Chef

Labour Support Group; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 78,000; Full time

Job summary

A traditional Indian restaurant in Hawthorn is seeking an experienced Chef to lead kitchen operations, focusing on authentic Gujarati street-style dishes. This full-time role offers an annual salary of $78,000 plus superannuation, depending on experience. Responsibilities include supervising kitchen staff, managing stock levels, and ensuring food safety standards. Ideal candidates should have strong culinary skills in Indian cuisine and experience in a commercial kitchen. A passion for great food and presentation is essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 years experience as Chef in a commercial restaurant.
• Minimum 1 years of experience in menu planning.
• Minimum 1 year experience in vegetarian Indian street food cuisine.
• Understanding of, and commitment to, food safety.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise kitchen staff engaged in preparation of Gujarati Indian street-style food.
• Oversee preparation of chaat dishes ensuring balance of flavours and fast service.
• Manage production of Gujarati farsan and snacks maintaining authenticity.
• Monitor stock levels ensuring uninterrupted operations.

Skills

Strong food knowledge and skills in authentic Indian cuisine

Passion for great food and presentation

Ability to work well under pressure

Experience in training kitchen staff

Education

Relevant qualifications in cookery

Job description

About The Client

Mahadev Food Pty Ltd is a traditional Indian restaurant in Hawthorn in Victoria. They are currently looking for an experienced Chef to join their team.

The Role

You will have the opportunity to work in a truly dynamic team and you will have the chance to display your creativity in the dishes that you create. You will also have the opportunity to progress through the ranks at the restaurant.

This is a full time role with an annual salary set at $78,000 plus superannuation, depending on experience. The role is based in Hawthorn in Victoria.

The Responsibilities

Your Tasks At The Restaurant Will Consist Of

• Lead and supervise kitchen staff engaged in preparation of Gujarati Indian street-style food, including chaat items, farsan/snacks, pav-based dishes, tava rice items, and Indo-Chinese vegetarian preparations.
• Oversee preparation of chaat dishes such as pani puri, dahi puri, sev puri, bhel puri, ragda samosa chaat, masala puri, and dabeli, ensuring balance of flavours, hygiene, and fast service.
• Manage production of Gujarati farsan and snacks including vada pav, samosa pav, bread pakora, vada balls, frankies, sandwiches, and snack platters, maintaining authenticity and consistency.
• Supervise cooking of pav bhaji varieties, masala pav, tava pulav, and street-style rice dishes, coordinating simultaneous preparation to ensure timely service during peak hours.
• Monitor preparation of Indo-Chinese vegetarian dishes such as manchurian, fried rice, noodles, chilli paneer, soups, and fusion items, ensuring consistency in taste and presentation.
• Plan daily mise-en-place, including chutneys, ragda, batters, gravies, fillings, doughs, and garnishes required for high-volume street food service.
• Allocate kitchen duties based on staff skills, including vegetable preparation, frying, steaming, tava cooking, live counter assembly, and plating.
• Actively participate in kitchen operations during busy service periods to ensure quick turnaround and customer satisfaction.
• Monitor stock levels of vegetables, flours, lentils, paneer, dairy products, spices, sauces, chutneys, pav, noodles, rice, and frozen items, ensuring uninterrupted operations.
• Raise requisitions and place orders for required ingredients and supplies, inspecting incoming goods for quality, freshness, and correct quantity.
• Operate and supervise use of kitchen equipment such as gas burners, fryers, steamers, tawas, grinders, and refrigeration units, ensuring safety, cleanliness, and functionality.
• Implement inventory controls including stock rotation, proper storage, and minimisation of wastage, particularly for perishable street-food ingredients.
• Work with management on menu planning and pricing, considering ingredient costs, labour requirements, portion sizes, and overhead expenses.
• Train, guide, and mentor kitchen staff in authentic Gujarati street-style cooking techniques, hygiene practices, speed of service, and quality control.
• Ensure all food is prepared in accordance with established recipes, portion control standards, dietary requirements (Jain, Swaminarayan, vegan options), and food safety regulations.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness, organisation, sanitation, and personal hygiene across kitchen and live service areas.
• Coordinate with suppliers and resolve any delivery or quality issues promptly to maintain smooth kitchen operations.
• Ensure compliance with workplace health, safety, and food hygiene standards at all times.

The Requirements

To be considered for the position you must meet the following requirements:

• Strong food knowledge and skills in authentic Indian cuisine
• Relevant qualifications in cookery
• Minimum 1 years experience as Chef in a commercial restaurant
• Minimum 1 years of experience in menu planning
• Minimum 1 year experience in vegetarian Indian street food cuisine
• Passion for great food and presentation
• Understanding of, and commitment to, food safety
• Experience in kitchen operations and in managing a team
• Experience in training kitchen staff
• Ability to work well under pressure
• Goods ordering and menu costing
• Stock control and wastage minimization
• Able to work to a flexible roster includes weekends