Head Chef****Portside | Prahran Market, VIC | Full-Time

You know a kitchen is running well the moment you walk into it, and you want the chance to build one that runs that way every day.

This is a current Head Chef role at Portside, and it exists because LK Hospitality wants this kitchen run at the standard it deserves.

You'll report to the Executive Chef and take real ownership of the kitchen: the food, the team, the numbers and the standard. This is a role you get to shape, not just fill.

About Us

Portside is born from a genuine love of seafood and the ocean that brings it to shore. We are all about quality, honesty and flavour, sourcing from trusted fishers around Australia and treating every piece with the same care you would expect in a restaurant kitchen. From sustainable choices to chef-led preparation and clear origins you can trust, everything that hits our counter is something we truly stand behind.

Based in the vibrant Prahran Market, Portside is more than a fishmonger. We are a destination for thoughtful, seasonal seafood and a warm, community-focused place where food lovers gather, learn and create. We believe great food starts with great people, and that passion shows in everything we do.

Founded in 2019, LK Hospitality delivers innovative, world-class dining and events in South Yarra. Our venues include Omnia Bistro, Yūgen Dining, Portside, and The Grand Room.

The Role

You own what happens in this kitchen, service after service.





- Run the kitchen and hold food quality to a consistent standard
- Develop new dishes that fit Portside's seafood led menu
- Source and negotiate directly with trusted suppliers, protecting quality and cost
- Lead and mentor the team, from junior chefs through to senior sous
- Keep food cost at or below 28% through smart sourcing, not shortcuts
- Maintain HACCP compliance and food safety standards without prompting
- Brief front of house daily on menu changes, dishes and allergens

Who We're Looking For You lead by showing the standard, not just setting it, and you stay levelheaded when service gets hard.

- Head Chef or senior sous in a high end, fast paced kitchen
- Strong supplier relationships and real sourcing knowledge
- Confident developing and costing a dish start to finish
- Sets clear standards and helps the team meet them
- Applies food safety and HACCP without being told

And the non-negotiables - you stay composed under pressure, you understand that food cost discipline and food quality aren't in conflict, and you treat food safety as second nature, not a checklist.

What's on Offer

- Salary aligned to experience
- Staff discount across LK Group
- Career progression within a growing hospitality group
- Training and development to build your leadership
- Daily hands-on work with premium, sustainably sourced seafood

If this sounds like the kitchen you've been wanting to lead, we would like to hear from you. Send us your CV and a note on what draws you to Portside.

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