Performance Sous Chef - Consultant

Job Title: Performance Sous Chef - Consultant

Department: Basketball Operations

Reports to: Executive Chef

Manages: N/A

Position Summary: As a member of the Los Angeles Lakers Culinary team, the Performance Sous Chef is responsible for the preparation of meals for players, coaches, and staff throughout the NBA season. This role plays a key part in executing the team’s daily culinary operations: fueling performance and ensuring meals meet performance nutritional standards, and maintaining the highest quality and presentation 

Essential Functions (Duties and Responsibilities**):

Culinary Operations 

• Execute all daily culinary operations at the team’s training facility, including breakfast and lunch on practice and game days.
• Execute from-scratch cooking across all areas of meal preparation, with a strong focus on performance nutrition and specialized dietary requirements
• Maintain strict adherence to food safety standards (HACCP principles, local health codes, and league requirements).
• Trains new kitchen staff on techniques, recipes, and kitchen procedures

Planning and Production

• In collaboration with Performance Dietitian and Executive Chef, assists in development of culturally diverse menus that meet performance nutrition standards.
• Develop standardized recipes, portion guides, and kitchen SOPs to ensure consistent quality and nutritional accuracy
• Supervises line chefs and prep chef during prep and service, ensuring recipes, portions, and plating meet standards
• Manages daily kitchen prep lists and ensures mise en place is completed on schedule

** Responsibilities subject to change based on organizational needs and direction from management

Education and Certifications (Required/Preferred):

• Culinary degree from an accredited institution or equivalent professional experience required
• 5+ years of professional kitchen experience, with at least 1-2 years in a sous chef or lead line cook role
• Proficient in operating standard kitchen equipment
• ServSafe certification or equivalent food safety credential (Manager level preferred)
• Ability to work a non-traditional schedule, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended shifts
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively in a team-focused, high-performance environment
• Strong leadership and organizational skills; ability to manage and motivate a kitchen crew during high-pressure service
• Able to speak, read, and write in English

Previous Experience:

• Experience working with a professional, collegiate, or Olympic-level sports organization
• Demonstrated knowledge of sports nutrition principles, macronutrient periodization, and athlete recovery protocols
• Experience with food tracking and kitchen management software platforms
• Strong leadership and team management skills; experience supervising kitchen staff

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Must have uncompromised ability to protect confidentiality/privacy of others and company documents and records
• Demonstrated ability to act with the utmost discretion and professionalism; must have the ability to maintain a professional appearance
• Must understand the nutritional needs of professional athletes and how to meet to those needs through carefully planned meals
• Must be able to evaluate the nutritional value of recipes and identify ways to make healthy improvements
• Reliable and flexible team player, both within own department and the company as a whole
• Possess a strong command of reasoned, measured decision-making based on analyzing the pros and cons of each potential decision to be made
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build and cultivate strong relationships
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, including the ability to communicate effectively with different audiences
• Highly organized, detail oriented, and motivated

Location: El Segundo (offices M-F)

Hours: Monday through Sunday, plus overtime (when needed) is mandatory; must be available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays

Please note that this is a consulting opportunity, not a full-time staff position; the selected individual will be engaged as an independent contractor and compensated via IRS Form 1099.

The pay range for this role is $65.00 to $75.00 per hour. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience and certifications. In addition to those factors, we consider the relative pay of our current employees in similar positions when making a final offer.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.