Chef

Mario Brothers Pizza Pasta; Sydney; On-site; AUD 78,000 - 142,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff travel benefits

Duty-free store access

Free meals on shifts

Hotel discounts (staff rates)

Job summary

Aqua Dining, a landmark Sydney Harbour venue, is seeking an exceptional Head Chef to lead the kitchen and shape the next chapter of the restaurant. This full-time role requires a chef who can deliver outstanding food while mentoring a high-performing brigade.

You will drive culinary execution, manage costs, uphold safety standards, and collaborate with SRG’s culinary leadership to deliver consistent, world-class dining experiences.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading a kitchen brigade as Head Chef or senior Sous Chef ready for leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead the kitchen brigade and establish standards for excellence in all services.
• Drive culinary execution and nutrition, balancing quality and consistency.
• Manage food cost, procurement, wastage and labour to improve commercial performance.
• Coach and develop Sous Chefs and emerging leaders; build a high-performing team.
• Maintain food safety, allergen controls, HACCP, and workplace safety across every service.

Skills

Kitchen leadership

Culinary excellence

Premium dining

Food cost control

Staff coaching

HACCP compliance

Job description

Sydney 's culinary scene presents plentiful chef jobs, with opportunities ranging from entry‑level positions to executive chef roles in diverse establishments. Numerous restaurants, hotels, and catering companies seek skilled chefs proficient in various cuisines and cooking techniques. Job seekers can discover openings for commis chefs, sous chefs, and head chefs, each requiring unique skill sets and experience.

The hospitality sector in Sydney is continuously expanding, generating a steady demand for kitchen professionals. Chefs are needed to manage kitchen operations, develop menus, and maintain high standards of food quality and hygiene. Roles also exist for pastry chefs, specialists in specific cooking styles, and kitchen managers.

Career paths for chefs in Sydney can include advancement to executive chef positions, restaurant ownership, or roles in culinary education. Explore diverse opportunities in bustling city restaurants, seaside dining establishments, or in luxury hotels. The city's multicultural population makes experience with diverse cuisines desirable.

What People Ask

The salary range for a chef in Sydney typically falls between $55,000 to $85,000 per year. This range can vary based on experience, type of establishment, and specific skills. Senior or executive chefs in higher‑end restaurants may earn upwards of $100,000 annually.

A Certificate III or IV in Commercial Cookery is a common qualification. Many chefs gain experience through apprenticeships or on‑the‑job training. Some also seek further training with diplomas or advanced certifications.

A chef's responsibilities include menu planning, food preparation, and cooking meals. They are expected to manage kitchen staff, maintain hygiene standards, and ensure food quality. They often handle inventory and budgeting.

Some top employers for chefs in Sydney include Merivale, The Star Entertainment Group, and Rockpool Dining Group. These groups operate a variety of restaurants, hotels and bars.

Chefs often progress from roles like Commis Chef to Chef de Partie. Further career advancement can lead to Sous Chef and then to Executive Chef. Some chefs choose to open their own restaurants or consult as well.

HEAD CHEF | AQUA DINING

Lead the kitchen. Shape the next chapter. Leave your mark.

Aqua Dining | Milsons Point, Sydney | Full‑time, Permanent

Some kitchens are places you work. Others are places that define your career.

Aqua Dining is preparing to reopen above North Sydney Olympic Pool, overlooking Sydney Harbour, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. As one of the venues at the heart of SRG Hospitality’s story, Aqua is entering an exciting new chapter and we’re looking for an exceptional Head Chef to help define it.

This is an opportunity for a chef who has earned their place at the pass, knows what excellence looks like, and has the leadership and commercial acumen to build a kitchen that delivers it consistently.

We’re not looking for someone to simply run a kitchen. We’re looking for someone to set its standard.

The Opportunity

As Head Chef, you will take ownership of Aqua Dining’s kitchen performance, leading the brigade, driving culinary execution and establishing the disciplines that underpin an outstanding restaurant.

Working in partnership with SRG’s Executive Chef and Head of Culinary, you will translate culinary direction into exceptional food, a well‑drilled kitchen and a team that takes genuine pride in its work.

You’ll have the opportunity to help shape the kitchen for Aqua’s next chapter building capability, establishing high‑performance routines and creating a culture where great cooking and great leadership go hand in hand.

This is a hands‑on leadership role. Your influence will be felt in the quality of every plate, the confidence of every cook and the performance of every service.

What you’ll own

The food. The standard. Every service.

You set the benchmark for culinary execution. From flavour and presentation to portioning and consistency, you take personal accountability for what leaves the pass. You understand the brief, respect the detail and never accept “good enough” when better is achievable.

The kitchen. The rhythm. The execution.

You establish the preparation, briefing, service and close routines that keep a kitchen performing at its best. You know how to manage the pace and pressure of a demanding service without compromising quality, safety or the team.

The numbers. The discipline. The result.

You understand that culinary excellence and commercial performance must work together. You take ownership of food cost, COGS, portion control, waste, kitchen labour and procurement, using the numbers to make better decisions and improve performance.

The people. The culture. The future.

You build a brigade that wants to perform. You develop your Sous Chef and emerging leaders, coach your team to higher standards and address performance issues directly and constructively. You create an environment where talented chefs are challenged, respected and given room to grow.

The responsibility. No shortcuts.

Food safety, allergen management, HACCP and workplace safety are non‑negotiable. You establish systems that work in practice, hold the team accountable and ensure standards are maintained through every service.

Who we’re looking for

• Proven experience leading a kitchen brigade as a Head Chef, or as a highly capable senior Sous Chef ready to step into full kitchen leadership.
• A strong culinary foundation, with the ability to execute to a high standard and develop that capability in others.
• Experience in premium dining, fine dining or another demanding restaurant environment where consistency and guest expectations matter.
• A commercially minded approach to food cost, COGS, labour, purchasing, portion control and waste.
• The ability to build, lead and retain a capable team, with a genuine commitment to coaching and succession development.
• Confidence managing busy services, maintaining composure under pressure and making sound decisions when it counts.
• A rigorous approach to food safety, allergen controls, compliance and kitchen standards.
• The communication skills and professional maturity to work closely with senior culinary leadership and the front‑of‑house team.

Why Aqua. Why SRG.

A landmark venue with a new chapter ahead.

Aqua offers an extraordinary Sydney Harbour setting and the opportunity to help shape the next era of a venue with a long‑standing place in Sydney’s dining landscape.

A platform to build something that lasts.

You’ll have the opportunity to establish the standards, routines and team culture that define Aqua’s kitchen — with the support of SRG’s culinary leadership and the broader business.

A hospitality group with genuine breadth.

SRG Hospitality is a family‑owned group spanning premium restaurants, waterfront destinations, events and hotel food and beverage. That breadth offers exposure to different concepts, experienced operators and opportunities to develop your career beyond a single kitchen.

A culture built on craft, ownership and people.

At SRG, our values are Heart, Ownership, Craft and Together. We believe great hospitality comes from people who care about their work, take responsibility for their decisions, pursue excellence in the details and support the people around them.

We want our leaders to embody those values — not just talk about them.

What success looks like

• Aqua delivers consistently exceptional food, service after service.
• The kitchen is prepared, disciplined and confident before every service begins.
• Food cost, labour and waste are actively managed, with clear accountability for results.
• Your team is developing, your future leaders are growing and strong people want to work in your kitchen.
• Food safety and allergen standards are embedded in daily practice.
• The kitchen operates as an integral part of the wider Aqua experience.

Ready to lead Aqua’s next chapter?

If you have the culinary capability, commercial discipline and leadership presence to build an outstanding kitchen, we’d like to hear from you.

Tell us about the kitchens you’ve led, the teams you’ve developed and the standard you believe every great kitchen should uphold.

Benefits

• Work with two iconic businesses and experience the buzz of the working in the Aviation industry
• Great Staff Travel Benefits (T&C Apply)
• Access to staff duty‑free store
• Free meal and coffee on shifts
• Hotel discounts (staff rates) at over 3000 hotels globally
• Partnership discounts with companies such as Europcar, Google, and more.

Applicants must have full working rights in Australia.

SRG Hospitality is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities.

Sydney US$55,000 - US$100,000 per year