Executive Head Chef

Anglicare; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging

Staff rewards

Employee Assistance Program

Discounts for family

Job summary

Anglicare Sydney is seeking an Executive Head Chef to shape culinary strategy across the Retirement Living portfolio, oversee Cornerstone Cafe, and govern Signature Cafés and Restaurants to deliver high-quality, contemporary dining for residents.

You will mentor chefs, drive menu innovation, manage costs and safety standards, and partner with procurement to elevate value and efficiency while supporting a hospitality-focused culture.

Qualifications

• Recognised Commercial Cookery qualification and food safety certification.
• 10+ years’ culinary experience, including 5+ years in an Executive Chef or multi-site leadership role.
• Proven success leading multi-site café, restaurant, or hospitality operations.
• Strong expertise in menu development, food quality, cost management, and kitchen performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead culinary strategy and food philosophy across the Retirement Living portfolio.
• Drive menu development, food quality, presentation, and innovation.
• Establish culinary standards and operational excellence across multiple sites.
• Monitor food costs, waste, productivity, and kitchen performance.
• Ensure food safety, dietary compliance, and nutritional standards.
• Coach, mentor, and develop chefs and culinary teams.
• Partner with Procurement and key stakeholders to improve quality, value, and efficiency.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Multi-site operations

Cost management

Food safety

Education

Commercial Cookery qualification

Job description

Shape the Culinary Vision – Lead and influence the food strategy, standards, and resident dining experience across a significant Retirement Living portfolio.

Drive Innovation at Scale – Create contemporary dining experiences, lead menu innovation, and elevate culinary excellence across multiple cafés and restaurants.

Develop High-Performing Teams – Mentor and inspire chefs across the portfolio, building capability, consistency, and a strong hospitality-focused culture.

Transform lives, every single day

Do you want a career that means more? At Anglicare Sydney, we bring the strength, the support, and the strategy to make it happen. We’re a well-respected not-for-profit that’s been serving society’s most vulnerable for 170 years. Each year, we achieve life-changing outcomes for the 40,000+ people who rely on our person-centred support. And now, we’re extending our reach and impact even further.

As our Executive Head Chef, you will lead culinary strategy across the Retirement Living portfolio, overseeing Cornerstone Cafe, and providing governance for Signature Cafés and Restaurants. You will drive menu innovation, food quality, safety standards, chef development, and operational excellence to deliver consistent, high-quality dining experiences for residents.

Your opportunity Reporting to the Senior Leadership and as the Executive Head Chef, you will be responsible for setting the culinary vision and standards across the portfolio, ensuring residents enjoy contemporary, high-quality dining experiences every day. You will play a critical role in creating exceptional dining experiences that balance innovation, nutrition, hospitality, quality, and commercial sustainability. With integrity and resilience, you will:

• Lead the culinary strategy and food philosophy across the Retirement Living portfolio.
• Drive menu development, food quality, presentation, and innovation.
• Establish culinary standards and operational excellence across multiple sites.
• Monitor food costs, waste, productivity, and kitchen performance.
• Ensure food safety, dietary compliance, and nutritional standards.
• Coach, mentor, and develop chefs and culinary teams.
• Partner with Procurement and key stakeholders to improve quality, value, and efficiency.
• Provide culinary input into kitchen design, equipment selection and hospitality projects, including new developments and refurbishments.

What you’ll bring

You will be a passionate and strategic culinary leader with extensive experience leading multi-site food operations, developing high-performing teams, and delivering innovative food strategies. You will bring expertise in menu development, food quality, food safety, commercial performance, and stakeholder engagement, with a proven ability to enhance resident experiences while driving operational excellence and sustainable business outcomes.

What’s required

• Recognised Commercial Cookery qualification and food safety certification.
• 10+ years’ culinary experience, including 5+ years in an Executive Chef or multi-site leadership role.
• Proven success leading multi-site café, restaurant, or hospitality operations.
• Strong expertise in menu development, food quality, cost management, and kitchen performance.

What’s preferred

• An understanding of service environments where customer experience is key.
• A passion for creating food experiences that bring people together.
• Demonstrated ability to develop high-performing culinary teams.
• Strong commercial acumen and stakeholder management skills.

Why Anglicare?

We provide meaningful opportunities and choice, both for the individuals and communities we support and the dedicated people here who make it happen. At Anglicare, you’ll get the security, stability and opportunities that come with a strong, well-established organisation that’s ready for the future. You’ll belong to a community of kind, humble and respectful people of all faiths and backgrounds. You will also be supported to gain new knowledge, deepen your experience and expertise, and shape a rewarding career.

On top of that, here are just some of the tangible benefits you will enjoy in a career with us:

• Flexible work options to get the most out of work and life
• Pay less tax on your income and increase your take home pay. With salary packaging, up to $15,900 of your income is tax free.
• Spend up to $2,650 on accommodation, meals, and entertainment also tax free with salary packaging.

• Ongoing professional development and leadership training to advance your career
• Exclusive discounts to over 400 retailers
• Employee Assistance Program and Fitness Passport with discounts to over 800 gyms for you and your family

Anglicare is as wonderfully diverse as the customers and communities we support. While we are guided by our Christian-based values, our team includes people of all faiths and backgrounds who share our commitment to serving others, and we value the diverse perspectives they bring. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people of all ages, genders, abilities, and cultural backgrounds.

Application Close Date: September 23, 2026

Do you want a career that means more? We bring the strength, the support and the strategy to make it happen. At Anglicare, we’re building a future where every voice counts. We celebrate diversity, champion equity, and foster a culture of belonging - because your unique perspective helps shape stronger communities. Joining our team means becoming part of a values-led community, committed to transforming lives across aged care, housing, mental health, disability and family services. Here, you'll find the stability and support to build a meaningful career while making a positive impact in the lives of our society’s most vulnerable people. Because your passion for helping others deserves a home where it can truly flourish. Anglicare is where you can do the best work of your life.

Your rewards and benefits

We believe that caring for others starts with caring for our people. Because you put so much heart into helping the most vulnerable in our community, we're committed to supporting you to thrive both professionally and personally. Here, we recognise that meaningful work deserves meaningful support. So, we've designed a comprehensive package of rewards and benefits that reflect our values and make a real difference to your life. We support your career by investing in your growth, balance and security through professional development opportunities. We also offer competitive salary packaging, wellbeing programs and generous discounts for you and your family.

Staff Rewards

• Enjoy access to our staff rewards portal, with exclusive discounts to over 400 retailers, free wellbeing resources and more.

Salary Packaging

• Pay less tax on your income and increase your take-home pay! With salary packaging, up to $15,900 of your income is tax free.
• You can also spend up to $2,650 on accommodation, meals and entertainment… tax free!

Employee Assistance Program

At Anglicare, we care about your mental wellbeing, both at work and at home. Our confidential Employee Assistance Program provides free counselling as you need it.

Employee Referral Program

Be rewarded with a $1,200 incentive every time you help us find the right person for a permanent role! Simply go to our careers page, refer a friend for a permanent role, and if they're hired, you’ll receive an additional $1,200 (taxable) payment when they reach six months of service.

Formal Recognition

The Performance Review process supports your professional goals through ongoing conversations and feedback from your manager. Your Annual Review Conversation provides an opportunity to formally recognise and reward outstanding performance through career progression, skill development and secondment.