Lead the kitchen at one of South Wharf’s biggest hospitality venues.

Melbourne Public is looking for an experienced Head Chef to lead the kitchen team at our South Wharf venue, right on the Yarra River.

With a large open-plan venue, outdoor terrace, dining spaces, live music, major sporting events and functions for up to 1,000 guests, this is a role for a chef who knows how to lead from the front and thrive in a high-volume workplace.

Our food offering is all about quality pub classics, shareable dishes and crowd favourites, with a menu that caters to everything from casual lunches and dinners through to large functions and busy event periods.

The Role

As Head Chef, you’ll take ownership of the kitchen operation, leading a large team and ensuring food quality, consistency and service standards are maintained across every part of the venue.

You’ll be responsible for:
Leading, developing and inspiring the kitchen team
Overseeing high-volume service across multiple areas of the venue
Maintaining food quality, presentation and consistency
Managing food costs, GP, stock control and ordering
Menu development and seasonal menu updates
Planning and executing large functions and events
Managing kitchen labour and rostering




Maintaining food safety and compliance standards
Working closely with the venue leadership team to drive the overall operation

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for an experienced Head Chef who is:
Confident leading a large, busy kitchen team
Experienced in high-volume pub, restaurant or event environments
Robust across food, people and kitchen operations
Commercially minded with a solid understanding of GP and labour
Calm and organised under pressure
Passionate about developing a team and maintaining high standards
Comfortable managing functions, events and peak trading periods

Why join us?
Competitive salary + annual bonus of up to $20K paid quarterly
Lead the kitchen of a major South Wharf venue
Work alongside a strong and experienced hospitality team
Large and varied operation with functions, events and live entertainment
Opportunities for career development and progression
Staff discounts across 240+ venues
Training and development opportunities
Be part of a venue that is always busy, energetic and evolving

If you're ready to take the reins of a high-volume kitchen and make your mark at Melbourne Public, we’d love to hear from you.

📌 Head Chef Melbourne Public South Wharf
🏢 Australian Venue
📍 South Wharf