Chef

The Mercantile Hotel; The Rocks; On-site; AUD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Mercantile Hotel in The Rocks, NSW is seeking a Sous Chef with minimum one year of relevant experience to lead and manage daily kitchen operations.

You will uphold food safety standards, maintain hygiene, and work closely with the Head Chef to train staff and control costs while contributing to menu execution and kitchen initiatives.

Qualifications

• Minimum of one year of relevant experience in a kitchen or hospitality setting.

Responsibilities

• Fulfill roles of a Food Safety Supervisor, ensuring NSW Food Act compliance.
• Maintain high standards of hygiene and food quality across the kitchen.
• Train team members in food safety guidelines and monitor adherence.
• Coordinate with Head Chef and hotel management on procedures and menus.
• Assist in monthly inventory and manage kitchen expenses within budgets.

Skills

Relevant kitchen experience

Team leadership

Education

Diploma in Hospitality Management

Job description

Skills and Experience

Minimum of one year of relevant experience

Qualifications

Diploma in Hospitality Management

These past few years have seen some wonderful improvements, in particular, the food quality, presentation and overall hygiene standards of the kitchen. We are excited about the achievements we made so far in 2026 and look forward to working with you and your role with the Head Chef leading and managing this kitchen in the future.

As we all know, it is an ongoing and ever changing process! The real joys of this industry are the constant changes happening around us and energy required to keep up with it. The close nature of our work, the high pressure environments and the intensity and passion felt throughout help build the great team!

A solid team is built and maintained with good foundations. Your role is imperative in building this foundation working closely with the team. In addition to adding clarity to your role as Sous Chef, outlined below are what we believe to be important responsibilities for setting these foundations.

Chef Duties and Responsibilities

• As a chef you will be completing roles of a Food Safety Supervisor, adhering to all requirements pertaining to the NSW Food Act 2003 and Food Act Amendments.
• Ensure overall quality is maintained in all areas of the kitchen, including food and staff presentation.
• Maintaining high standards of hygiene and sanitation in the kitchen.
• Assisting the Head Chef with ensuring each team member is efficiently trained in food safety and the guidelines are met at all times.
• Liaising with the Head Chef and Hotel Management to ensure that procedures are being followed accordingly.
• Meeting with the Head Chef to discuss the menu and the regular daily kitchen agenda.
• Working with the Head Chef on a monthly inventory process.
• Aware and knowledgeable of kitchen expenses, food costs and labour, according to the budgets outlined by the General Manager.
• Assisting all functions and events relating to food.
• Involvement with training and development of the team.

Team Relationship Responsibilities and Conduct

• Communicate clear instructions to the team and listen to their feedback.
• Follow the lead of the Head Chef with the strategy the team will use to reach its goal, involving training where required.
• Monitor the development of each team member offering support and additional training where necessary.
• Encourage the inclusion of ideas from each team member.
• Offer positive feedback to reward and encourage positive behaviours amongst the team.
• Offer constructive feedback on areas that require improvement and identify any areas where training or resources are required.
• Uphold a discretion relating to each individual team member and maintaining the privacy of each team member.