Hotel Lucine
Galveston, Texas
Anticipated Start: May/June 2026
Compensation: $50, 000 - $60, 000

The Opportunity
Hotel Lucine is a reimagined mid century motor lodge on Galveston's historic Seawall, designed as a vibrant coastal destination where hospitality, culture, and community converge. More than a hotel, Lucine operates as a social hub where guests move fluidly between dining, music, pool culture, and events throughout the day and into late night.

Food is central to the Lucine identity. Culinary programming drives both guest experience and local relevance across multiple distinct venues:
• The Fancy, the hotel's signature restaurant and culinary centerpiece
• The Den, an all day café and lounge balancing casual hospitality with refined execution
• The Roof, a high energy rooftop bar and dining environment overlooking the Gulf
• A newly launching beachside outlet extending Lucine's culinary presence directly onto the shoreline
• A growing weddings and events program requiring adaptable, creative banquet execution

This is not a traditional hotel kitchen role. The Sous Chef will help support a multi concept culinary platform where menus, atmosphere, and operational discipline work together to deliver consistency at scale while preserving individuality across outlets.

We are seeking a hands on culinary leader who thrives in both service execution and team development, capable of maintaining high standards while supporting diverse dining experiences and high volume operations.

The Role
The Sous Chef is a key operational leader within Hotel Lucine's culinary program. Reporting to the Executive Chef, this role supports all back of house operations including food preparation, kitchen leadership, training, quality control, inventory management, sanitation, and banquet execution across all outlets and events.

You will help establish systems that allow creativity to succeed consistently. Lucine's culinary program requires thoughtful structure behind the scenes, clear standards, disciplined purchasing, and strong training programs that empower teams to execute at a high level every day.

This role demands a leader who is highly visible on the kitchen floor. You will actively guide service, mentor cooks, collaborate closely with front of house leadership, and ensure every culinary touchpoint reflects Lucine's identity and standards.

Success means balancing creativity with accountability. The Sous Chef must support food quality while maintaining labor efficiency, food cost controls, operational organization, and a strong kitchen culture across a dynamic hospitality environment.

What You'll Do
• Support daily culinary operations across The Fancy, The Den, The Roof, beach programming, in room dining, and weddings and events production
• Assist the Executive Chef with menu execution, seasonal updates, banquet programming, and recipe development
• Supervise kitchen staff including lead cooks, line cooks, prep cooks, bakers, and stewarding teams
• Maintain consistent food quality, plating standards, portion control, and recipe adherence across all outlets
• Lead by example during service periods, assisting with execution while reinforcing standards in real time
• Assist with kitchen systems including preparation logs, inventories, recipe documentation, PMIX analysis, production planning, and ordering procedures
• Support hiring, training, coaching, scheduling, and development of kitchen staff to build a cohesive and accountable team culture
• Monitor labor productivity and scheduling aligned with business forecasts and operational needs
• Assist with purchasing, receiving, vendor coordination, invoice reconciliation, and inventory management
• Help manage food cost controls through waste reduction, proper storage, portioning, and product utilization
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, OSHA, and regulatory standards while fostering a culture of safety and accountability
• Participate in monthly inventory processes and maintain accurate product usage reporting
• Assist with banquet and event culinary execution, ensuring smooth coordination and high quality presentation
• Collaborate closely with front of house leadership to support guest satisfaction and seamless service execution
• Support special events, seasonal activations, rooftop programming, and collaborative culinary initiatives that strengthen Lucine's identity
• Maintain a clean, organized, and efficient kitchen environment while continuously identifying opportunities for operational improvement

Who You Are
• An experienced Sous Chef or rising culinary leader with strong restaurant, multi outlet, or lifestyle hotel experience
• Comfortable operating both restaurant driven and event driven kitchens simultaneously
• A leader who understands that communication, mentorship, and culture are just as important as technical execution
• Operationally disciplined with strong awareness of food cost management, labor controls, purchasing, and kitchen systems
• Experienced in high volume service environments while maintaining consistency and quality
• Collaborative by nature, working seamlessly with culinary leadership, front of house teams, and hotel leadership
• Creative yet pragmatic, able to execute menus that are both inspiring and operationally sound
• A hands on leader who builds trust through visibility, coaching, accountability, and teamwork
• Adaptable and energized by evolving concepts, new outlets, and dynamic hospitality environments
• Passionate about creating food experiences that feel approachable, memorable, and rooted in place

Experience / Education
• Minimum 2 years of high volume kitchen leadership or supervisory experience in restaurant, hotel, or multi outlet culinary operations
• Previous experience with banquet, catering, or event execution strongly preferred
• Experience with scheduling, training, coaching, and team development preferred
• Strong understanding of food safety procedures, workplace safety standards, purchasing, receiving, and inventory control
• Experience with recipe documentation, PMIX analysis, and food cost management preferred
• Culinary degree desirable or equivalent combination of education and hands on experience
• ServSafe Certification and Allergy Awareness Training strongly preferred

Why This Is Different
• A culinary leadership role inside an independent lifestyle hotel where food is a defining brand pillar rather than a supporting amenity
• Exposure to multiple distinct culinary concepts rather than a single restaurant operation
• The opportunity to contribute to restaurant dining, rooftop culture, beach activation, and large scale events
• A collaborative leadership environment that values creativity, accountability, and entrepreneurial thinking
• The chance to help shape a growing culinary program at one of Galveston's most exciting hospitality concepts
• A kitchen culture focused on mentorship, teamwork, operational excellence, and genuine hospitality