Job Description

Client Profile

This exclusive luxury retreat offers a highly personalised hospitality experience in a spectacular island setting. Catering to a small number of discerning guests at any one time, the property is focused on exceptional service, premium produce and sophisticated yet relaxed dining. With access to fresh ingredients and an intimate operating model, the culinary offering is an important part of the overall guest experience.

Job Description

As Head Chef, you will take ownership of the entire culinary operation, leading a team of four chefs and delivering breakfast, lunch and dinner for a highly exclusive guest base. This is an opportunity for an accomplished chef to work with genuine autonomy, shape the kitchen culture and develop an ever-changing menu driven by the best produce available each day.

The food philosophy is light, fresh and produce-led, with a strong emphasis on seafood and local ingredients alongside considered Asian influences. Rather than working within a rigid menu structure, you will have the freedom to respond creatively to seasonal availability and daily produce deliveries.

Key responsibilities include:

- Lead the kitchen autonomously across breakfast, lunch and dinner services
- Recruit, develop and retain a cohesive team of four chefs alongside the Head Chef
- Create daily-changing menus showcasing exceptional seafood, local ingredients and seasonal produce
- Deliver an à la carte breakfast and concise lunch and dinner menus featuring two choices across entrée, main and dessert
- Maintain consistently high standards of food quality, presentation, kitchen operations and guest satisfaction

Candidate Profile





This role will suit an accomplished Head Chef or senior culinary professional with a solid fine dining background who is ready to take genuine ownership of a kitchen. You will be confident making decisions independently, building a strong team and creating sophisticated food without unnecessary complexity.

The successful candidate will bring:

- Demonstrated experience within five-star, luxury or high-end fine dining environments
- A strong understanding of produce-led cooking, ideally with experience across seafood-focused and contemporary cuisine
- Creativity and adaptability, with the ability to develop menus around fresh ingredients available each day
- Proven leadership skills and the ability to recruit, develop and retain a stable kitchen team
- A self-sufficient and collaborative approach suited to an intimate, remote luxury hospitality environment

Experience within a luxury resort, lodge, island or similarly remote operation would be highly regarded but is not essential.

Offer

An attractive remuneration package is available and will be tailored to the experience and calibre of the successful candidate. Private accommodation and transfers are included, creating a compelling opportunity for a chef seeking a unique lifestyle alongside genuine culinary autonomy.

The position operates on a five-day-on, two-day-off roster, with working hours structured around the requirements of breakfast, lunch and dinner services.

To learn more about this role, submit your CV or contact Lee Thompson via for a confidential discussion.

By applying to this role, you are agreeing to the terms set out in Hastings People's privacy policy available at the Hastings People website.

📌 Head Chef, Luxury Island Retreat, Queensland (Cairns)
🏢 Hastings People
📍 Cairns