New café opening / Brand-new kitchen / Daytime only / Opportunity to build the menu / Ownership of kitchen / Chadstone location / Work-life balance

About the role

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Head Chef to lead our café kitchen.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys being actively involved in the kitchen while taking ownership of food quality, menu development, kitchen operations and cost control.

You will work closely with the owners to develop and maintain a strong modern Australian café / brunch menu, lead the kitchen team and ensure consistent standards across every service.

Key responsibilities

- Lead the day-to-day operation of the kitchen
- Develop and improve seasonal café and brunch menus
- Test, cost and introduce recent dishes
- Maintain consistently high standards of food quality, presentation and portion control
- Create and maintain standardised recipes, prep methods and plating standards
- Lead by example and work actively alongside the kitchen team
- Manage and mentor chefs, cooks and kitchen staff
- Manage ordering, stock control and supplier relationships
- Monitor food costs, labour costs and minimise wastage
- Organise kitchen workflow, preparation and rostering
- Maintain high standards of kitchen cleanliness and organisation
- Ensure compliance with food safety, OH&S; and relevant regulations




- Support smooth and efficient service during busy periods

About you

- Minimum 2 years’ experience as a Head Chef or strong experience as a Senior Sous Chef with kitchen leadership responsibilities
- Strong background in modern Australian café / brunch food
- Confident running a busy café kitchen independently
- Strong understanding of food costing, portion control and waste management
- Experience with menu development and introducing new dishes
- Strong leadership and team management skills
- Organised and able to maintain systems and standards
- Commercially minded while still passionate about food and creativity
- Reliable, responsible and able to perform well under pressure
- A hands-on leader who enjoys being in the kitchen and leading by example

What we offer

- Competitive salary based on experience
- Stable, long-term position
- Supportive working environment
- Opportunity to have genuine input into menu development
- The freedom to bring new ideas and creativity to the kitchen
- Opportunity to grow with the business

Location: Chadstone

Position: Full-Time Head Chef To apply, please send your resume and a short introduction outlining your Head Chef experience, current availability and work rights.

Pay: $70,000.00 – $95,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person

📌 Head Chef-New café opening / Brand-new kitchen (Chadstone)
🏢 GATHER CAFE
📍 Chadstone