Chef Manager - Lake Cathie

Cater Care; Lake Cathie; On-site; AUD 82,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relish Discounts

Academy of Learning

Wellbeing resources

Training programs

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Cater Care is seeking a Chef Manager to lead the kitchen at Lake Cathie Manor, a brand-new 115-bed aged care facility in Lake Cathie, NSW. This is a hands-on leadership role with scope to shape the kitchen culture from day one, while delivering nutritious meals that residents look forward to.

Working Monday–Friday from 6:00am to 2:30pm, you will blend cooking excellence with team leadership, ensure food safety and compliance, and build strong relationships with residents and staff as you

Qualifications

• Recognised Trade Chef qualification required.
• Food Safety Supervisor certification preferred.
• Experience in bulk cooking and commercial food production.
• Experience preparing texture-modified meals.
• Strong knowledge of food safety and hygiene requirements.

Responsibilities

• Take responsibility for daily kitchen operation with hands-on cooking and leadership.
• Lead daily food preparation and meal service to residents.
• Deliver safe, nutritious and enjoyable meals to high standard.
• Cater to dietary and texture-modified needs as required.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene and compliance.
• Collaborate with facility team and build relationships with residents and staff.
• Establish kitchen systems, standards and food culture from day one.

Skills

Trade Chef

Food Safety Supervisor

Bulk cooking

Texture-modified meals

Kitchen leadership

Job description

Ready to Build the Kitchen and Lead It Your Way?

Chef Manager

Lake Cathie, NSW | Permanent - Full Time | $91,000 per annum

Cater Care is looking for a Chef Manager to lead the kitchen at Lake Cathie Manor, a brand-new 115-bed aged care facility in Lake Cathie.

This is an opportunity to do more than run a kitchen. You'll help establish the food culture of a brand-new facility, lead the day-to-day kitchen operation and create meals that residents can look forward to every day.

And with Monday–Friday, 6:00am–2:30pm hours, you'll have your evenings and weekends free.

What you'll be doing

You'll take responsibility for the daily operation of the kitchen, combining hands-on cooking with leadership and kitchen management.

You'll also be responsible for:

• Lead daily food preparation and meal service, ensuring the kitchen runs smoothly and efficiently.
• Deliver safe, nutritious and enjoyable meals to a consistently high standard.
• Cater to individual dietary and texture-modified requirements, ensuring residents' needs are met.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene and compliance across the kitchen.
• Work closely with the facility team and build strong relationships with residents and staff.
• Deliver a high standard of customer service, creating a positive dining experience for residents.
• Work independently and take ownership of the kitchen, helping establish its systems, standards and food culture from day one.

What we're looking for

We're looking for a Chef who is confident in taking responsibility for a kitchen and enjoys combining great food with strong leadership.

You'll have:

• A recognised Trade Chef qualification
• Food Safety Supervisor certification
• Experience in bulk cooking and commercial food production
• Experience preparing texture-modified meals
• Strong knowledge of food safety and hygiene requirements
• Excellent organisation and communication skills
• A customer-focused approach
• The confidence to work independently and lead a kitchen operation
• A genuine pride in the food you prepare and the experience you create for others

Aged care or healthcare catering experience is advantageous, but it's not essential. A current Police Check and Flu Vaccination are mandatory for this aged care facility.

Why join this role?

This is a rare opportunity to join a new facility at the beginning and help shape how its kitchen operates.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Build and establish a brand-new kitchen operation
• Lead the food culture from day one
• Develop your leadership, management and hospitality skills
• Access Cater Care's training and development programs and Academy of Learning
• Explore career progression opportunities across a growing national organisation
• Access Relish Employee Benefits & Rewards, including discounts across 650+ Australian retailers
• Access an Employee Assistance Program and wellbeing resources
• Be part of a supportive team with ongoing training and development

Join Cater Care

For 25 years, Cater Care has been delivering food and support services across Aged Care, Education, Retail and Remote Services.

We’re an Australian-owned organisation guided by three values:

Care. Pride. Community.

We believe in developing our people, creating meaningful career opportunities and building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We strongly encourage applications from First Nations peoples and people from diverse backgrounds.

This is your opportunity to help build the kitchen at Lake Cathie Manor from the ground up, lead a team and create food that residents can genuinely look forward to.

If you're ready to take ownership and make your mark, we’d love to hear from you.