Chettinad Cuisine Chef — Traditional South Indian Kitchen Lead

Mlk Traders Pty Ltd; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

MLK Traders Pty Ltd, trading as Aachi's Chettinad, is seeking an experienced Chef to join its kitchen team in Noble Park, Melbourne. The successful candidate will plan and organise food preparation and cook traditional South Indian dishes to high presentation standards.

The role also involves contributing to menu planning, estimating food and labour requirements, monitoring ingredient costs and providing practical guidance to kitchen staff to support efficient restaurant operations.

Qualifications

• Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery or equivalent.
• 1–2 years of experience in a commercial restaurant kitchen.
• Experience in South Indian/Chettinad Tamil cuisine is highly regarded.
• Knowledge of spice blending, curry preparation, biryani, batter-based preparations.
• Ability to plan and coordinate daily food preparation during busy service.
• Strong organisational and teamwork skills; Australian residency required.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook traditional South Indian and Chettinad dishes according to established recipes and cooking standards.
• Plan and organise daily food preparation, including spice bases, curries, marinades, and batter prep.
• Monitor quality, flavour, seasoning, texture and presentation of dishes.
• Inspect fresh produce, meats, seafood, rice, lentils, spices for quality and suitability.
• Contribute to menu planning and cost monitoring.
• Coordinate food preparation and cooking across kitchen sections for efficient workflow.
• Demonstrate cooking techniques and guide kitchen staff in spice prep and presentation.
• Liaise with management and front-of-house regarding meal prep requirements and timing.
• Monitor storage, stock rotation and temperature control to minimise spoilage.

Skills

South Indian cuisine

Chettinad cuisine

Spice blending

Biryani cooking

Food safety

Kitchen teamwork

Menu planning

Education

Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery

Job description

MLK Traders Pty Ltd, trading as Aachi's Chettinad, is seeking an experienced Chef to join its kitchen team in Noble Park, Melbourne. The successful candidate will plan and organise food preparation and cook traditional South Indian dishes to high presentation standards.

The role also involves contributing to menu planning, estimating food and labour requirements, monitoring ingredient costs and providing practical guidance to kitchen staff to support efficient restaurant operations.