Position Title: Head Cook

Location: Robe, South Australia

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: $79,500 to $85,500 per annum plus superannuation (depending on experience)

About the Role

Nouche Café Pty Ltd ATF The Trustree for Nouch Café Trust are seeking an experienced and motivated Head Cook to carry out and oversee the daily cooking operations of our busy café kitchen in Robe, South Australia. This is a hands-on cooking role suited to someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced hospitality environment and can confidently run a commercial kitchen while maintaining high standards of food quality, safety and efficiency.

Our business operates year-round with significant increases in trade during peak holiday seasons, requiring an organised and reliable skilled who can perform under pressure and maintain consistency across all services.

Key Responsibilities

Food Preparation and Cooking

- Prepare, cook and present breakfast, lunch, tapas, dinner and catering menu items in accordance with established recipes and presentation standards.

- Manage all stages of food preparation, from raw ingredients through to finished dishes.

- Season and adjust flavour balance at each stage of cooking, tasting dishes throughout preparation to maintain consistency across all services.

- Set and monitor cooking temperatures across ovens, grills, fryers and stovetops, adjusting heat levels throughout service and confirming correct internal cooking temperatures for each dish.

- Plate each dish to the standard serve size and finish with the accompanying sauces, dressings and garnishes before it leaves the pass.

- Adapt dishes for customers with allergies, intolerances and dietary preferences, including gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and low-allergen requests.

- Coordinate food preparation to ensure efficient and timely service during operating hours.

Ingredient Quality, Storage and Stock

- Inspect deliveries of meat, seafood, produce and dry goods on arrival, checking freshness, condition and specification before stock is accepted into the kitchen.

- Store raw and prepared items in the cool room, fridges and freezers at correct holding temperatures, applying labelling,



date-marking and recorded temperature checks.

- Manage stock ordering, stock rotation and inventory control, and estimate ingredient quantities required for forecast trade and catering bookings.

- Monitor portion control to minimise waste and maintain food cost targets.

Kitchen Operations and Team

- Provide direction and on-the-job training to junior kitchen staff and apprentices in preparation techniques, station set-up and safe food handling practice.

- Assist with menu planning, seasonal menu development, daily specials and catering preparation.

- Maintain consistently high standards of food quality, hygiene and food safety throughout all kitchen operations.

- Ensure compliance with all food safety legislation, hygiene practices and workplace health and safety requirements.

- Maintain cleanliness and organisation of kitchen workstations, equipment, utensils, cool rooms, fridges and freezers.

- Safely operate commercial kitchen equipment including ovens, grills, fryers, stoves and other kitchen appliances.

- Operate independently and take responsibility for day-to-day kitchen operations when required.

- Communicate effectively with owners, team members and customers, and respond to management feedback by implementing improvements where required.

Main Duties by Service Period

- Cook to order during breakfast and lunch service.

- Prepare dinner service for special events and catering functions.

- Support preparation for busy weekend and peak summer trading periods.

- Manage food waste, stock rotation and inventory across all services.

Essential Skills

- Strong cooking skills across breakfast, lunch, dinner/tapas and catering menus.

- Sound knowledge of seasoning, flavour balance and cooking temperatures across a range of preparation methods.





- Working knowledge of allergen management and the preparation of dishes for special dietary requirements.

- Excellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to perform efficiently during busy service periods.

- High attention to detail and commitment to delivering consistent food quality and presentation.

- Ability to work effectively within a team in a fast-paced kitchen.

- Ability to manage kitchen operations independently with minimal supervision.

- Strong communication skills and willingness to follow management direction.

- Physical ability to stand for extended periods and safely lift items up to 15kg.

Qualifications

- AQF Certificate III (or recognised equivalent) together with at least two years of on-the-job training, or an AQF Certificate IV (or recognised equivalent).

- Applicants without a formal culinary qualification will be considered where they can demonstrate at least three years of relevant full-time experience.

- Current Food Handling and Food Hygiene certification.

- Food Safety Supervisor certification is highly regarded.

Experience Required

- Minimum three years' experience working as a Cook within a café, restaurant or hospitality environment, or two years where held alongside a completed AQF Certificate III (or recognised equivalent)

- Demonstrated experience working in high-volume food service.

- Experience across menu preparation, ingredient quality checks, stock control and rotation, temperature-controlled storage, kitchen cleaning and protected food handling practices.

- Proven ability to operate a commercial kitchen independently without direct supervision from a Head Chef.

Availability

Applicants must be available to work a flexible roster including weekends, public holidays and occasional evenings to meet business operational requirements.

Salary

$79,500 to $85,500 per annum plus superannuation (depending on experience)

How to Apply

Please submit your current resume together with a cover letter outlining your relevant experience and suitability for the position to ••••@gmail.com

📌 Full Time Head Cook (Robe)
🏢 Nouch Cafe
📍 Robe