Chef

Ironbrij Pty Ltd; Murray Bridge; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

RSL Care SA in Murray Bridge requires a Chef to lead and deliver quality catering for residents, clients and the public in a high-volume, full-service kitchen. You will oversee preparation, cooking, presentation and food safety in accordance with HACCP standards and organisational policies.

The role demands a minimum 3–5 years of chef experience in commercial settings, a Food Safety Supervisor certification, and leadership skills to supervise staff and volunteers while maintaining exceptional

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years as a Chef in a commercial/full-service restaurant environment.
• Experience in high-volume kitchen operations.
• Strong understanding of food safety standards (HACCP).
• Ability to lead and develop relationships with stakeholders.
• Ability to work across aged care catering and restaurant service delivery.

Responsibilities

• Provide quality catering to residents, clients and the public in a high-volume kitchen.
• Ensure food safety standards, HACCP and safe food handling practices.
• Plan, prepare and program diverse seasonal menus for residential aged care, home care and restaurant customers.
• Support daily operations of the public restaurant while maintaining quality and service.
• Liaise with clinical and care teams to enhance residents' wellbeing through catering.
• Lead and supervise catering staff and volunteers, maintaining staff morale.

Skills

Leadership

Food safety

Meal planning

Communication

Prioritisation

Staff training

Interpersonal skills

Flexibility

Resident-focused service

Education

Cert III in Commercial Cookery

Cert IV in Leadership and Management

Job description

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Chef is responsible and accountable for providing quality catering services which meet resident/client needs, preferences and goals including the supervision, preparation, cooking and presentation of meals in a commercial full-service kitchen environment in accordance with Food Safety standards and RSL Care SA’s philosophy, policies and procedures. The role involves producing high quality meals for both residents and members of the public ensuring consistent standards of food quality, presentation and food safety. The Chef is accountable for the delivery of a full-service, high volume, dining operation, including restaurant-style meal service to meet the full nutritional needs of residents within residential care.

EXPERTISE

Essential

• Department of Human Services clearance for Vulnerable people
• Minimum 3-5 years as a Chef in a commercial or full-service restaurant environment.
• Experience in high-volume kitchen operations.
• Ability to develop and build effective and positive relationships with all key stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of food safety standards (HACCP)
• Ability to work across both aged care catering and restaurant service delivery
• Demonstrated experience with adhering to food safety legislation
• Ability to prioritise workloads, demonstrate flexibility and achieve outcomes within specified timeframes
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to make a positive impact on the quality of life of all residents/clients
• Display a compassionate and understanding nature, with a sensitive approach to supporting residents/clients to enact their choices
• Display sound problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Experience at driving a positive staffing culture through functioning as both a leader and as a member of the leadership team
• Ability to assess competencies and skills of employees
• Continual focus on improvement in all aspects of service delivery
• Ability to be responsive, creative and flexible in meeting the needs and wishes of residents/clients, their families, their representatives and their carers.

Desirable

• Demonstrated positive customer service practices
• Ability to work effectively as both a leader and as a member of a team
• Basic computer skills with a willingness to learn more
• Demonstrated commitment to personal development and skills enhancement
• Previous experience in catering services within an Aged Care setting
• An understanding of the aged care environment, reforms, legislation and regulations
• Display an adaptable leadership style that is responsive to the changing needs of residents/clients and staff
• Display personal motivation, self awareness and initiative

Qualifications

• Current Food Safety Supervisor Certification (essential and ongoing requirement)
• Cert III in Commercial Cookery or equivalent
• Cert IV in Leadership and Management or equivalent

CAPABILITIES

We know what great leadership looks like at RSL Care SA. We all have the opportunity to lead, every day, in every position and how we work powerfully influences the way things get done, impacting the results we achieve.

In this position, you will continually look for ways to optimise work processes, actively learning and adapting your approach to achieve great outcomes. You will act with a sense of urgency, high energy and enthusiasm and be able to relate openly and comfortably with everyone. You will value interpersonal savvy and self-awareness and reflect on your own strengths and areas for development, making you a valued contributor to RSL Care SA.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MEASURES

Quality catering services to residents/clients/public

• Ensure food preparation and cooking are provided to residents of residential aged care facilities, Retirement Living, clients of home care packages and general public (full-service dining) in accordance with safe food handling practices and resident/client’s needs and preferences, ensuring to promote individual choice.
• Ensure that all documentation in regard to catering services are completed in a timely manner, are accurate and are maintained in accordance with accreditation requirements and RSL Care SA’s policies and procedures.
• Plan, prepare and program diverse seasonal menu including à la carte and set meal options for residential aged care services, home care services and public restaurant customers. Ensure all meals are prepared to restaurant-quality presentation standards, that maintains consistency, quality and timing across high-volume service periods.
• Support daily operations of the facility’s public restaurant, preparing meals in line with customer orders in a full-service dining environment whilst maintaining quality standards appropriate for external paying customers.
• Be aware of any areas of risk and report them to the Residential Care Manager for action.
• Ensure appropriate equipment, stock and supplies are available to meet the needs of residents/clients with respect to catering services.
• Use and operate all equipment as instructed and/or as per safe work procedure directives.
• Ensuring all food practices comply with Food Safety Standards and HACCP requirements. Including but not limited to maintaining cleanliness of all kitchen and food preparation areas, ensuring proper storage, rotation and labelling of food items.
• Operating within a high-volume commercial kitchen environment servicing dueal streams (residential aged care and public restaurant). Assisting with stock control, ordering and inventory management, ensuring efficient use of ingredients and minimization of food waste.
• Liaise and cooperate with the clinical, care and wellbeing teams to ensure that residents/clients receive catering services that enhance their independence, choice, wellbeing and quality of life.
• In conjunction with the Residential Care Manager, participate in the complaint’s resolution process for issues that relate to all catering services.

Volunteer Supervision

• Consider opportunities for volunteer engagement/involvement and liaise with the Recruitment Officer who will facilitate the recruiting and onboarding process.
• Under the direction of the Recruitment Officer assist in providing orientation for volunteers to specific programs.
• Enable volunteers to take responsibility for the continuity of particular duties.

Leadership & Workforce Management

• Provide leadership and direction to the catering team to ensure high levels of service, competency and staff morale.
• Encourage a culture of initiative, learning, innovation and accountability.
• Apply sound people and culture management practices in accordance with the values of the organisation and RSL Care SA’s Delegations of Authority policy.
• Conduct annual performance reviews for direct reports in the context of professional and personal development.
• Ensure well considered recruiting and selection of staff to minimise agency staff usage.
• Ensure that appropriate orientation and induction is provided for all catering staff, volunteers and Agency staff.
• Ensure that workplace health and safety is effectively managed within catering services, to minimise risks and avoid harm to people.
• In conjunction with the Residential Care Manager, identify and facilitate department specific education and training requirements.

Expected Salary: $79,500 - $85,000 AUD per year