A well-established regional hospitality venue in the Blue Mountains is looking for a Head Chef to take full ownership of its kitchen operation. This is a hands-on leadership role covering restaurant dining, functions and events, with responsibility for the food, the team, the systems and the commercial performance of the department.

You will work closely with venue management and ownership, but the kitchen will be yours to lead. They are looking for someone who can balance creativity with commercial discipline, build a strong team and maintain consistency across a busy operation.

About the Venue

The venue combines destination dining, functions and events, with a strong focus on seasonal produce, local suppliers and sustainable ingredients.
The food is refined without being overcomplicated, with seasonal menu changes and specials built around produce at its peak. The kitchen services a mix of destination diners, local customers and event trade.

The Role

You will oversee the complete kitchen operation, including food quality, menu development, ordering, food cost, labour, rostering, stock control, recruitment, training, compliance and kitchen maintenance.

You will work closely with front of house to ensure service runs smoothly and that communication around menus, dietary requirements, specials and product availability is strong. Recipes need to be documented, costed and followed, with consistent standards across every service.

You will also be responsible for the commercial side of the kitchen, including food cost, labour and P&L; performance.

You Will Manage

- Food cost and labour
- Rostering
- Ordering and purchasing
- Stock control and waste
- Supplier relationships
- Recipe costing




- Kitchen productivity

You Will Oversee

- Food safety and WHS
- Kitchen hygiene
- Opening and closing procedures
- Cleaning systems
- Maintenance reporting
- Kitchen checklists
- Timesheet approval

Who This Person Is

You are likely an experienced Head Chef or strong senior kitchen leader ready to take full ownership of an operation. You know how to run service, develop a team, control costs and maintain standards when the pressure is on.

You should be comfortable working with seasonal menus, local produce and changing availability throughout the year, while still keeping a close eye on labour, food cost and overall kitchen performance.

The right person will be calm, organised and commercially aware, with the ability to work closely with front of house and venue management while building a professional, accountable kitchen culture.

You Will Ideally Bring

- Strong Head Chef or senior leadership experience
- Proven ability to lead and develop a kitchen team
- Menu development and recipe costing experience
- Strong food and labour cost knowledge
- Ordering and stock control experience
- Understanding of kitchen P&L; performance
- Strong food safety and WHS knowledge
- High standards around cleanliness and organisation

Benefits and Why You'll Thrive

Salary package up to $150,000 plus superannuation, depending on experience.

You will have genuine ownership of the kitchen, menu direction, team development and operational standards, with direct access to senior management and ownership.

This is a strong chance for a Head Chef who wants autonomy, responsibility and the chance to shape a quality regional kitchen while working in one of NSW's strongest hospitality and tourism markets.

📌 Head Chef to$150kS, Seasonal Produce, Strong Culture, Hands-On Culinary Leader (Sydney)
🏢 Placed Recruitment
📍 Sydney