Chef Manager

Aveo; City of Brisbane; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hands-on leadership role

Meaningful resident relationships

Good work-life balance

Influence menus

Employee Referral Program

Health Insurance discounts

Annual flu vaccinations and skin tests

Job summary

Aveo's Forest Grove Retirement Living invites an experienced Chef Manager to lead a busy kitchen and operations in a vibrant retirement community in Brisbane. You will oversee food preparation, ordering, compliance, rostering, and menu input to ensure residents enjoy high-quality meals daily.

This permanent full-time role runs Monday–Friday 8:00–4:30 with times subject to change, offering a chance to blend culinary skill with people leadership in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Chef in restaurant, hotel, healthcare or high-quality hospitality environment.
• Experience with stock ordering systems, staff rostering, hiring and kitchen administration.
• Certificate in Commercial Cookery (required) and Food Safety certification (desirable).

Responsibilities

• Deliver hands-on preparation of high-quality meals while maintaining strong daily kitchen operations
• Oversee ordering, stock control, food safety compliance, and general kitchen administration
• Coordinate rostering and support recruitment and onboarding of kitchen team members
• Contribute to menu planning, incorporating resident feedback and adapting offerings to meet preferences and dietary needs
• Plan and deliver catering for community functions and special events
• Build strong relationships with residents, actively responding to feedback to enhance the dining experience and fostering a sense of community
• Support, guide, and work alongside the kitchen team in a collaborative, hands-on leadership style

Skills

Chef experience

Leadership

Stock ordering

Rostering

Menu planning

Communication

Food safety

Education

Certificate in Commercial Cookery

Job description

Do you love to build genuine connections, nurture belonging and enhance life? At Aveo, you can do just that and more. Join us and feel confident to embrace new challenges in our supportive culture. Bring your whole-self to work, grow as you learn new things and be rewarded through the joy of helping others. Together let's redefine retirement living for senior Australians.

The Opportunity

Forest Grove Retirement Living is a large and vibrant community, home to 700+ residents with an on-site restaurant.

As the Chef Manager, you'll lead by example in a hands-on Chef role while coordinating the entire kitchen operations. You'll oversee food preparation, ordering, compliance, rostering, and menu input, ensuring residents enjoy a high-quality experience every day. This is a rewarding role where you can combine your culinary skills with leadership and connection in a retirement living environment.

This is a permanent full-time opportunity working Monday - Friday 8-4.30pm (times subject to change as per operations)

Your Impact

• Deliver hands-on preparation of high-quality meals while maintaining strong daily kitchen operations
• Oversee ordering, stock control, food safety compliance, and general kitchen administration
• Coordinate rostering and support recruitment and onboarding of kitchen team members
• Contribute to menu planning, incorporating resident feedback and adapting offerings to meet preferences and dietary needs
• Plan and deliver catering for community functions and special events
• Build strong relationships with residents, actively responding to feedback to enhance the dining experience and fostering a sense of community
• Support, guide, and work alongside the kitchen team in a collaborative, hands-on leadership style

What you'll bring

• Experience as a Chef in a restaurant, hotel, healthcare or high-quality hospitality environment
• Experience with or exposure to stock ordering systems, staff rostering, hiring and kitchen administration
• Confidence working hands-on in the kitchen while coordinating daily operations
• Strong communication skills and a genuine interest in connecting with residents
• Enthusiasm for working in retirement living and making a positive impact
• Certificate in Commercial Cookery (required) and Food Safety certification (desirable)

What we offer

• A hands-on leadership role where you stay connected to cooking every day
• The opportunity to build meaningful, lasting relationships with residents and contribute to our retirement community
• Greater work-life balance compared to traditional hospitality settings
• Opportunity to influence menus and shape resident dining experiences
• Employee Referral Program and Employee Assistance Program
• Discounts to Health Insurance and Retail & Leisure partner providers
• Annual flu vaccinations and skin checks

Who we are

As a leader in retirement living, with 30 years' experience, Aveo provides the stability and confidence to try new things and keep innovating. Owned by The Living Company, we're on an exciting journey of growth. Our in-house range of services is holistic, supporting our customers in their independence for as long as possible. This helps us deliver a seamless experience for our 10,000 residents across 60+ diverse communities nationwide. We're a dedicated group of over 1000 caring, friendly team members; united with our core values; Kindness, Care and Respect. Together we create thriving communities that help retired Australians be their best selves.