Chef

Little Angels Tarragindi Early Learning Centre; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 54,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Welcoming environment

Supportive leadership

Kitchen operations role

Christmas closure period

Staff development

Make a difference

Job summary

Little Angels Tarragindi Early Learning Centre in Brisbane is seeking an experienced Centre Chef to support the health and wellbeing of children aged six weeks to five years.

You will plan, prepare and serve nutritious meals, manage dietary requirements, and collaborate with educators and families to promote healthy eating.

Join our brand-new kitchen team and help establish a positive food culture within the centre while maintaining high standards of safety and hygiene.

Qualifications

• Certificate III in Commercial Cookery or equivalent.
• Current Food Safety Supervisor Certificate.
• Experience preparing nutritious meals in a commercial kitchen.
• Knowledge of children’s nutritional requirements and portion sizes.
• Understanding of allergies, cross-contamination and safe handling.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to work independently.
• Strong communication and a team-focused attitude.
• Commitment to children’s health, safety and wellbeing.
• Current Queensland Working with Children Blue Card.
• Current First Aid and CPR qualifications, or willingness to obtain these before commencement.
• Required child protection and child safety training, or willingness to complete this before commencement.

Responsibilities

• Plan, prepare and serve fresh, nutritious and age-appropriate meals and snacks.
• Cater safely for individual dietary requirements, allergies, intolerances and cultural or religious food preferences.
• Develop and maintain seasonal menus in consultation with the centre leadership team and nutrition professionals.
• Manage daily food preparation, portion sizes and meal presentation.
• Maintain high standards of kitchen cleanliness, hygiene and food safety.
• Implement and maintain the centre’s Food Safety Program, including temperature monitoring and documentation.
• Monitor food supplies, stock rotation, and grocery ordering.
• Support compliance with Brisbane City Council food safety and licensing requirements.
• Communicate effectively with educators and families regarding dietary needs.
• Work collaboratively to promote healthy eating and learning experiences.
• Maintain a safe and organised kitchen environment.

Skills

Commercial Cookery

Food Safety

Meal planning

Child nutrition

Communication

Teamwork

First Aid/CPR

Education

Certificate III in Commercial Cookery

Job description

Be Part of Something New - Join Our Little Angels Family!

About Us

We are excited to be preparing to open our brand-new Little Angels Tarragindi Early Learning Centre, located within the beautiful St Luke's Ekibin Church campus.

At Little Angels, we believe that children's health, wellbeing and development are supported through nutritious food, positive relationships and nurturing environments.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, experienced and passionate Centre Chef who understands the importance of providing healthy, balanced and delicious meals for young children.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our foundation team, help establish our brand-new kitchen and contribute to creating a positive food culture within our early learning community.

About the Role

As our Centre Chef, you will play an important role in supporting the health, nutrition and wellbeing of children aged six weeks to five years.

You will be responsible for preparing fresh, nutritious and appealing meals while ensuring that individual dietary requirements, food allergies, intolerances and cultural preferences are appropriately managed.

You will work collaboratively with our educators, leadership team and families to promote healthy eating habits and positive food experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, prepare and serve fresh, nutritious and age-appropriate meals and snacks in accordance with recognised nutritional guidelines.
• Cater safely for children's individual dietary requirements, allergies, intolerances and cultural or religious food preferences.
• Develop and maintain seasonal menus in consultation with the centre leadership team and relevant nutrition professionals.
• Manage daily food preparation, portion sizes and meal presentation.
• Maintain high standards of kitchen cleanliness, hygiene and food safety.
• Implement and maintain the centre's Food Safety Program, including temperature monitoring, food storage, cleaning schedules and required documentation.
• Monitor food supplies, manage stock rotation, coordinate grocery ordering and minimise food waste.
• Support compliance with applicable Brisbane City Council food safety and licensing requirements.
• Communicate effectively with educators and families regarding children's dietary needs.
• Work collaboratively with educators to promote healthy eating and provide opportunities for age-appropriate food-based learning experiences.
• Maintain a safe and organised kitchen environment that supports the health and wellbeing of all children and staff.

What You'll Bring

We are looking for someone who is passionate about food, enjoys working within a team and understands the important role nutrition plays in children's early development.

The successful applicant will have:

• Certificate III in Commercial Cookery or an equivalent qualification.
• A current Food Safety Supervisor Certificate.
• Experience preparing nutritious meals in a commercial kitchen, ideally within an early childhood education or school environment.
• Sound knowledge of children's nutritional requirements and appropriate portion sizes.
• Strong understanding of food allergies, intolerances, cross-contamination prevention and safe food handling.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to work independently.
• Strong communication skills and a positive, team-focused attitude.
• A genuine commitment to children's health, safety and wellbeing.
• A current Queensland Working with Children Blue Card.
• Current First Aid and CPR qualifications, or willingness to obtain these before commencement.
• Required child protection and child safety training, or willingness to complete this before commencement.

Why Join Little Angels Tarragindi?

Joining our brand-new early learning centre is a wonderful opportunity to become part of a supportive and welcoming community from the very beginning.

We offer:

• A welcoming, homely and inclusive working environment.
• A supportive leadership team that values collaboration, respect and professional growth.
• The opportunity to establish and shape the centre's kitchen operations and nutrition program.
• A two-week Christmas closure period.
• Monthly paid staff meetings and opportunities for professional development.
• The chance to make a meaningful difference to the health and wellbeing of young children.

At Little Angels, our values of Respect, Relationships, Children's Agency, Inclusion and Community guide everything we do.

We believe every team member plays an important role in creating an environment where children, families and educators feel safe, supported and valued.

Our Commitment to Child Safety

Little Angels ELC is committed to providing and promoting an inclusive environment that supports child safety, wellbeing, participation, empowerment, cultural safety and awareness for all children including children with a disability and from culturally diverse backgrounds including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and or communities. Little Angels ELC has a zero tolerance for child abuse and a duty of care to prevent and minimise child abuse risks in both the physical and online environments. To protect the children in our environment, the successful candidate will undergo criminal history and background checks and must have a Blue Card to work in our centre.

Ready to Join Our Little Angels Family?

If you are a passionate, creative and enthusiastic Chef who loves preparing nutritious meals and wants to make a positive difference in the lives of young children, we would love to hear from you!

Come and be part of something special as we create a place where children, families and educators can learn, grow and flourish together!