Sous Chef

About Hojokban: Hojokban is a Korean restaurant built on the spirit of sharing, bringing people together over meals that are sincere and flavorful. Founded in Seoul’s iconic Cheongdam neighborhood in 2019, the restaurant quickly became one of the buzziest and most beloved in the city, balancing retro charm with inventive takes on Korean classics. Hojokban expanded to New York City in 2023, where it has quickly become one of Manhattan’s top dining destinations and has been featured in The New York Times, Eater, and The Infatuation.  We are thrilled to bring Hojokban to Los Angeles with our next location, opening in the dynamic Arts District in Fall 2025 - an exciting new chapter for the brand and for diners eager to experience our approach to Korean cuisine. As the brand grows, we are building a team that shares our passion for genuine hospitality and for creating meaningful dining experiences. Position Overview:  We are looking for a passionate and enthusiastic Sous Chef with a strong work ethic and an endless curiosity to learn and grow with our restaurant.  Qualified Sous Chefs must work well with others, have a sense of urgency, and enjoy preparing thoughtfully created food. We emphasize a collaborative working environment that allows our whole team to grow and learn together. Our ideal candidate is someone who can inspire and lead the team with compassion and empathy while balancing the operational demands of a busy kitchen. This position will be responsible for leading a team of line cooks, prep cooks, and kitchen porters, and is focused on the overall success of the Hojokban LA culinary team - striving for daily excellence in hospitality, operations, and service. This position reports directly to the Hojokban LA Chef de Cuisine (CDC).  Duties and Responsibilities:  Culinary: Supervise the line cooks, prep cooks, and kitchen porters as they prepare their daily mise en place and fulfill their daily responsibilities. Taste the daily mise en place to ensure proper seasoning and quality. Lead an assigned station to ensure that all line cooks are preparing and plating the dishes properly. Work in conjunction with the dining room and kitchen expeditor to ensure proper timing of all courses leaving the kitchen. Prepare mise en place, cook and assemble dishes as indicated by recipes Must be able to set up their respective stations in a timely manner Maintain a clean work station area, including kitchen equipment, tables, and shelves Must be able to adapt to any additional tasks as assigned by the station lead, sous-chef, or head chef Must know how to prepare everything on each station and know all dishes on the menu Support the CDC with the development of new dishes  Operational: Assist in writing and costing recipes for menu Place and receive orders for meat, fish, produce, dry goods, paper and chemical goods Monitor and control the food cost Monitor and control the labor cost Assist with timecard review and ensuring staff hours are accurate for payroll processing. Assist with invoice collection, organization, scanning, and GL coding. Assist in interviewing potential kitchen employees when needed Assist with onboarding/offboarding of employees, making sure that all proper procedures have been completed prior to the employee’s start or end date. Ensure compliance with all relevant federal, state, and city labor laws, including wage laws, break policies, paid sick leave, etc. Team Management: Cultivate a welcoming and professional work environment. Facilitate growth of line cooks, prep cooks, and kitchen porters via skills training and daily mentorship. Assist with creating work schedules in a timely fashion (2-3 weeks out), reviewing and approving time off requests, and managing staffing levels to optimally balance production needs with a cost-effective labor model. Train new employees by sharing knowledge, resources, and clearly conveying the correct procedures, workflow and skills to the new employee. Regularly review Company operating standards with the team, update training materials as needed, including procedures, prep guides, recipe sheets, etc. Assist with leading staff meetings - checking for understanding & cohesion, holding team accountable, providing feedback, updates, and addressing any operational issues. Participate in conducting individual staff performance reviews, offering constructive feedback and setting goals for personal development. Assist with administering progressive discipline and assist with employee terminations when necessary. Repair & Maintenance: Must know and uphold LADPH standards. Ensure that the walk-in coolers and dry storage spaces are kept clean and organized in accordance with LADPH standards. Coordinate with CDC and kitchen porters to ensure kitchen and equipment upkeep and that deep cleaning / routine equipment maintenance checklists are completed. Maintain vendor relationships for routine maintenance and equipment service. Monitor and follow up on any outstanding repair or maintenance requests to ensure timely completion. Qualified candidates must be energetic, enthusiastic, and have a great attitude, as well as: 3+ years restaurant experience required (experience working with Korean cuisine or in a Michelin-level environment is a plus) 1+ years management experience required Advanced and accurate knife skills Ability to read and follow recipes and standards Strong oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills Strong computer skills with working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Workspace Capability to teach and mentor others Ability to work independently and coordinate multiple tasks Experience with a variety of cooking styles and techniques Ability to adapt and make decisions quickly in a fast-paced environment Physical Requirements & Working Conditions include: Requires moderate physical effort: standing for 6-8 hours, carrying, stretching, wrist movement, fine manipulation, grasping, pulling and pushing, lifting of weights up to 35 pounds, stooping, bending, twisting, squatting, reaching, etc. Requires the ability to safely and effectively use all necessary tools and equipment Working conditions involve noise, heat, cold, temperature changes, kitchen elements, odors, moisture, exposure to FDA-approved cleaning chemicals, etc. May be required to work additional hours as dictated by the workload and staffing Must be willing to work early mornings, nights, weekends and holidays The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Hojokban is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender (including gender identity or expression), pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, marital status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, ancestry, national origin, alienage or citizenship, age, disability, military or veteran status, genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristic, or other protected status. More detail about Hojokban LA part of GFFG, please visit

Created: 2025-10-05