, analytical, planning and leadership skills.
• Demonstrates the ability to remain flexible in a fast-paced environment.
• An ideal candidate is a team player, personable, professional, upbeat and energetic, takes initiative, uses tact and diplomacy.
• Computer knowledge and skill level for basic office functions.
• Physical ability to stand for extended periods and to move and handle boxes (10-35lbs) as necessary to operation, which entails lifting, and perform all functions as set forth above.
• Ability to work varied hours/days, including nights, weekends and holidays, as needed.

IDEA + Belonging 

• Promote an inclusive & supportive approach within the Brand team, with networking continuing at all units.
• Focuses on removing barriers and empowering growth and opportunity for team members at all levels.
• Leads by example through Sustainability/Conservation efforts; displays knowledge of efforts in business application as well as giving adequate opportunity for teaching to unit staff as necessary. 
• Engages with SSA/Unit in driving community effort through engagement activities and focus. On opportunities of giving back.

Previous Experience

• 1-2 years of catering or event experience.
• 1-2 years of culinary experience.
• Food Handler Certification required.
• Sips and Tips Certification is a plus.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts or working conditions associated with this job description. SSA Group reserves the right to revise the job description or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (i.e. emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs or technological developments) 

Compensation and Benefits

• Hourly, Non-Exempt (Pay is based on experience and certification/education).

• Employee Assistance Program

• Get Paid Early

• Tuition Discount through Partnership College

• Meal Plan & Employee Discounts

• Zoo Membership after 30 days

This is a part-time seasonal position. Hours are dependent on events, zoo attendance and weather. Hours are scheduled based on availability and work performance. 

SSA Holdings and its affiliated companies, including SSA Group, A&F Souvenir, Cinchio Solutions, and Behavioral Essentials, are equal opportunity employers. We are committed to diversity and inclusion in our hiring practices and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. A diverse team strengthens our collective impact.

We accept applications for this position on a rolling basis. Apply anytime at thessagroup.com. Applications are reviewed as received, and the position remains open until filled.