Casual Chef / Trade Cook / Experienced Cook

Western District Health Service; Hamilton; On-site; AUD 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Western District Health Service in Hamilton, VIC, is seeking casual cooks—Qualified Chefs, Trade Cooks and experienced Cooks are encouraged to apply. You'll prepare nutritious meals for acute patients, aged care residents and Meals on Wheels clients while supporting catering, vending, and the Green Bean Café.

Join a flexible casual role with shifts Monday to Friday, opportunities across healthcare, aged care, catering and café services, and a supportive team in a rural health service.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Cook, Trade Cook or Chef in hospitality.
• Solid food preparation and cooking skills.
• Food Safety – Food Handlers certificate is minimum requirement.
• Positive attitude and customer service focus.
• Ability to work well in a team and adapt to duties.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook nutritious meals for patients, residents and staff.
• Support catering, vending and cafe services as needed.
• Maintain high food hygiene standards and compliance.
• Assist across multiple kitchen areas and functions.

Skills

Cook experience

Food prep skills

Team work

Customer service

Time management

Australian work rights

Education

Food Safety Certificate

Job description

Casual Chef / Trade Cook / Experienced Cook

Western District Health Service – Hamilton VIC

Casual Chef / Trade Cook / Experienced Cook

Food Services Department | Western District Health Service

• Hamilton Base Hospital
• $30-$34.60 per hour + casual loading + Superannuation (dependent on qualifications and experience)
• Qualified Chefs, Trade Cooks and experienced Cooks encouraged to apply

Love food? Make a difference through every meal you prepare

Western District Health Service is seeking enthusiastic and passionate hospitality professionals to join our Food Services team on a casual basis.

We are open to applications from Qualified Chefs, Trade Cooks and experienced Cooks, recognising that great people can come from a variety of hospitality backgrounds. Whether you're looking for additional hours, a flexible role that fits around your lifestyle, or an opportunity to bring your culinary skills into the healthcare sector, we'd love to hear from you.

Working within our hospitality team, you'll help prepare nutritious meals for acute patients, aged care residents and Meals on Wheels clients, while also supporting catering services, vending operations and our popular Green Bean Café.

What You'll Be Doing

Food Preparation & Cooking

Prepare and cook nutritious, high-quality meals for patients, residents, Meals on Wheels clients, staff and visitors while maintaining exceptional food presentation standards.

Variety of Kitchen Operations

Work across multiple kitchen areas including main cook, diet cook, vegetable cook, sweet cook, café services, catering and food production.

Food Safety & Quality

Maintain high standards of food hygiene, food safety and compliance while supporting the WDHS Food Safety Program.

Healthy Food Promotion

Support the delivery of healthy, balanced menus in accordance with the Victorian Government Healthy Choices Guidelines and the WDHS Healthy Choice philosophy.

Teamwork & Customer Service

Work collaboratively with chefs, food service staff and the wider healthcare team to deliver exceptional service and positive dining experiences.

What You Bring

• Demonstrated experience working as a Cook
• Strong food preparation and cooking skills
• Minimum Food Safety – Food Handlers certificate and knowledge of food safety, hygiene and kitchen compliance requirements
• Positive attitude and strong customer service focus
• Ability to work effectively within a team
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Flexibility to work across different kitchen areas and functions
• Current Police Check (or willingness to obtain)
• Rights to work in Australia
• Current Driver's Licence (preferred)

Why Join Western District Health Service?

About Us

At Western District Health Service, we are committed to delivering high-quality, person-centred healthcare to communities across the Southern Grampians and Glenelg regions.

Our Food Services team plays a critical role in supporting the health and wellbeing of patients, residents, visitors and staff through the delivery of nutritious, high-quality meals and hospitality services.

We are proud to foster a diverse, inclusive and accessible workplace guided by our values of Integrity, Innovation, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect and Empathy.

Discover Life in Hamilton

Hamilton offers an exceptional regional lifestyle with affordable living, excellent schools, modern facilities and easy access to the Grampians National Park and Victoria's spectacular southwest coastline.

To learn more about WDHS, visit: https://wdhs.net/v2/about-us/

To explore the region, visit: https://wdhs.net/v2/home/careers/community-information/

What We Offer

• Flexible casual employment
• Majority of shifts worked Monday to Friday
• Supportive and collaborative team environment
• Opportunity to work across healthcare, aged care, catering and café services
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities
• Meaningful work within a respected rural health service

Interested?

For a confidential discussion, contactStuart Thomson on 03 5551 8*** or **************@wdhs.net

Applications close: 11th of October 2026

Western District Health Service is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and culturally safe workplace where everyone feels valued and respected.

We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, members of the LGBTIQA+ community, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people living with disability.

If you require support or adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact our People & Capability team on *******@wdhs.net.

Successful applicants will be required to hold or obtain the relevant mandatory checks and meet WDHS compliance requirements as a condition of employment.

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