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Sous Chef

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The sous chef is the executive chef's deputy and the brigade de cuisine's operational backbone — the person who actually runs the kitchen day to day while the executive chef handles menus, vendor negotiations, and hotel leadership meetings. In India, the role sits most prominently in 5-star hotel brands like Taj Hotels, ITC Hotels, Oberoi, Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt, as well as at ambitious standalone restaurants in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Goa. The entry path is typically a 3-year B.Sc. in Hospitality & Hotel Administration from an IHM (Institute of Hotel Management, with IHM Pusa and IHM Mumbai being the most prestigious) followed by 4–8 years of brigade experience — commis, demi-chef de partie, chef de partie, senior chef de partie, and then sous chef. Day to day: mise-en-place supervision from 6 AM, briefing line cooks before service, managing pace during a 200-cover lunch service, doing afternoon FSSAI temperature log checks and ordering, running the dinner brigade when the executive chef is absent, and closing kitchen inventory. The sous chef is the standard before a chef de cuisine or executive chef promotion. Salary range is ₹5–22L at the mid-level in 5-star properties, higher at Oberoi flagships and premium standalone restaurants.