Casual Food & Beverage Cook

North Sydney Council; Sydney; On-site; AUD 58,000 - 70,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly fruit baskets

Free counselling sessions

Free financial planning advice

Fitness Passport access

Employee recognition program

Job summary

North Sydney Council invites applications for a Casual Food & Beverage Cook at the redeveloped North Sydney Olympic Pool, a landmark venue with harbour views. You will prepare café and gelato bar items, follow recipes, maintain HACCP compliance and ensure top-quality presentation for a busy, customer-focused environment.

Role requires energy for early starts in a seven-day operation, strong teamwork, and commitment to safety and food hygiene.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in a commercial kitchen environment.
• Knowledge of food preparation and cooking techniques.
• Understanding of food safety and kitchen hygiene practices.
• Ability to work efficiently during high volume service periods.
• Demonstrated experience in fast-paced customer service with friendly and welcoming service standards.
• Be able to satisfy the requirements of the NSW Working with Children Check and provide clearance.
• National Police Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook menu items by chopping, slicing, marinating, and portioning ingredients, following recipes and portion control standards.
• Manage cooking stations during service by coordinating order timing and communicating with front-of-house staff.
• Open the kitchen by setting up stations, preparing, checking stock levels and ensuring readiness for service.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene by cleaning surfaces and equipment and managing waste disposal.
• Assist with stock management by receiving and checking deliveries, labeling and rotating stock (FIFO).
• Close the kitchen by cleaning and storing equipment and completing cleaning schedules.
• Ensure consistency in service standards, food and beverage quality, and customer experience.
• Confidently resolve customer enquiries and challenges with efficiency and care.

Skills

Commercial kitchen experience

Food preparation techniques

Food safety knowledge

Customer service

High-volume service

WWCC clearance

Education

Certificate III in Commercial Cookery

Job description

She's back! Be part of something extraordinary at Sydney’s most iconic aquatic and leisure facility. This is your chance to dive in and be part of the next chapter at North Sydney Olympic Pool - a world-class aquatic and fitness destination beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Following her redevelopment, this Australian legend is set to redefine leisure industry excellence, and we’re seeking passionate individuals to help shape the culture and deliver outstanding experiences for our community. North Sydney Council proudly owns and operates North Sydney Olympic Pool as part of its commitment to the vibrant North Sydney local government area on the city’s picturesque lower North Shore. With around 400 employees supporting 77,000 residents across 10 square kilometres of harbourside land, Council is committed to creating exceptional places and services that bring people together. You’ll join a dedicated team working in a safe, inclusive environment — where both staff and the community can thrive.

Are you a people-focused food and beverage professional who thrives in a team environment and takes pride in delivering exceptional customer experiences?

The role

We are currently seeking a Casual Food & Beverage Cook to join the newly redeveloped North Sydney Olympic Pool team. The role is responsible for preparing and producing food items for the Café and Gelato Bar at North Sydney Olympic Pool in accordance with recipes, food safety requirements and quality standards. This is a unique and exciting opportunity to be part of one of Sydney’s most iconic destinations, working within a fun, inclusive, and supportive team environment.

The person

We’re looking for people who bring warmth, positivity, and a solutions-focused safety first mindset to every interaction. In this role, you will deliver exceptional food and service, ensuring the Café and Gelato Bar consistently presents its best. You will set the tone for a collaborative and welcoming kitchen environment, driving high standards in food quality, presentation, and efficiency — so every guest enjoys a seamless and memorable dining experience from start to finish. When you join North Sydney Council, you become part of a team dedicated to delivering a wide range of high-quality services to residents and the broader community. Our goal is to ensure the revitalised North Sydney Olympic Pool meets these same high standards - offering an outstanding facility where the customer experience is valued just as highly as the breathtaking views.

In this role, you’ll:

• Prepare and cook menu items by chopping, slicing, marinating, and portioning ingredients, using kitchen equipment (grills, fryers, ovens), following recipes and portion control standards, and presenting dishes to required quality and presentation guidelines.
• Manage cooking stations during service by coordinating order timing, communicating effectively with front-of-house staff, and maintaining high quality and consistency in fast-paced, high-volume environments.
• Open the kitchen by setting up stations and equipment, preparation, checking stock levels, and ensuring all areas are clean and ready for efficient service.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene by continuously cleaning work surfaces and equipment, managing waste disposal, and ensuring compliance with HACCP and food safety procedures.
• Assist with stock management by receiving and checking deliveries, storing and labelling food items correctly, and rotating stock in line with FIFO principles.
• Close the kitchen by cleaning all equipment and surfaces, safely shutting down equipment, storing food items correctly, and completing all required cleaning schedules and checklists.
• Ensure consistency in service standards, food and beverage quality, and customer experience
• Confidently resolve customer enquiries and challenges with efficiency and care
• Ensure compliance with NSW Food Act, food safety standards and Council policies
• Work collaboratively with Head Cook to identify opportunities for menu improvements
• Contribute to a collaborative, respectful team culture
• Take pride in serving the community and making a positive impact every day

If you’re passionate about helping others, love working in a vibrant community setting, and have a flair for customer service, we’d love to hear from you!

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrated experience in a commercial kitchen environment
• Knowledge of food preparation and cooking techniques
• Understanding of food safety and kitchen hygiene practices
• Ability to work efficiently during high volume service periods
• Demonstrated experience in a fast-paced customer service environment with a passion and commitment to providing friendly and welcoming service standards.
• Be able to satisfy the requirements of the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 and Child Protection (Working with Children) Regulations 2013 and provide a current NSW Working with Children Check clearance; and adhere to Workplace Health and Safety requirements.
• National Police Clearance.
• Flexible to work across a seven (7) day week operation with morning shifts starting from 6:00am and closing shifts finishing at 8:00pm.

Desirable Criteria

• Certificate III in Commercial Cookery or equivalent qualification
• Experience in café or fast-casual hospitality environments
• Vaccinated against COVID-19

Why work at NSC?

We’re committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and positive workplace. Our teams are reflective of the communities in which we operate, and we value the unique contribution each member makes to the North Sydney Council. The work we do makes a real difference to the lives of our residents and contributes to their economic and social wellbeing.

You’ll have access to:

• Enjoy an easy walk to spectacular harbour views during lunch.
• Freedom to direct contributions to any compliant superannuation fund
• Access to a holistic health and well-being program and Fitness Passport
• Access to employee recognition and reward program
• Weekly fruit baskets
• Free access to counselling sessions through our Employee Assistance Program
• Free financial advice by a certified Financial Planner
• Close locale to transport options including train, bus, metro and bike ways

Hourly rate from: $42.71 to $51.01 per hour (incl. casual loading) + 12% superannuation Weekend penalties apply

It is an essential requirement of this role that a Police Clearance and Working with Children Check (WWCC) is conducted. It is an offence under NSW legislation for barred workers to apply for or otherwise attempt to obtain, undertake or remain in child-related employment.

Closing Date: 15 October 2026 - 11.30pm

North Sydney Council is committed to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity in order to provide a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. North Sydney Council also adheres to the principles of a child safe organisation and is committed to the care and protection of all children and young people. We strongly encourage candidates from wide-ranging backgrounds, identities and experiences to apply.