Head Chef

About Us

Pulp Book Café is a warm, vibrant licensed café and independent bookstore in Canberra's north, run by the Larsen family. We're open daily, with happy hours, dinner nights, live music and themed evenings, plus an upstairs dining room known as The Manor. It's a community hub where coffee, books and good food come together.

Position Overview

We're looking for a qualified Head Chef to take full charge of our kitchen, working closely with owners Rebecca and Glenn as part of our family-friendly team. You'll own the menu end to end — seasonal café and bistro-style dishes that match our relaxed bookish character — and hold quality standards across daily specials, breakfast, lunch and dinner service.

Key Responsibilities

• Menu development: Plan, cost and refresh our breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, including pasta, schnitzels, lamb shanks, soups and seasonal specials
• Kitchen management: Run daily kitchen operations, set prep systems and service standards, and lead the pass through busy periods
• Team leadership: Recruit, roster, supervise and train the kitchen crew, and keep a positive, collaborative culture
• Quality control: Ensure food presentation, taste, portion size and timeliness exceed café standards
• Procurement: Coordinate ordering, negotiate with suppliers, manage food costs and monitor stock and inventory
• Compliance and safety: Uphold HACCP, food safety standards, allergen management, kitchen hygiene and equipment maintenance
• Bistro dinner service: Deliver our dinner nights and tasting evenings in the upstairs dining room alongside the front-of-house team

About You

• Certificate III or IV in Commercial Cookery, or equivalent trade qualification
• At least 3 years' experience as a chef in café, bistro or restaurant kitchens, including time in a senior or supervisory role
• Creative, flexible and passionate about seasonal, quality-driven food
• Proven leadership skills with a collaborative, personable style
• Strong time management and the ability to adapt under pressure
• Sound working knowledge of HACCP and food safety compliance
• Available to work weekends and evening service

What We Offer

• Permanent full-time role with genuine control over the menu
• A settled, family-run business with a stable kitchen team
• Superannuation as per legislation

Apply with your resume and a short note about your kitchen experience.

Pay: $79,500.00 – $85,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person