Senior Sous Chef - Night Shift

Job Summary:

The Senior Sous Chef – Night Shift oversees nightly culinary production, ensuring timely output in accordance with approved recipes, quality standards, food safety requirements and production schedules. The role leads the night-shift team, maintains food quality and operational efficiency, minimises wastage, ensures hygiene, halal and safety compliance, and facilitates smooth shift handovers.

Key Responsibilities

A. Culinary Production and Operations

• Oversee night-shift production according to approved plans and schedules.
• Ensure food preparation meets standard recipes, specifications, portion sizes and quality standards.
• Monitor production output, yield and deadlines.
• Ensure proper food handling, cooling, storage and transfer.
• Resolve production issues and coordinate with relevant departments on ingredient, raw material and packaging requirements.

B. Team Leadership and Supervision

• Supervise, guide and motivate night-shift culinary staff.
• Allocate duties and manpower to meet production needs.
• Monitor attendance, discipline and work performance.
• Train staff on recipes, SOPs, hygiene and safety.
• Report staffing and training needs to management.

C. Food Quality and Consistency

• Maintain consistent taste, appearance, portion size and product quality.
• Inspect ingredients, work-in-progress and finished products.
• Ensure compliance with approved recipes and quality standards.
• Investigate quality issues and implement corrective actions.

D. Food Safety, Hygiene and Halal Compliance

• Ensure compliance with food safety, hygiene, sanitation and halal requirements.
• Monitor cooking, cooling, storage and temperature controls.
• Prevent cross-contamination and ensure proper allergen handling.
• Maintain cleanliness of equipment and production areas.
• Maintain required records and report food safety incidents or non-compliance.

E. Inventory and Cost Control

• Monitor ingredient usage, stock rotation (FIFO/FEFO) and storage.
• Minimise wastage, spoilage and overproduction.
• Ensure portion control and production yield targets.
• Report stock shortages, damaged goods and discrepancies.
• Maintain proper labelling and traceability of ingredients and finished products.

F. Equipment and Workplace Safety

• Ensure safe operation and proper maintenance of kitchen equipment.
• Maintain a clean, organised and safe workplace.
• Ensure staff comply with safety procedures and PPE requirements.
• Report hazards, accidents and equipment defects promptly.

G. Production Reporting and Shift Handover

• Maintain accurate production, wastage, ingredient usage, quality and manpower records.
• Submit night-shift production reports to management.
• Ensure proper handover of outstanding tasks and operational issues.
• Coordinate with QA, Warehouse, Maintenance and other departments.
• Recommend improvements to production efficiency, quality and cost control.

Requirements

• Diploma or Certificate in Culinary Arts, Food Production, or an equivalent qualification is preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in a commercial kitchen, central kitchen, food manufacturing facility or large-scale food production environment.
• Prior experience in a supervisory or senior culinary position is required.
• Experience in Ready-to-Eat (R2E), chilled, frozen or batch food production will be an advantage.
• Knowledge of food safety, hygiene, temperature control, sanitation and halal compliance requirements.
• Strong leadership, communication, planning and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage production targets, multiple tasks and a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Able to work independently during night shifts and make sound operational decisions.
• Willingness to work night shifts, weekends and public holidays according to operational requirements.