About the role The Taralga Hotel is a heritage sandstone country hotel built in 1876, located in the village of Taralga in the NSW Southern Tablelands, approximately 45 minutes north of Goulburn. The venue operates a public bar, a bistro seating approximately 80, a beer garden, and guest accommodation rooms upstairs. The Chef will lead a small kitchen team to deliver well-executed country pub dining — generous, consistent, produce-driven, serving locals, passing travellers and overnight guests.

This is a full-time, permanent, ongoing position with 38 ordinary hours per week, rostered over 5 days within a 7-day roster, including evenings, weekends and public holidays, split across lunch and dinner bistro service, with breakfast service for accommodation guests.

Key responsibilities

- Plan and develop bistro menus and specials, including seasonal changes and use of local produce
- Estimate food and labour costs, set portion sizes and monitor gross margin on each menu item
- Order food supplies, liaise with suppliers, receive deliveries and maintain stock rotation and inventory
- Prepare and cook food to order across bistro lunch and dinner service, functions and guest breakfasts
- Monitor the quality and presentation of every dish at all stages of preparation and service
- Supervise, direct and train kitchen staff, including kitchen hands and apprentices
- Prepare rosters for kitchen staff and manage kitchen labour within budget
- Discuss menu, dietary and food preparation matters with management, front-of-house staff and guests
- Explain and enforce food hygiene, allergen and work health and safety requirements, and maintain the venue's food safety program, temperature records and cleaning schedules
- Cater for functions, group bookings and local community events held at the hotel





About you

- AQF Certificate IV in Kitchen Management (SIT40521), or a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery together with substantial post-qualification experience, or an equivalent recognised trade qualification
- Minimum 3 years' post-qualification experience as a Chef in a full table-service kitchen
- Demonstrated à la carte and bistro experience, including high-volume weekend and holiday service
- Proven ability to run a kitchen without day-to-day supervision — ordering, stock control, rostering and cost control
- Sound working knowledge of food safety, allergen management and WHS obligations
- Current NSW Food Safety Supervisor certificate, or willingness to obtain one before commencement
- Current driver's licence and own transport — there is no public transport to Taralga
- Right to work in Australia
- Experience in a licensed hotel, country pub or venue with accommodation attached (desirable)
- Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) competency card (desirable)

About us The Taralga Hotel is a heritage sandstone country hotel built in 1876 and a landmark in the village of Taralga, in the NSW Southern Tablelands. The venue holds a strong public rating of 4.3 out of 5 across almost 400 Google reviews. The total team comprises approximately 13 staff across kitchen, bar and front of house.

Advantages

- Full time, permanent, ongoing position with secure hours
- Genuine autonomy over the menu and the running of the kitchen
- Established venue with a strong local reputation and growing trade
- Supportive management team and a settled front-of-house crew
- Affordable regional living, roughly 45 minutes from Goulburn and under two hours from Canberra
- Staff meals on shift, on-site or assisted accommodation, relocation assistance, paid training

📌 Chef (ANZSCO 351311) (Taralga)
🏢 Taralga Hotel
📍 Taralga