Jr. Sous Chef

Please note:

This is a seasonal position, ending in January 2027.

The Distillery Restaurants Corp. is seeking an experienced and innovative Festivals Sous Chef to lead our festivals culinary team with passion for great food and memorable outdoor events. The ideal candidate is not only an exceptional event chef, but a great operations manager and mentor with a strong growth mindset. They not only understand that exceptional food is at the heart of hospitality but that they are an ambassador to Toronto's unique food and beverage culture.

Our Festivals venue is the Distillery Historic District, one of Canada's most exciting art and shopping destinations and home to some of the top-ranked restaurants and events venues in the City of Toronto. Each of our events/festivals is unique as we cater to the theme or vibe we’re creating – from country music fests to whisky festivals, film festivals and the Winter Village!

The Jr. Sous Chef in Festivals is comfortable with all facets of kitchen management, including scheduling, leading through a rush and collaborating with all departments in the DRC. Our Chefs manage their teams to success with a hands-on approach and are expected to lead with consistency, passion and humility.

Vacancy Status:
This position is for an existing, open vacancy. Your resume will be read by a human, and AI will not be used in this selection process.

Please note:
You must already have legal permission to work in Canada to be considered for this role.

What you’ll experience with The Winter Village:

$26 per hour
In-house dining perks
A dynamic culture that encourages and rewards the entrepreneurial spirit
Bold and lively work environment
The chance to work alongside the best team in the city during the Winter Village, making memories for the more than 650,000 visitors we host!

What you will be doing:

Share a vision of inclusion and holiday cheer with all BOH team members and lead by example.
Reinforce the DRC’s mission and priorities, and inspire the team with your exciting vision for the Winter Village.
Prepare and execute all food items.
Ensure the standards of food quality and safety.
Responsible for maintaining and food and labour costs as per the direction and established budgets created by the Winter Village Head Chef.
Actively involved with the onboarding and training of all staff in the back of house.
Maintain standards as established by the Head Chef, Director of Culinary and DRC while operating a safe, sanitary and hygienic work environment as per the Public Health department.
Coach and manage employee performance.
Other duties as required and/or assigned.

What you’ll bring to the kitchen:

EXPERIENCE. You have years of cooking experience, ideally in Banquets/Events and/or Festival settings. You’ve hold/held leadership roles, such as Sous Chef and/or Chef de Partie with demonstrated success.
PASSION. You have a genuine passion and drive to create – both great food and great talent. You love teaching and sharing your knowledge with your team.
EDUCATION/TRAINING. You have a culinary degree/diploma and/or the equivalent in education and experience.
LEADERSHIP:
You pride yourself in being able to collaborate with others and to lead a team by healthy example.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS. You demonstrate exceptional relationship building and communication skills among your team members in both BOH and FOH.
ADAPTABILITY. You thrive in a fast-paced, changing environment.

The Distillery Restaurants Corporation (DRC) is committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection process. We encourage and welcome candidates with disabilities to apply for job opportunities with us. Please note that accommodations throughout each stage of the DRC’s recruitment process are available upon request.