Head Chef – High Volume | Creative & Commercial Leadership

This is a hands-on leadership position with genuine responsibility and the opportunity to make a significant impact on the business. You'll take ownership of kitchen leadership, rostering and labour management, menu development, menu costing and profitability, high-volume operations, problem-solving, systems and organisation, and business development working collaboratively with ownership to identify opportunities and improve the offering.

Key responsibilities

- Lead, mentor and hold your team accountable while creating a positive, productive and high-performing kitchen culture
- Build smart, commercially sustainable rosters that respond to seasonal demand without compromising service standards
- Create exciting, contemporary menus that reflect current food trends, coastal location and customer preferences
- Understand food costs, margins, portion control, wastage and the commercial performance of every dish
- Deliver exceptional consistency, speed and quality during peak periods when the kitchen is under serious pressure
- Be the go-to person when challenges arise, bringing solutions, making decisions and taking responsibility
- Drive prep systems, ordering, stock control, supplier relationships, food safety and kitchen efficiencies




- Work collaboratively with ownership to identify opportunities, develop new products and attract customers throughout the year

About you

- Minimum five years' experience leading a high-volume, seasonal hospitality operation
- Successfully managed a busy kitchen through extreme seasonal fluctuations
- Genuinely passionate about food and stays ahead of emerging food trends
- Understand the commercial side of hospitality as well as cooking
- Can build a roster, manage a wage budget and confidently lead a team
- Strong menu development skills and knows how to turn a great idea into a profitable, operationally practical product
- Organised, resourceful and capable of working independently without constant direction
- Takes pride in developing staff, improving systems and setting high standards
- Remains calm, decisive and solutions-focused under pressure
- Has an entrepreneurial mindset and is constantly looking for ways to improve the business

About us

We're an established, high-volume beachside venue operating in a unique seasonal environment. In summer, we pump out hundreds of meals a day. In the quieter months, the focus shifts to innovation, efficiency, developing new revenue opportunities and giving customers more reasons to visit.

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📌 Head Chef – High Volume | Creative & Commercial Leadership (Gosford)
🏢 Macs Beach Cafe
📍 Gosford