Founding Head Chef

Chepa

Mexican Loncheria & Specialty Coffee Bar | High Street, Northcote

Day-Trade at Launch, Home by 4PM From $32.13/hr (Award Level 6) + Weekend Penalties | Visa Sponsorship Opportunity | Build Your Own Kitchen

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Chepa is opening late September on High Street, Northcote - a tight, obsessively-executed Mexican loncheria paired with Melbourne-quality specialty coffee and a Mexican drinks list to match. Five to six dishes. No sprawl, no line-check chaos. Just recipes from my Abuela Carolina, done properly, every single day.

We’re looking for the Head Chef who will help build the kitchen operations from the ground up - as the first kitchen hire - with full authority to build your own team as the business proves itself.

The Opportunity

This isn’t a role you’re slotting into. It’s a kitchen you’re building.

• Founding Head Chef. No existing kitchen hierarchy, no legacy systems to unwind. You set the standard from day one.

• Full authority to build your team. As Chepa grows, you’ll hire your 2IC and crew - working directly with me (the owner) on the budget behind it. Real ownership, not a wish list.

• Shared creative control. The concept and recipes are fixed. A tribute to my grandmother and to Melbourne. But specials, seasonal dishes, and how those recipes evolve? That’s your domain.

• True day-trade hours at launch. 7AM to 3PM. No late nights. Home by 4PM, full stop.

• Real ambition beyond launch. Within 12 months of opening, we’ll add contained evening trade. You’ll shape it, have real input on the roster, and may need to lead some services. Growth, not a walk-back.

What You’ll Own

• Culinary execution. Slow-roasted proteins, traditional batch recipes, fresh-pressed tortillas, made-daily salsas, fast and precise under pressure.

• Kitchen systems & COGS. Ordering, suppliers, prep pars, food cost and waste control. With an annual bonus tied to agreed targets.

• Team building & culture. Recruit, train, and lead your own kitchen team as we grow. Set the standard on what Chepa’s kitchen is from day one.

What We’re Looking For

• Mexican culinary expertise. Trade qualification (Certificate III/IV in Commercial Cookery or international equivalent) or extensive hands-on experience.
• A calm, collaborative leader who wants to build and mentor a team from scratch.
• Commercial fluency. Comfortable owning a budget and thinking like a part-owner of the outcome.
• A genuine appetite to co-create specials and seasonal dishes alongside the owner.

Pay & Sponsorship, Transparently

Base Pay:

• Restaurant Industry Award Level 6 $32.13/hr

• 38 hours per week

• Weekend penalty rates: $40.16 Sat and $48.20 Sun

• 12% superannuation, and 4 weeks annual leave.

Visa sponsorship:

• Available for the right candidate, structured as a salaried package that meets the relevant visa income requirements. Open for discussion during the hiring process. We’re upfront that this depends on the right fit and final package agreed, rather than promising a number we can’t guarantee upfront.

To Apply

Send your CV and a short note on your experience with Mexican cuisine, and what your dream kitchen team looks like, to jobs@chepa.com.au or apply directly via this portal.

¡En español si es más fácil!