South East Melbourne · Burwood to Somerville · Multiple venues, one team

Neighbourhood Venue Group runs 11 cafés across Melbourne's South East, from Burwood through to Somerville. We're after an experienced casual chef who can slot into a busy breakfast and lunch service and hold the line — no matter which of our kitchens they're standing in that morning.

About us

We're a growing group of neighbourhood cafés built on consistent food, fast service and regulars who come back. Each site has its own personality and its own menu, but the standards are shared. You'll be working with kitchen teams who actually back each other up, and managers who know that a chef's shift is only as good as the prep behind it.

The role

Casual chef across our venues. You'll be rostered where we need you, so the ability to work across more than one site — and get yourself there — is central to this job.

Day to day you'll be:

- Running a high-volume breakfast and lunch service — eggs every way, smashed avo, big brekkies, burgers, salads, specials.
- Setting up your section and prepping for service so the rush doesn't catch you out.
- Keeping food safety, HACCP, temperature logs and allergen control tight at all times.
- Managing stock — rotation, wastage, ordering — and flagging anything that isn't right.
- Working alongside the head chef and front-of-house to get food out fast and correct.

What we're looking for

Essential





- Proven experience on breakfast and lunch service in busy cafés — you've done real volume, not just a quiet weekday
- A current driver's licence and your own reliable transport — you'll be driving between our venues, from Burwood out to Somerville.
- Availability across weekends and public holidays.
- Certificate III or IV in Commercial Cookery, or equivalent on-the-job experience.
- Full working rights in Australia.
- Solid knife skills and a clean, organised approach to your section.

Desirable

- Experience across multiple sites or a group workplace.
- Baking or pastry basics — muffins, scones, slices.

What we offer

- Casual hourly rate
- Variety — no two kitchens are identical. If you get bored doing the same menu every day, this suits you.
- No late nights. Breakfast and lunch trades — you're home in the afternoon.
- A roster sent in advance so you can plan your week.
- Meals on shift, and coffee. Obviously.
- A group that promotes from within as we grow.

The roster Casual, shifts typically [6:00am – 3:00pm] with some flexibility. You'll be rostered across our sites from Burwood to Somerville, so travel time matters. Tell us in your application which venues work best for you and we'll build the roster around it where we can.

Pay: $35.00 – $41.00 per hour

Expected hours: 10.0 – 38.0 per week

Work Location: In person

📌 Casual Cover Chef (Edithvale)
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