ORGANISATION PROFILE At Little World Academy, we nurture children's natural curiosity through play and discovery, guided by evidence-based practices and inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach.
Our teaching and care philosophy blends Humanist and Interactive models, emphasising innovation and healthy lifestyle practices, including nutrition and food education.
As a community-focused early childhood service, we value open, respectful relationships with families, staff, and the broader community, aiming to support our children in becoming active, contributing members of society.
STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY AND WELLBEING We are committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment that prioritises the safety and wellbeing of all children at our organisation.
We have zero tolerance of child abuse and understand our legal and moral obligations to treat all concerns seriously and to report allegations and concerns about a child/ren's safety and wellbeing to authorities.
We are committed to the cultural safety of all children, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability, and the safety of all children.
We are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming learning environment that recognises and values the diverse backgrounds and experiences of all children, families, and the local community.
RESPONSIBILITIES The Childcare Centre Chef plans and organises the preparation and cooking of all food served at Little World Academy, for children aged six weeks to five years.
The role holds sole responsibility for the centre kitchen, covering seasonal menu design and costing, the daily preparation and cooking of all meals, allergen and special-diet management, food safety and hygiene compliance, and the ordering and rotation of food supplies.
MAIN DUTIES Menu planning and food supply • Plan, design and draft seasonal menus on a three- to six-monthly cycle, ensuring nutritional adequacy, dietary diversity and practicality for children aged six weeks to five years.
• Review each menu with management to confirm feasibility and compliance with centre standards.
• Adjust menus in response to educator and child feedback, seasonal availability and changing dietary requirements.
• Estimate food quantities and costs against the centre's food budget, and order and receive food supplies and kitchen consumables.




• Plan kitchen hours and relief cover in consultation with the Centre Manager.
Food preparation and service • Prepare and cook all meals on site daily, including morning tea, hot lunch, afternoon tea and a late afternoon snack.
• Monitor the quality of all dishes at every stage of preparation, service and presentation.
• Temperature-test food at point of service and record fridge and freezer temperatures.
• Freeze and preserve food, including batch cooking, portioning and stock rotation for later service.
• Load trolleys with meals, utensils and equipment and deliver them to the respective rooms.
• Check the centre's attendance records daily to confirm meal numbers and account for casual bookings and absences.
Food safety and allergen management • Explain and enforce food safety and hygiene regulations in line with the centre's Food Safety Program and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
• Manage allergen and special-diet requirements, including the use of colour-coded bowls and utensils, cross-contamination controls, and individually prepared meals for children with allergies, intolerances, and cultural or religious dietary needs.
• Maintain safe food handling, storage, labelling and date-marking practices at all times.
• Maintain a clean, organised and safe kitchen and storage area, including the cleaning and sanitising of equipment and surfaces.
People and communication • Discuss food preparation matters daily with the Centre Manager and educators, including dietary concerns, menu feedback and meal service issues.
• Demonstrate food preparation and cooking techniques and advise on cooking procedures to kitchen relief staff and to educators rostered to cover the kitchen.
• Select, induct and train kitchen staff, including briefing relief and casual staff on menus, allergen procedures and kitchen routines.
• Work collaboratively with children, educators and families to support an inclusive food environment, and contribute to the centre's nutrition and food education program.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding children's dietary requirements and family information.




• Demonstrate professionalism and ethical conduct in all interactions with children, families and colleagues.
• Participate in ongoing career development related to food handling, nutrition and early childhood sector practice.
Work environment • Undertake the physical requirements of a commercial kitchen and childcare environment, including lifting food supplies, moving trolleys, bending, kneeling, reaching and standing for extended periods.
• Perform kitchen cleaning, including sweeping, mopping and sanitising surfaces and equipment.
• Work at child level when delivering meals and snacks to rooms.
• Manage safe food handling practices under time-sensitive conditions.
• The workplace is an operating early childhood service.
All LWA policies, including child safety, supervision and OHS policies, apply while on site.
QUALIFICATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS Qualifications • Certificate III and IV in Commercial Cookery, or equivalent qualification recognised in Australia.
• Current Food Handling Certificate.
Registrations and clearances • Current Working with Children Check (WWCC).
• Current child protection training and knowledge.
Experience • At least three years' full-time experience as a cook/chef, including one year responsibility for menu planning and costing.
• Preferably experience preparing meals in a childcare or comparable institutional setting.
• Demonstrated experience managing menus, dietary requirements and food preparation safely and efficiently in a commercial kitchen.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS • Knowledge of nutritional guidelines and dietary requirements for children aged six weeks to five years.
• Thorough understanding of food allergen management and safe food handling practices, including cross-contamination control.
• Ability to plan, cost, organise and execute meal preparation independently and with minimal supervision.
• Ability to plan and manage time effectively across concurrent meal services.
• Strong communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work with children, educators, families and management.
• Ability to maintain a clean, safe and organised commercial kitchen environment.
• Knowledge of work health and safety legislation and safe food practices.
• An unwavering commitment to safety and to maintaining a zero-harm workplace.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information.
Salary - $80,000 - $82,000 plus super Only eligible and short-listed applicants will be considered.

📌 Chef (Melbourne)
🏢 Little World Academy
📍 Melbourne