Pastry Sous Chef

Under the direction of the Executive Pastry Chef, the Pastry Sous Chef manages the daily operations of the central resort bake shop and multi-venue pastry production. This role prepares and cooks food, cleans, stocks, and maintains all kitchen, preparation, service, dining, and storage areas while supervising the preparation, cooking, and presentation of high-volume pastries, breads, desserts, and banquet orders across all resort restaurants, VIP lounges, and convention spaces. The incumbent directly leads culinary staff, enforces strict health department standards, and ensures seamless execution of corporate hospitality expectations.

Must be able to perform cooking methods, prepare specialized pastry bases, and operate all hot and cold culinary stations proficiently according to Foxwoods culinary departmental standards. An associate degree or higher in Culinary Arts/Pastry Arts, or previous work experience from an equal or higher position with very similar job responsibilities and business volumes is required. A minimum of four (4) years of experience in a full-service or production kitchen/bakery with a proven culinary management background is required. Working during weekends, holidays, and peak business periods is required, including working any shift/day designated by the department.

• High-Volume Production: Oversee large-scale pastry and dessert production for diverse resort outlets, ranging from fine-dining celebrity partnerships to mass casino banquets and quick-service stations.
• Station Operation: Master and direct the operation of all hot and cold pastry and baking stations according to departmental guidelines. Prepares and cooks venue food offerings from memory, following departmental/franchise standards for time, recipe, portion size, appearance, and quality.
• Quality Assurance & Inspection: Consistently taste, test, and visually inspect finished baked goods and food presentations to monitor quality, exact portion sizes, garnishing, and recipe specifications.
• Logistics & Distribution: Coordinate the timely staging, packing, and cross-property transit of pastry items to various casino hotel towers, dining venues, and pick-up passes.
• Menu Development: Assist the Executive Pastry Chef in brainstorming, creating, and testing new dessert concepts, seasonal menu items, and high-roller specialty showpieces.
• Daily Setup & Inventory Maintenance: Ensure all kitchen and bakery areas are clean and properly set up. Set up, clean, stock, and maintain all kitchen, preparation, service, dining, and storage areas according to company/departmental standards of time, levels, order, and appearance. Maintains sufficient inventory of food, supplies, and equipment and orders as needed.

• Personnel Supervision & Management: Manage subordinate team members responsible for pastry preparation, directing the overall coordination, training, and evaluation of staff. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.
• HR Accountability: Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, training, and scheduling team members; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining team members; administering policy and procedure within the department; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Verifies payroll, monitors labor costs, tracks attendance, and generates related operational reports.
• Staff Development: Sets the standards for training and developing staff on technique, equipment, recipes, preparation methods, and presentation. Oversee the mentoring and counseling of subordinates to ensure staff performance meets/exceeds property standards.
• Tribal Member Promotion Goal: Recognize the significance of the Employer’s goal to train and promote Tribal Members to management and other positions. The Pastry Sous Chef shall actively strive to achieve this goal and participate as a panel member on MPGE's Board of Review as needed.
• Employee Relations: Always promotes positive public and employee relations, maintaining Employee Relations standards and adhering to all Human Resources policies regarding coaching, training, and recognition.

• Financial & Cost Controls: Work to achieve budgeted revenues, control kitchen expenses, and maximize profitability within assigned areas. Cost out recipes, manage yields, monitor portion controls, and minimize waste or loss of supplies to maintain profitability.
• Data Analysis & Systems: Utilize corporate approved computer programs and POS systems to analyze forecasts, cost reports, and revenue data, making proactive operational decisions based on that information.
• Bake Shop Administration: Perform necessary administrative duties, including managing daily business correspondence via email, communicating with vendors regarding ingredient quality, generating related kitchen reports, and utilizing Office Suite applications for production tracking and inventory logs. Assists in developing the annual budget for the assigned area.

• Hospitality Standards: Train staff to execute core guest experience values and circulate through dining/event areas to ensure outstanding service:
• Be Charming: Act approachably, project confidence, and treat coworkers and guests with deep respect.
• Stay in the Moment: Anticipate guest needs, remain highly attentive during peak rushes, and take prompt ownership of errors or concerns.
• Make it Memorable: Bring unique aesthetic flair to VIP customs, specialized showpieces, and high-roller events to create special moments.
• Guest Problem Resolution: Fulfill special arrangements and requests. Resolve complex guest complaints and concerns within the scope of authority, using a professional demeanor and friendly tone in all interactions.
• Communication: Understand complex culinary requests, ask targeted clarification questions, and ensure complete internal team and guest satisfaction in fluent English.
• Sanitation Regulations: Enforce full compliance with government, safety, and tribal health standards, ensuring all kitchen areas meet or exceed health department codes. Monitor SOPs, oversee labeling and dating of products, and maintain strict time/temperature logs. Clean and sanitize equipment, wares, walls, and floors as directed.

• Safety Policies: Follows all safety policies and procedures. Maintain a clean, safe, hazard-free work environment within area of responsibility. Reports potential safety issues to the manager immediately and takes swift action to resolve emergency situations. Notifies management of unsafe conditions, needed maintenance of equipment, and any accidents.
• OSHA Law & PPE: OSHA laws require the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when performing work duties that have the potential of risk to your health or safety. Team members will be trained in the proper use and care of assigned PPE if applicable. The hotel provides the required PPE. Team member has responsibility to report defective, damaged, or lost PPE or equipment that does not fit properly to their Manager.
• HAZMAT & MSDS Compliance: Maintains strict compliance with the hotel's Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) program and familiarizes self with current Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).
• Footwear: Must wear non-slip, oil-resistant shoes.
• Policy Adherence: Must adhere to the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe's Policies and Procedures. Reporting to work as scheduled (on time and on a regular basis) is an essential function of the job.

• An associate degree or higher in Culinary Arts/Pastry Arts, or previous work history from an equal or higher leadership position with very similar job responsibilities and business volumes is required.
• Minimum Requirement: Four (4) years of experience in a full-service or production kitchen/bakery with a proven culinary management background required; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Pastry Background: Prior specialized restaurant pastry prep, baking, and knife handling experience required.

• Skill Assessment: Candidates must successfully pass departmentally mandated acumen and skills testing and demonstrate practical pastry skills and advanced baking knowledge under the direct guidance and direction of the Executive Pastry Chef.
• Possess an excellent understanding of all food service techniques, food preparation, pastry products, and advanced cooking techniques including tableside/live action service.
• Requires the ability to perform basic math skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in all units of measure.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, recipes, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Must be able to speak, read, write, and understand English to communicate fluidly with management, team members, and guests. Bilingual Spanish is a plus.
• Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. Ability to remain calm, alert, and focused during heavy business activity or emergency situations.
• Must have a valid current Food Handlers Card or willingness and ability to obtain one within 30 days of employment.
• Must complete ServSafe Managerial Certification within 30 days of hire.

• Stamina & Movement: While performing the duties of the job, the team member regularly stands and walks for sustained periods of time on casino resort flooring. Works at a quick pace, maneuvering between functions occurring simultaneously. Regularly required to bend, lift, reach with hands and arms, extend arms in any direction, and use hands and fingers. Occasionally stoops, kneels, and crouches.
• Handling & Mechanics: The team members regularly grasp objects such as cookware, pastry knives, rolling pins, bakery trays, plate ware, and glassware. Must practice proper body mechanics and use appropriate personal protective equipment to avoid injury.
• Sensory & Awareness: Frequently talks when communicating and needs to hear voices while interacting with guests, dining staff, and kitchen staff. The team member is frequently alerted of a coworker's presence from behind to avoid accidents in close-quarter spaces. Frequently feels the temperature of objects such as hot stoves, ovens, and cookware. Tastes all dishes each day to monitor quality and relay information. Many aromas and smells are present in the kitchen and dining areas. Balance is frequently required to prevent falling when walking, standing, moving, or carrying heavy items.
• Lifting & Force: Lifting is regularly required when preparing and cooking food. Team members must be able to lift a minimum of 35 lbs. multiple times per day, and push/pull supply racks or carts weighing up to 100 lbs. across long resort corridors. Exerts up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move items. Frequently transports food, objects, or trays while walking.
• Vision Acuity: Required to have close visual acuity to prepare and cook food, read fine recipes/logs, and safely move around the kitchen. Specific vision abilities required include close, distance, color, and peripheral vision, and depth perception to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work areas.
• Environmental Dynamics: Subject to a fast-paced, close-quarter environment with varying, unpredictable levels of patrons and employees present. Required to function in crowded or narrow aisles, passageways, or work areas in the kitchen and dining areas. Varying walking surfaces, working environments, and equipment.
• Hazards & Temperature Extremes: Subject to kitchen hazards which include proximity to moving mechanical parts, sharp objects, slick floors, hot ovens, stoves, cookware, and exposure to cleaning chemicals. Occasionally subject to extreme heat with temperatures up to and above 100 degrees while moving around hot cooking/baking stations. Occasionally subject to extreme cold when working inside walk-in refrigerated or freezer storage spaces. Varying levels of light, loud noise, temperature, and atmospheric conditions (fumes, odors, baking smoke, or flour dust).

THE MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBE PRACTICES TRIBAL AND NATIVE AMERICAN PREFERENCE (33 M.P.T.L.) IN HIRING AND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.