Lead Chef

Job Title: Lead Chef

About Us: We are a busy, community-focused small cafe passionate about serving high-quality, delicious food and exceptional coffee. We are looking for an experienced and creative Lead Chef to take ownership of our kitchen operations and help elevate our culinary offerings.

The Role: As the Lead Chef, you will be the driving force behind our kitchen. You will be responsible for overseeing daily food production, managing the kitchen team, and ensuring every dish that leaves the pass meets our high standards. If you have a strong culinary background and a flair for cafe dining, we want to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities:

• Menu Design: Conceptualize and create exciting, seasonal, and profitable cafe menus that appeal to our target demographic.
• Kitchen Operations & Cooking: Lead by example with strong cooking ability, ensuring consistent, high-quality food preparation during busy breakfast and lunch services.
• Stocktake & Ordering: Manage inventory levels, conduct regular stocktakes, place orders with suppliers, and ensure food costs are kept within budget while minimizing waste.
• Kitchen Rostering: Efficiently schedule kitchen staff to ensure adequate coverage during peak times while managing labor costs.
• Team Leadership: Train, mentor, and motivate kitchen staff to foster a positive and productive working environment.
• Food Safety: Maintain strict adherence to all food health, safety, and hygiene standards (OH&S).

Requirements:

• Proven experience as a Head Chef, Lead Chef, or Sous Chef, preferably in a fast-paced cafe or restaurant environment.
• Strong cooking ability with a deep understanding of flavor profiles, presentation, and modern cafe trends.
• Demonstrated experience in menu creation and recipe costing.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Strong leadership qualities with the ability to manage and inspire a team.
• Relevant culinary qualifications (e.g., Certificate III or IV in Commercial Cookery) are highly regarded.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary based on experience.
• Daytime hours (no late nights!) offering a great work-life balance.
• A supportive and friendly team environment.
• Creative freedom to shape the cafe's menu.

How to Apply: If you are ready to take the next step in your culinary career and lead our kitchen to success, please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your experience.

Pay: From $78,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person