Head Chef — Republica St Kilda Beach

Full-time base salary + super + annual performance bonus

Lead an iconic beachfront kitchen. Develop your team. Be rewarded for results.

Republica is seeking an experienced, hands-on Head Chef to lead our busy kitchen on St Kilda Beach.

Part of Melbourne Hospitality Group, Republica brings together relaxed beachfront dining, a lively courtyard and high-volume service. We’re looking for a confident kitchen leader who takes pride in great food, builds a strong team and understands the commercial side of running a successful kitchen.

About the role

You’ll take ownership of daily kitchen operations, working closely with venue management to deliver consistent food, efficient service and a positive kitchen culture.

Your responsibilities will include

- Leading preparation and service, maintaining quality and consistency during busy periods.
- Recruiting, training and developing chefs and kitchen hands.
- Managing kitchen rosters, labour budgets and team performance.
- Overseeing purchasing, stock control, food costing and waste reduction.
- Developing and costing menus that suit Republica’s customers and style.
- Maintaining clear recipes, portion controls and presentation standards.
- Ensuring excellent food safety, cleanliness and kitchen organisation.
- Working closely with front-of-house to deliver a excellent guest experience.
- Using our software systems to support efficient kitchen operations and monitor performance.





Our systems We use Restoke for inventory and kitchen management, Deputy for rostering and workforce management, and Tevalis as our POS system. SevenRooms supports reservations and guest management, while Tripleseat manages event bookings.

Experience with these platforms is advantageous, along with confidence learning and using digital hospitality systems.

About you

- Proven experience leading a high-volume kitchen as a Head Chef.
- Strong cooking skills and a hands-on approach to service.
- Confidence managing food costs, kitchen labour and purchasing.
- A calm, organised leadership style with clear communication.
- A commitment to training your team and building a respectful workplace.
- The ability to balance menu creativity with consistency and profitability.
- Availability to work evenings, weekends and public holidays.

The package

- Great base salary plus super
- Annual performance bonuses, comprising quarterly kitchen and revenue bonuses, plus additional full-year achievement bonuses.
- Clear performance targets covering food costs, kitchen labour and food revenue.
- Ownership of menu development and kitchen operations.
- A beachfront workplace within an established Melbourne hospitality group.

Apply Apply through SEEK with your CV and a brief introduction outlining your experience leading busy kitchens, developing teams and managing kitchen performance.

📌 Head chef - Republica St Kilda beach
🏢 Melbourne Hospitality People
📍 St Kilda