Head Chef Manager Jobs in Racine, WI (NOW HIRING)

About Us

Cream City Concepts is Milwaukee’s hospitality group built for the energy of a packed house. We run Oak Barrel Public House, Who’s on Third, Who’s on Layton, Cream City Catering, and 3rd Street Retreat — craft food, cold drinks, game days, date nights, big events, and a place to stay, all over the city. The pace is fast, the standards are high, and the people are what make it work.

About the Role

The Sous Chef is the second-in-command at Who’s on Third — the Head Chef’s right hand and the kitchen’s leader on the floor. You run service on the line, own prep and quality systems, lead and develop the team, and hold the standard when the Head Chef is off. Make no mistake — this is a cooking job. You’re on the line, in the weeds, prepping and cleaning right alongside your team, and you’re the steady anchor the whole kitchen runs on. You bring positivity and a hospitality-first mindset — the guest comes first in everything the kitchen sends out.

One Kitchen, One Team

In our kitchens, nobody is above any station. As the Sous Chef you set the example and hold the whole team to it — you jump on any station, dish, or prep when the kitchen needs it, and nobody on your crew is above any job either. We run as one team, not separate jobs.

Clean and Organized — Always

There’s no standing around in our kitchens — if you’ve got time to lean, you’ve got time to clean. When the team isn’t on a task, they’re cleaning, organizing, restocking, or prepping ahead, and you hold them to it. You keep the kitchen clean and organized all shift and own the cleaning checklists — daily, weekly, and monthly. A clean, organized kitchen is the standard here, not the exception.

What We’re Hiring For

Skills change by station. These five don’t — they’re the bar in every CCC kitchen, every shift.

•    Optimistic Warmth — You set the tone for the kitchen — steady and positive — and the team feeds off it when it’s slammed.

•    Curious Intelligence — You’re always sharpening the operation and your own craft, and you grow the cooks under you.

•    Work Ethic — You hold the highest bar in the kitchen and never let standards slip.

•    Empathy — You read your team and the floor: you develop people, call timing, and set everyone up to win.

•    Self-Awareness & Integrity — You lead by example, run the kitchen right when the chef is away, and own it when something’s off.

Key Responsibilities

Kitchen Leadership & Team

•    Serve as the on-shift kitchen leader — run the line and the team during service.

•    Lead by doing — you cook, plate, prep, and clean alongside the team, not just direct it. This is a hands-on cooking job.

•    Lead, train, coach, and develop cooks, prep, and dish staff.

•    Hold the team accountable to standards, attendance, prep, and cleanliness.

•    Step up as the primary kitchen leader when the Head Chef is off.

Culinary Execution & Quality

•    Keep a hospitality-first mindset — the guest comes first, and every plate the kitchen sends out reflects it.

•    Execute the full menu to recipe, portion, and plating standard, and run line checks throughout service.

•    Maintain consistency, speed, and quality across all shifts; step into any station to hold service flow.

•    Lead daily specials and menu rollouts with the Head Chef.

Prep Systems & Station Organization

•    Own daily prep lists, par levels, and station readiness.

•    Enforce labeling, dating, FIFO, and proper storage.

Inventory, Ordering & Cost

•    Run inventory counts and support ordering and par maintenance.

•    Monitor portioning, waste, and food cost, and flag issues to the Head Chef.

People & Hiring

•    Take part in hiring — interview and help select BOH team members.

•    Address performance and conduct, coach, document, and partner with leadership on discipline.

Sanitation, Safety & Compliance

•    Uphold and enforce health-department and food-safety standards.

•    Own cleaning checklists (daily, weekly, monthly) and closing standards.

Communication

•    Coordinate with FOH on pacing and service, run clear pass-downs, and communicate up to the Head Chef.

Authority & Scope

•    Second-in-command — you run the kitchen and the team day to day, and lead it fully when the Head Chef is off.

•    You take part in hiring, scheduling, and performance management for the BOH team, partnering with the Head Chef.

•    You don’t change menu pricing, recipes, or specs, or place orders outside the plan, without the Head Chef’s approval.

•    Final menu direction, budgets, and major personnel decisions sit with the Head Chef and ownership.

Qualifications

•    3+ years in a high-volume kitchen, including lead or sous experience.

•    Strong line leadership and the ability to run a kitchen and a team under pressure.

•    Solid culinary technique across stations — able to execute and teach the menu.

•    Strong grasp of food safety and sanitation (ServSafe certified, or able to obtain).

•    Experience with prep systems, inventory, and food cost.

•    Calm, organized, and a clear communicator across BOH and FOH.

•    Flexible availability including nights, weekends, and holidays.

•    Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

•    Able to stand for extended periods; bend, reach, and lift up to 50 lbs; and work around heat and kitchen equipment.

Success in This Role Means

•    Service runs on time and on standard; quality and pace hold through peak.

•    The team is trained, accountable, and developing under you.

•    Prep, inventory, cost, and cleanliness systems hold every shift.

•    The kitchen runs smoothly and to standard when the Head Chef is off.

Benefits & Perks

•    Competitive salary (based on experience).

•    Performance bonus.

•    Health reimbursement.

•    Paid time off.

•    Simple IRA retirement plan with company match.

•    Paid parking.

•    Free employee meals.

•    Room to grow as a culinary leader.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Cream City Concepts is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other protected class. This job description does not constitute a contract of employment. Employment remains at-will. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time based on business needs.

Continue Your Hospitality Career with us.
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We value each person's point of view and we want all of our employees to have a voice in our operations.