Job Description
Job description
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Join the Culinary Excellence at Occy's Brewing Co.
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Company: Occy's Brewing Co.
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Location: Dunsborough
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Position: Full time Sous Chef leading into Head Chef Position
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Salary: $80,000-$90,000 depending on experience
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Hours: Full-Time ***** hours/week with reasonable overtime (typically up to 45hrs, reflected in salary positioning)
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Website:
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Instagram: occysdunsborough
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Application Deadline: ASAP preferred, flexible for the right person
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About Occy's
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Tucked in the heart of Dunsborough's main street, Occy's Brewing Co. is one of the South West's most beloved local institutions. Family-owned and fiercely independent, we brew 18 craft beers on-site from our working solar-powered farm (using rainwater exclusively), distil our own white rum, gin and tequila, and serve Australian-only seafood alongside seasonal local produce - with full table service, which is a genuine rarity in this part of the world. We're dog-friendly, kid-friendly, and half indoors, half outdoors with a main street vista that makes it one of the best seats in the South West. Our philosophy is simple: military discipline behind the scenes enables a genuinely relaxed, memorable experience for every guest who walks through our doors. We don't chase volume. We chase connection - educating customers, expanding palates, and building a loyal community one conversation at a time.
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The Role
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After an extended search, we're looking for a Sous Chef Leading into a Head Chef role who genuinely gets it - someone with the technical skills and the speed to run a professional kitchen, but also the maturity, empathy and systems mindset to build a team that actually stays.
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This is not a role for someone who leads through intimidation. We've seen that approach cycle through seven people in this position. We're done with it.
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The right person will take ownership of a creative, well-resourced kitchen with complete freedom on specials, genuine input into the core menu, and a venue owner (Jason) who wants a collaborator - not a subordinate.
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What You'll Actually Do
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Kitchen Leadership
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Manage all kitchen operations in conjunction with the General Manager - scheduling, prep planning, timing and service flow across larder/prep, fries and grill sections
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Ensure consistent,



high-quality output regardless of team strength on any given shift
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Train, develop and mentor kitchen staff using encouragement and empathy rather that pressure
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Bridge the gap between front-of-house and kitchen - at Occy's, we're one team, not two
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Menu & Creativity
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Design and maintain a core printed menu built for efficiency: simple, streamlined, executable by any skill level without compromising quality
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Run a rotating specials program with full creative freedom - propose what you want, we'll cost it together and adjust GP targets if needed (our beer margins give us flexibility most kitchens don't have)
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Align menus with seasonal produce availability and local market trends
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Think about food as a storytelling vehicle - our table service model means every dish gets explained, and we want a chef who cares about that
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Operations & Systems
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Manage stock ordering, receiving, checking, storage and waste control in collaboration with the GM
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Work within (and help improve) our systems - we're moving to Square for integrated back-of-house management post-Easter, and we want a chef who embraces that rather than resists it
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Maintain all health, hygiene and food safety standards to council requirements
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Minimise waste in a small-venue environment where every decision matters
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What We're Looking For
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Essential
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Proven experience running a professional kitchen - speed, composure under pressure and genuine cooking ability are non-negotiable
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Menu design and costing experience; understanding of GP management
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A leadership style built on empathy, communication and team development - not hierarchy
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Systems-oriented: you think in processes, not just plates
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Maturity and life experience to manage diverse skill sets, personalities and situations with calm and clarity
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Ability to design a core menu that functions with any team composition,



while using specials as your creative outlet
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Highly Regarded
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Experience with seasonal businesses and regional/tourist clientele
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Knowledge of sustainable sourcing and local produce networks
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Existing relationships or networks in the South West region
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Background in venues with a strong beverage program (brewery, distillery or wine)
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Formal qualifications are not required
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We care about what you can do, not what's on paper.
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The Offer
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Salary:
$80,000-$90,000 depending on experience
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Hours:
***** hours/week with reasonable overtime (typically up to 45hrs, reflected in salary positioning)
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Schedule:
Tuesday-Sunday Service 12pm-8pm Flexible shift structure agreed with GM
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Days off:
We actively roster for 3-day weekends for all permanent staff
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Staff meals:
Free meals during every shift
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Staff discount:
50% off all food and drinks when off-duty
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Accommodation:
Potential assistance available for the right candidate relocating to the region
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Bonus:
Ad hoc bonus structure in development - exceptional performance has always been recognised
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Super:
12.5%
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Start date:
ASAP preferred, flexible for the right person
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The Recruitment Process
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1. Initial conversation with Cookatoo Recruitment
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2. Interview (45 minutes) with Jason at the venue
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3. Paid trial shift - 10am-2pm, covering prep and lunch service
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4. Offer made to successful candidate
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5. Check-ins at 4 weeks and 12 weeks post-placement
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A Note on Culture
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We've had chefs who could cook. What we haven't had is a chef who could lead - who understands that the kitchen is only as strong as its least experienced member on a given day, and designs around that reality rather than fighting it. If you've spent years in kitchens that ran on fear and ego, and you're ready to do it differently - this is the role. If you want complete creative control on specials, a venue that trusts you, an owner who'll listen, and a team that's being built to last - this is the role. If you want to be part of something genuinely special in one of Australia's best regions - this is the role.
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Placed exclusively by Cookatoo Recruitment - WA's permanent hospitality placement specialists.
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Enquiries:

📌 Sous Chef (Busselton)
🏢 Cookatoo Recruitment
📍 Busselton