What Is a Sous Chef?

What Does a Sous Chef Do? (Role in the Kitchen)

The sous chef sits one rung below the executive chef in the classic brigade and one rung above the chefs de partie who run individual stations. That position is what defines the job: the executive chef decides what the kitchen makes, and the sous chef is the person on the floor making sure it happens the same way every service.

In practice that means the sous chef is the kitchen's operational authority during service. They hold the standard for food quality and plating, direct line cooks and prep cooks through the rush, and make the real-time calls — pull a dish, re-fire a ticket, move a cook to a station that is falling behind — that the executive chef is not always on the line to make. Outside of service they carry the planning half of the role: prep lists, ordering, inventory, staff training, and health and sanitation compliance.

The role also functions as the kitchen's succession layer. A sous chef covers the executive chef during absence, which is why most executive chefs are promoted out of sous chef positions rather than hired in from outside.

Sous Chef Salary: 2026 US and Canada Rates

• US average: $52,000–$72,000/year ($25–$35/hr)
• NYC, LA, Chicago: $65,000–$85,000/year
• Canada: CAD $55,000–$75,000/year
• Fine dining adds 20–30% premium over casual dining

Sous Chef vs Executive Chef: Key Differences

• Executive chef owns the menu and business decisions
• Sous chef executes daily operations and manages staff
• Sous chef is the primary hands-on kitchen manager
• Most executive chefs promoted from sous chef positions

How BOH Staffing Supports Sous Chef Operations

• On-demand line cooks and prep cooks fill gaps quickly
• W-2 staffing reduces the sous chef's HR burden
• Same-day confirmation for urgent shift coverage
• DishwasherHero+ handles payroll, compliance, and vetting