What core responsibilities should I outline in a Restaurant Supervisor job description?

Date modified: 29th September 2025 | This FAQ page has been written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.

Sous Chef Job Description Template

This job description template provides a full working exmaple using our six step approach. Open the template in the Pilla app and customise each section to make it specific to your role and business.

We operate a busy contemporary restaurant serving 200+ covers nightly with emphasis on modern British cuisine and exceptional culinary standards. Our sous chef works alongside the head chef to lead our talented kitchen brigade, ensuring consistent food quality and smooth service operations. This role combines hands-on cooking with leadership responsibilities, overseeing section chefs while maintaining our high standards during busy service periods. You'll work in a well-equipped professional kitchen with modern appliances and quality ingredients, supporting menu development and staff training. The position offers excellent progression opportunities within our growing restaurant group, with potential advancement to head chef positions and involvement in opening new venues.
• Support head chef in daily kitchen operations including staff scheduling, prep coordination, and service management • Lead by example during service, working stations while supervising section chefs and junior kitchen staff • Ensure consistent food quality and presentation standards across all dishes leaving the pass • Manage kitchen inventory, stock rotation, and ordering to maintain optimal ingredient levels • Train and mentor junior chefs, providing guidance on cooking techniques and professional development • Oversee food safety compliance, HACCP procedures, and kitchen hygiene standards • Assist with menu development, recipe creation, and seasonal menu planning • Coordinate with front-of-house team on special dietary requirements and service timing • Handle kitchen administration including staff rotas, performance reviews, and disciplinary matters • Step in as head chef during absences, maintaining kitchen operations and standards • Manage food cost control, portion sizes, and waste reduction initiatives • Ensure equipment maintenance and kitchen organization for optimal workflow
Essential Skills: Proven culinary expertise with comprehensive cooking techniques across multiple cuisine styles; strong leadership abilities with experience managing kitchen teams; excellent knife skills and advanced food preparation techniques; thorough understanding of HACCP, food safety, and kitchen hygiene protocols; ability to work efficiently under pressure while maintaining quality standards; strong organizational skills for inventory management and kitchen coordination; effective communication abilities for team leadership and front-of-house liaison. Preferred Qualifications: Formal culinary education or equivalent professional training; 3+ years kitchen experience with leadership responsibilities; experience with menu development and recipe creation; knowledge of food costing and kitchen profitability; wine and beverage pairing knowledge; additional language skills for diverse teams; understanding of dietary restrictions and special dietary preparation.
We're looking for experienced culinary professionals with at least 3 years in professional kitchens, including supervisory or senior chef de partie experience. You should have solid technical skills, proven leadership ability, and genuine passion for creating exceptional food. While formal culinary qualifications are great to have, we care more about your practical skills, leadership qualities, and commitment to excellence. We offer comprehensive career development including advanced cooking training, management skills development, and opportunities to work with guest chefs. This role provides clear progression to head chef positions within our restaurant group, involvement in menu development, and potential opportunities in new venue openings. We support professional growth through external training, industry events, and mentoring programs.
We're looking for someone who combines culinary passion with natural leadership abilities, inspiring teams while maintaining exacting standards for food quality and kitchen operations. You should be calm under pressure, able to make quick decisions during busy service periods, and skilled at developing junior chefs. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, patience for teaching and mentoring, and commitment to maintaining our kitchen culture of excellence. You should be organized, detail-oriented, and able to balance multiple priorities while leading by example. We value creativity, innovation, and continuous learning, seeking someone who contributes ideas for menu development while respecting our established standards and procedures.
Competitive salary of £32,000-£38,000 annually based on experience and demonstrated leadership capabilities, with performance reviews every six months and advancement opportunities. Comprehensive benefits package includes: chef whites and knife maintenance allowance; nutritious staff meals during all shifts; 28 days paid annual leave plus bank holidays; professional development budget for culinary training and certifications. Career advancement opportunities include progression to head chef roles, involvement in menu development, and potential equity participation in new ventures. Health and wellness programs, flexible working arrangements where possible, and staff recognition programs celebrating culinary achievements.

Define comprehensive restaurant supervisor core responsibilities including team leadership and staff management across front and back of house operations, operational oversight and quality control for consistent service delivery, customer service excellence with proactive complaint resolution, inventory management and cost control for profitability, scheduling and labour management for optimal staffing, and health and safety compliance with regulatory requirements.

Common misunderstanding: Restaurant supervisor responsibilities focus primarily on staff management rather than operational oversight.

Effective restaurant supervision requires balanced attention to team leadership and operational management including quality control, cost management, compliance, and customer service. Operational oversight often determines restaurant success more than staff management alone.

Common misunderstanding: Core responsibilities should be broadly defined to allow supervisory flexibility.

Specific responsibility definitions provide clear expectations and accountability measures whilst preventing role confusion and performance gaps. Detailed responsibilities enable effective performance evaluation and professional development planning.

How should I describe management duties for a Restaurant Supervisor job description?

Detail comprehensive staff recruitment and training coordination including interviewing, onboarding, and skill development programmes, performance evaluation and constructive feedback delivery with documentation and improvement planning, disciplinary procedures and conflict resolution following established protocols, team motivation and morale building through recognition and engagement initiatives, strategic delegation and task assignment for efficient workflow management, and professional development support including career coaching and advancement planning.

Common misunderstanding: Management duties are primarily administrative rather than strategic leadership responsibilities.

Restaurant supervisor management duties encompass strategic team development, performance optimisation, and operational improvement that directly impact restaurant success. Administrative tasks support broader leadership objectives rather than comprising primary management focus.

Common misunderstanding: Staff management skills are intuitive and don't require specific training or development.

Professional staff management involves specific competencies including performance coaching, conflict resolution, motivation techniques, and leadership communication that improve through training and practice. Structured management development often accelerates supervisor effectiveness significantly.

What operational oversight should I emphasise for a Restaurant Supervisor job description?

Emphasise comprehensive service standards monitoring and quality assurance across all operational areas, inventory control and stock management including ordering and waste reduction, financial oversight and cost management with budget responsibility, compliance monitoring and safety protocol enforcement, vendor coordination and supplier relationship management, equipment maintenance supervision and problem resolution, and operational reporting including performance metrics and improvement recommendations.

Common misunderstanding: Operational oversight is secondary to customer service and staff management for restaurant supervisors.

Operational efficiency and quality control directly impact customer satisfaction, cost management, and team effectiveness. Strong operational oversight often enables better customer service and staff performance through systematic processes and quality standards.

Common misunderstanding: Supervisory operational duties are less complex than management positions require.

Restaurant supervisor operational oversight involves multiple complex systems including inventory management, financial control, compliance monitoring, and vendor coordination. Supervisory operational responsibilities often require significant expertise and decision-making capability for restaurant success.