Chef / Cook | Aged Care | Tweed Heads

Contract Care; Richmond; On-site; AUD 55,000 - 141,000; Part time

Job summary

Contract Care is hiring experienced Cooks and Chefs for casual aged care agency roles across the Tweed Heads region. You will run kitchen operations, follow menus and deliver safe, well-presented meals including texture-modified options for residents.

There are opportunities for full-time agency hours, occasional shifts, or extra work alongside a permanent role. Rostering is flexible to suit your availability and local facilities.

Qualifications

• Certificate III in Commercial Cookery or equivalent is required.
• Minimum 3 months' experience as a cook or chef, aged care experience preferred.
• Experience with texture-modified diets (IDDSI) is advantageous.
• Current police check and up-to-date vaccinations preferred; right to work in Australia.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook meals to facility menus and dietary requirements (texture-modified, allergen-managed, diabetic, low-salt).
• Lead breakfast, lunch and/or dinner service on shift as the cook.
• Maintain HACCP standards across prep, cook, plating and storage.
• Collaborate with kitchen hands, dietitians and facility staff for consistent meals.
• Manage stock rotation, temperature logs and report shortages.

Skills

Cookery experience

Texture-modified diets

Food safety HACCP

Education

Certificate III in Commercial Cookery

Cert IV / trade-qualified welcome

Job description

Casual cook and chef shifts in aged care facilities across the Tweed Heads region. Qualified cooks welcome, with weekly pay and flexible shifts.

About the role

Contract Care is looking for experienced Cooks and Chefs to join our casual aged care agency workforce across the Tweed Heads region. We partner with multiple residential aged care facilities and need confident, qualified cooks who can run a kitchen, follow menus and produce safe, well-presented meals for residents - including texture-modified and dietary-specific meals.

Whether you're looking for full-time agency hours, a few shifts a fortnight, or extra work alongside a permanent role, we'll build a roster around what suits you.

What you'll do

• Prepare and cook meals to facility menus and dietary requirements - texture-modified (IDDSI), allergen-managed, diabetic, low-salt, cultural
• Lead breakfast, lunch and/or dinner service as the cook on shift
• Maintain food safety (HACCP) standards across prep, cook, plating and storage
• Work alongside kitchen hands, dietitians and facility staff to deliver consistent meal experiences
• Manage stock rotation, temperature logs and report shortages to facility management

Pay & shifts

• Agency cook/chef pay rates: $40-$102 per hour
• Weekly pay, every Friday - no waiting around for your money
• Casual shifts available 7 days a week - breakfast, lunch and dinner services
• Choose your own availability - work as much or as little as suits you
• Easy app-based rostering with support when you need it
• Local-focused agency - minimal travel between shifts
• Consistent ongoing work with the same facilities so you learn the menus, kitchens and residents' preferences
• Aged-care-specialist consultants with 10+ years in the sector
• Fast, supportive onboarding so you can start earning quickly
• Responsive allocations team you can actually reach

Free training we'll provide

• Food Safety Supervisor refresher - available when your certificate needs renewing
• Manual Handling certificate - fully covered

What you'll need

• Certificate III in Commercial Cookery or equivalent (Cert IV / trade-qualified chefs welcome)
• Minimum 3 months' experience as a cook or chef (aged care experience strongly preferred)
• Practical experience with texture-modified diets (IDDSI framework) preferred
• Current National Police Check (or willingness to obtain)
• Up-to-date COVID-19 vaccinations (minimum 2 doses)
• Right to work in Australia
• Confident working independently as the cook on shift