Sous Chef

Sous Chef
Royal Oak Hotel | Fitzroy North
Full Time

About Us
The Royal Oak is one of Melbourne’s great neighbourhood pubs, where thoughtful food, an exceptional wine offering and genuine hospitality come together.

We pride ourselves on creating a dining experience that is warm, professional and memorable, delivered by a team who genuinely care about the craft of hospitality.

Our approach to food is grounded in seasonality, provenance and quality produce. We value the relationships we have with our suppliers, growers and producers.

We’re looking for a chef who is technically strong, creative, calm under pressure and genuinely enjoys developing the people around them.

The Role
Working closely with our Head Chef, you’ll play an important role in the day-to-day leadership of a small and close-knit kitchen team.

This is a hands-on position. You’ll be cooking, leading service, mentoring junior chefs and contributing creatively to what comes out of the kitchen.

Our daily specials boards are at the heart of how we cook. They give the kitchen the freedom to respond to the seasons, work with what our suppliers have available and give our chefs the opportunity to contribute creatively to the food we serve.

You’ll work with seasonal, quality produce and suppliers we have genuine relationships with, including opportunities to work directly with growers, producers and farms closer to the source.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Working alongside the Head Chef to deliver consistently high standards across every service.

• Leading from the kitchen and setting the standard for organisation, preparation, presentation and execution.

• Mentoring and developing junior chefs, creating an environment where people can learn, improve and take pride in their work.

• Contributing ideas and creativity to our menus and daily specials boards.

• Working confidently with seasonal ingredients and making the most of exceptional produce.

• Developing an understanding of our suppliers, producers and where our ingredients come from.

• Maintaining consistency and attention to detail, particularly through high-volume services.

• Maintaining strong standards across food safety, cleanliness, ordering, stock control and wastage.

• Supporting the Head Chef with the day-to-day organisation and operation of the kitchen.

• Stepping up and confidently leading the kitchen when the Head Chef is away.

• Working collaboratively with our front-of-house team to deliver a complete guest experience.

About You
We’re looking for a chef who cares deeply about their craft, produce and the people they work alongside.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Previous experience as a Sous Chef or strong Junior Sous Chef ready to take the next step.

• Experience in high-volume kitchens, with fine dining or quality restaurant experience strongly encouraged.

• Strong technical cooking skills and a genuine understanding of produce and seasonality.

• A strong eye for detail and presentation, with the ability to deliver consistently during busy services.

• Creativity and the confidence to contribute ideas, particularly around changing specials and seasonal dishes.

• A genuine interest in seasonality, provenance and responsible sourcing, with an understanding that great cooking starts with great produce.

• An interest in building relationships with farmers, growers, producers and suppliers.

• The ability to mentor junior chefs with patience, clarity and high standards.

• Ideally familar with TANDA for rostering

• Strong organisation and attention to detail.

• The ability to remain calm, accountable and consistent under pressure.

• A collaborative approach and genuine love of hospitality.

• A desire to keep learning, developing and progressing as a chef.

• Availability across evenings and weekends, when the venue is at its busiest.

Most importantly, we’re looking for a chef who wants to contribute.

Someone who gets excited when great produce arrives at the kitchen door, wants to turn it into something worth coming back for, and enjoys helping the chefs around them become better at what they do.

What We Offer
You’ll be joining a small kitchen where your ideas and contribution will genuinely matter.

• Competitive salary, negotiated based on experience.

• Superannuation paid on top of your agreed salary.

• A regular, structured full-time roster.

• Employment conditions under the Publican.Co Enterprise Agreement.

• Overtime paid weekly if incurred.

• Access to our Health & Wellbeing Program.

• Paid Parental Leave.

• The opportunity to develop alongside an experienced Head Chef, with ongoing training and progression opportunities across the group.

• Hands on support and guidance from our Executive chef

• The opportunity to work closely with quality suppliers, growers and producers and develop a deeper understanding of the ingredients you cook with.

• A supportive kitchen where creativity, learning and professional development are encouraged.

Apply Now
Apply directly through SEEK or email John at ****@publican.co with the subject line:
Your Name | Sous Chef| Royal Oak

Please include your current resume along with a brief cover letter telling us why you’d like to join the Royal Oak.

Good Vibes Hospitality is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and life experiences.

Please note: This role is intended for experienced hospitality professionals. Applicants who do not meet the minimum experience requirements outlined above will not be considered. 

Applicants must have full Australian working rights. Unfortunately, we are not offering employer-sponsored visas for this position,