Sous Chef (Italian Fine Dining)

About the role

La Tavola Ristorante is an intimate Italian fine-dining restaurant located in the Marina Bay precinct, serving contemporary interpretations of regional Italian cuisine with an emphasis on house-made pasta, seasonal ingredients and curated wine pairings. The kitchen operates a curated à la carte menu plus tasting menus for dinner, with a smaller lunch offering targeted at the CBD lunch crowd and weekend guests.

As Sous Chef you will work directly under the Head Chef to manage day-to-day kitchen operations: oversee mise-en-place, execute quality control, manage a small team of chefs de partie and commis, and ensure compliance with food safety and HACCP standards. The role requires strong technical skills in pasta, butchery and sauce work, the ability to maintain consistency on busy services, and a collaborative approach to training and menu execution.

This is a great opportunity for a chef who wants steady hours in a stable, boutique fine-dining setting with clear progression pathways into Head Chef responsibilities, menu development and guest-facing culinary events.

About La Tavola Ristorante

La Tavola Ristorante is a 60-cover Italian fine-dining destination in Marina Bay focusing on seasonal produce, handmade pasta and classical techniques with modern presentation. We cater to business lunches, after-work dining and weekend tasting-menu guests, supported by a small but experienced front-of-house team and curated wine list.

What you can expect

• Central Marina Bay location with regular corporate and tourist covers
• Stable ownership with consistent year-round bookings
• Opportunities for menu development and pop-up events
• Smaller brigade — visible impact and fast career progression for capable chefs

Key responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in planning and executing daily service for lunch and dinner, maintaining plating standards and timing.
• Manage a team of 6–10 kitchen staff (chefs de partie and commis), including rostering, briefings and on-shift supervision.
• Oversee mise-en-place and par levels for daily service, ensuring minimal waste and consistent quality.
• Coordinate with purchasing for stock control, receiving deliveries and controlling food cost and inventory.
• Conduct regular quality checks for all outgoing dishes and liaise with FOH on any guest feedback.
• Ensure compliance with food safety (SS 582) and workplace hygiene, lead kitchen cleaning schedules and temperature logs.
• Assist in menu planning, recipe costing and trialling seasonal dishes and tasting menus.
• Run training sessions for junior staff on pasta, sauce techniques, butchery basics and portioning.

Requirements

• Minimum 3–5 years' professional kitchen experience, with at least 1 year in an Italian cuisine or fine-dining environment.
• Proven experience supervising a small brigade and running a section (pasta, grill or fish preferred).
• Strong hands-on skills: fresh pasta making, sauce preparation, filleting, portioning and plating.
• Solid understanding of food safety, HACCP procedures and kitchen temperature control.
• Able to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends and public holidays on rotation.
• Good command of English for team communication and basic FOH coordination.
• Physical stamina for standing long shifts and lifting up to 25kg when receiving deliveries.

How to apply

Please email your CV, expected salary and a brief cover note highlighting your Italian cuisine experience to [email protected]. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a phone screen.