Casual Chef

Busy Bees; Hervey Bay; On-site; AUD 44,000 - 50,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Uniform and laundry allowances

50% childcare gap-fee discounts

EAP support

Paid learning & development

Access to Busy Bees learning platform

Job summary

Busy Bees at Torquay is seeking an experienced Casual Chef to prepare nutritious meals for children aged 0-5. You will manage food ordering and stock, maintain a clean kitchen, and work with the Centre Leadership Team to support health and development.

The role requires a Food Safety Supervisor Certificate, knowledge of safe food handling, and a passion for child nutrition. Working with Children Check for VIC is required or willingness to obtain.

Qualifications

• Plan and prepare healthy, balanced meals in line with guidelines.
• Knowledge of safe food handling and kitchen hygiene practices.
• Cater for allergies, intolerances and cultural dietary requirements.
• Strong organisation and time management skills.
• Current Working with Children Check for VIC or willingness to obtain.

Responsibilities

• Plan and prepare healthy meals for children 0-5.
• Cater for allergies and dietary requirements.
• Manage food ordering, budgeting and stock control.
• Maintain a clean, safe kitchen per standards.
• Collaborate with Centre Leadership Team.
• Contribute to children’s learning about nutrition.

Skills

Plan healthy meals

Food safety knowledge

Time management

Allergen management

Child safety compliance

Education

Food Safety Supervisor Certificate

Tools

Kitchen hygiene practices

Job description

Chef Casual | $33.87 per hour | Torquay Busy Bees is a leading global early learning provider, offering high-quality education in nurturing, purpose-built centres where educators are supported to grow, lead and make a real difference in children’s lives, with over 130 centres across Australia and around 3,000 employees. Our Bee Safe Commitment: Child safety is at the heart of everything we do and is embedded in our people, places and processes. Help us give every child the Best Start in Life.

We’re seeking an experienced Casual Chef to join our team at Busy Bees at Torquay, located at 15 - 17 Falcon Drive Torquay VIC, on a Casual basis working approximately 30 hours per week. You will play a key role preparing fresh, nutritious meals that support the health, wellbeing, and development of children aged 0-5 years.

What you’ll do

• Plan and prepare healthy, balanced meals in line with Australian Dietary Guidelines
• Cater for allergies, intolerances, and cultural dietary requirements
• Manage food ordering, budgeting, and stock control
• Maintain a clean, safe kitchen environment in accordance with Food Safety Standards
• Work collaboratively with the Centre Leadership Team
• Contribute to children’s learning around nutrition and healthy eating

What you’ll bring

• A genuine commitment to child safety, speaking up, always doing the right thing, and alignment with Busy Bees values
• Previous experience as a Chef or Cook (experience in childcare highly regarded)
• Food Safety Supervisor Certificate
• Knowledge of safe food handling and kitchen hygiene practices
• Strong organisation and time management skills
• A genuine passion for preparing nutritious meals for children and understanding allergen management and child-safe practices
• Current Working with Children Check for VIC or willingness to obtain

Why Busy Bees?

Because we offer the B.E.E.S. advantage: Better pay. Everyday balance. Education for growth. Support you can rely on. We live by our values of Care, Quality, Service, and Value to make a real impact on child safety and quality.

• Uniform and laundry allowances included, so your take-home pay stays yours.
• Family-friendly benefits; 50% childcare gap-fee discounts & EAP support, because your family should benefit too.
• Paid learning & development; First Aid, CPR & mandatory training covered, ongoing professional development, and access to our Busy Bees learning platform and ACCCO RTO pathways.
• Supportive leaders & inclusive teams; hands-on leadership, strong tenure and a culture built on trust, respect and collaboration.
• Career pathways that grow with you; opportunities & training to progress from Educator to leadership, management and area roles.
• Work-Life Balance; Monday-Friday, daytime hours only - no nights or weekends within stable, well-resourced kitchens without hospitality burnout.

Employment is conditional on satisfactory, rigorous pre-employment checks (including WWCC, ID, Qualifications, Gecko Training, Work Rights, NQAITS register/Prohibited Persons & References) and child safety training, reflecting our strong commitment to safeguarding, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Why Work for Busy Bees?

If you’re passionate about early learning, Busy Bees is the place to be. Although we are part of a global organisation, our company was founded by three families looking for better, more enriching childcare. Three decades later, we still keep the same values at heart. We know that we couldn’t do what we do without the important people in our teams. We invest in our people and work with them to build career pathways that inspire. Whether you're embarking on the exciting journey of your early educational career or striving to advance to the next level, Busy Bees presents an ideal opportunity for you! We're actively searching for enthusiastic and dedicated individuals who possess an authentic passion for Early Childhood Education and the well-being of children, to fill a variety of roles across our Services and Support Office. Early Childhood Education attracts a special type of person. You might possess creativity, nurturance, a focus on tasks, or a knack for problem-solving. However, at its core, your affinity for Early Childhood Education arises from a profound devotion to nurturing the educational growth of the youngest members within our communities. This resonates deeply with us, as our mission is to give every child the best start in life. We are driven to gather people who care deeply about quality and we empower people to bring their unique gifts and talents together for the benefit of our children. We value each member of our team and know that by supporting you in your journey you’ll be the positive and supportive influence in theirs.