About Us

The Salty Mangrove is a vibrant hospitality destination operating as a bustling, high-volume cafe by day and an elevated, product-driven bistro by night. We pride ourselves on exceptional hospitality, a tight-knit and collaborative team culture, seasonal and sustainable ingredient sourcing, and consistently delivering high-quality food across both fast-paced daytime service and refined evening dining.

Position Summary

We are seeking a hands-on, highly organized, and commercially astute Head Chef to lead our kitchen operations. You will take full ownership of the culinary program—driving menu development, food safety compliance, kitchen efficiency, and stock management. Working closely with the General Manager and front-of-house team, you will cultivate a positive, high-performing kitchen culture while balancing creativity with financial outcomes.

We are actively reviewing submissions so apply as soon as possible.

Key Responsibilities

Kitchen Leadership & Team Culture

- Lead by Example: Maintain a calm, professional, and pragmatic leadership style, fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment that supports staff well-being and qualified growth.

- Team Management: Oversee kitchen recruitment, onboarding, training, and ongoing performance management in coordination with management.

- Communication & Collaboration: Work hand-in-hand with front-of-house management to ensure seamless service execution, clear front-to-back communication, and a unified floor culture.

Menu Development & Execution

- Dual-Concept Ownership: Oversee the creation and execution of creative, seasonally driven menus that effortlessly transition from a daytime cafe offering to an elevated evening bistro experience.

- Recipe & Yield Standardisation: Develop and maintain accurate recipe cards, plating guides, and batching specs to ensure consistency, quality control,



and precise food cost tracking.

- Sustainability & Waste Reduction: Champion sustainable kitchen practices—incorporating intelligent cross-utilization of ingredients and minimizing kitchen waste without compromising quality.

Financial Performance & Cost Control

- COGS Management: Monitor and manage cost of goods sold (COGS) to hit established gross profit targets through rigorous stock control, supplier negotiation, and menu engineering.

- Labor Efficiency: Optimise kitchen rostering to match seasonal trade volumes and labor budget parameters while maintaining optimal staffing levels for service quality.

- Inventory Control: Conduct routine stocktakes, manage ordering schedules, and audit stock rotations to prevent wastage and shrinkage.

Food Safety, Hygiene & Compliance

- Food Standards Code & Safety Standards: Ensure the kitchen strictly adheres to local food safety regulations, council guidelines, and internal food standards code protocols at all times.

- Asset Maintenance: Oversee daily cleaning schedules, equipment maintenance logs, and proper storage temperatures for all perishables (meats, dairy, and produce) to protect kitchen assets and maintain a safe working environment.

Qualifications & Experience

- Proven experience as a Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef within a high-volume, dynamic kitchen environment (cafe/bistro dual-concept experience highly regarded).

- Demonstrated commercial acumen with a strong track record in managing food costs, labor budgets, and kitchen inventory systems.

- Current Food Safety Supervisor certification and a thorough, up-to-date knowledge of health, safety, and hygiene compliance regulations.

- Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to maintain composure under high-pressure service conditions.

- A collaborative, ego-free approach to leadership with a genuine passion for mentoring junior team members.

📌 Head Chef (New Brighton)
🏢 The Salty Mangrove
📍 New Brighton