Chef Manager (Head Chef)

Aveo; City of Brisbane; On-site; AUD 95,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leadership role

Resident relationships

Work-life balance

Menu influence

Referral program

Health discounts

Flu vaccinations

Job summary

Aveo’s Forest Grove Retirement Living in Brisbane seeks a Chef Manager to lead hands-on kitchen operations, oversee procurement, rostering and menu input while delivering high-quality meals to a vibrant retirement community.

This permanent full-time role emphasizes hands-on leadership, resident engagement, and collaboration with kitchen staff to ensure safe, superior dining experiences across daily service and special events.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Chef in high-quality hospitality or healthcare settings.
• Certificate in Commercial Cookery is required; Food Safety certification desirable.
• Experience with stock ordering, rostering, and kitchen administration preferred.

Responsibilities

• Deliver hands-on preparation of high-quality meals while maintaining daily kitchen operations.
• Oversee stock ordering, stock control, food safety compliance, and admin.
• Coordinate rostering and support recruitment and onboarding of kitchen staff.
• Contribute to menu planning, incorporating resident feedback and dietary needs.
• Plan and deliver catering for community functions and events.
• Build relationships with residents and respond to feedback to improve dining.

Skills

Chef experience

Stock ordering

Rostering

Kitchen administration

Communication skills

Resident engagement

Education

Certificate in Commercial Cookery

Food Safety certification

Job description

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 ideas and keep innovating. Owned by The Living Company, we are 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.