Lead the kitchen. Own the culture. Make it yours.

The Smoking Camel is looking for an exceptional Head Chef to take the reins of our Byron Bay kitchen.

Bold, vibrant and built for sharing, The Smoking Camel is not a venue that plays it safe. We’re looking for a Head Chef with the same energy, someone who loves great food, thrives in a busy restaurant, and knows that an exceptional kitchen is built just as much on people, culture and leadership as it is on what leaves the pass.

This is an opportunity to take genuine ownership of a kitchen within Arcade Agency , leading the food, team and commercial performance of the venue while being supported by an experienced wider Leadership Team.

We want someone ambitious. Someone organised. Someone who can lead a cracking service on Saturday night and come back Monday ready to talk COGS, people development and how we make the kitchen even better.

THE ROLE

As Head Chef, you'll have full accountability for the performance of the Smoking Camel kitchen.

You'll lead and develop the BOH team, protect the quality and consistency of the food, manage costs and suppliers, and work closely with the Venue Manager to drive the overall success of the restaurant.

This is not just a service role .

You’ll have ownership, accountability and the opportunity to genuinely influence how the kitchen operates and grows.

You’ll be responsible for:

Leading all BOH operations and delivering consistently exceptional services.

Building, mentoring and retaining a talented, professional kitchen team.

Creating a kitchen culture built around respect, accountability and high standards.

Driving food quality, flavour, presentation and consistency.

Taking ownership of COGS, ordering, stock, wastage, portion control and BOH labour.





Using systems and data to understand performance and drive better commercial outcomes.

Building strong supplier relationships and ensuring the kitchen is getting the right quality and value.

Maintaining uncompromising standards around food safety, WHS, cleanliness and compliance.

Working in partnership with the Venue Manager and broader Arcade Agency team.

The role also has real commercial accountability, including ownership of COGS performance and working with systems including Cooking the Books, OrderMate, Deputy and Weel.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

You might already be an established Head Chef looking for your next challenge, or an exceptional senior chef ready to step up and own a kitchen.

Either way, you'll need to be someone who leads from the front.

You’ll bring:

Strong experience in a high-quality-driven restaurant.

A genuine love of food and hospitality.

Commercial confidence - you understand that running a great kitchen also means running a profitable one.

Strong knowledge of COGS, labour, stock management and wastage control.

The ability to build, coach and inspire a kitchen team.

High standards without the ego.

Calm, transparent leadership when the restaurant is pumping.

Excellent organisation and communication.

Confidence using kitchen and business systems.

A proactive mindset - you see a problem, take ownership and help solve it.

A leadership style that creates a kitchen people want to be part of.

The Head Chef is also a key member of venue leadership, partnering directly with the Venue Manager and representing the kitchen across broader business initiatives.

Sound like your kind of kitchen?

Come lead The Smoking Camel.
Bring the food. Build the team. Make your mark in Byron Bay.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

📌 The Smoking Camel - Head Chef (Byron Bay)
🏢 Light Years
📍 Byron Bay