We are seeking an experienced, passionate and highly motivated Head Chef & Kitchen Manager to lead the kitchen of one of our premium hospitality venues.
This is a hands-on leadership role suited to someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment while maintaining exceptional food quality, presentation and consistency. You will have the creative freedom to develop seasonal menus, mentor a talented kitchen team and play a key role in the continued growth of the business.
We're looking for someone who is passionate about modern cuisine, understands current dining trends and has experience producing high-quality casual fine dining food while maintaining strong commercial outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage all day-to-day kitchen operations.
- Create and develop seasonal menus that showcase fresh, high-quality produce.
- Design innovative casual fine dining dishes while maintaining commercially successful menu favourites.
- Manage food cost, labour cost and kitchen budgets to achieve financial targets.
- Recruit, train, mentor and inspire the kitchen team.
- Maintain exceptional food quality, consistency and presentation standards.
- Develop recipes, specifications and kitchen procedures.
- Manage ordering, stock control and supplier relationships.
- Minimise waste and maximise kitchen efficiency.
- Ensure full compliance with NSW Food Safety Standards and WHS requirements.
- Work closely with venue management to deliver outstanding guest experiences.
- Oversee rostering, performance management and staff development.
Essential Requirements
- Minimum 3 years' experience as a Head Chef or Kitchen Manager in a high-quality restaurant, hotel or premium hospitality venue.
- Proven experience creating and implementing successful seasonal menus.
- Strong background in casual fine dining cuisine.
- Excellent leadership and people management skills.
- Sound knowledge of food costing, menu engineering and stock control.
- Ability to lead a busy kitchen while maintaining exceptional standards under pressure.
- Solid organisational and communication skills.
- Current Food Safety Supervisor Certificate (or ability to obtain).
- Full Australian working rights (or eligibility to work in Australia).
What We're Looking For
- A creative chef with a genuine passion for food.
- Someone who leads by example and earns the respect of their team.
- A calm, organised leader who performs well under pressure.
- Strong attention to detail and pride in presentation.
- Commercially minded with a focus on profitability as well as quality.
- A positive attitude and commitment to continuous improvement.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary package based on experience.
- Opportunity to showcase your creativity through seasonal menu development.
- Work with a supportive and experienced hospitality management team.
- Career progression within a growing hospitality group.
- A well-equipped kitchen with the resources to produce exceptional food.
- Staff discounts and employee benefits.
If you're an experienced hospitality professional looking for the opportunity to lead a premium kitchen, create outstanding food and build a high-performing team, we'd love to hear from you.