Executive Sous Chef

Signature Staff; Townsville City; On-site; AUD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Signature Staff in Townsville is seeking an Executive Sous Chef to lead the kitchen across multiple service areas, including all-day dining, café, functions and catering. You will work with the Executive Chef to drive day-to-day operations and ensure high standards.

You will manage a team of about 50 staff, handle rostering and wage costs, and coordinate large events while maintaining food safety and HACCP compliance.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a large, high-volume kitchen operation.
• Ability to manage multiple outlets, venues and large functions.
• Calm, decisive leadership under pressure.
• Strong communication across kitchen, FOH, functions and management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a large team of chefs and kitchen staff.
• Oversee day-to-day operation of multiple kitchen and food service areas.
• Manage high-volume all-day dining, café and restaurant operations.
• Coordinate large functions and catering requirements.
• Ensure recipes, portion controls and preparation standards are followed.
• Maintain food safety, HACCP standards and quality.
• Roster staffing and manage wage budgets.
• Work closely with front-of-house and management teams.

Skills

Executive kitchen leadership

High-volume hospitality

Rostering

Labour cost management

Food safety HACCP

Education

Certificate III in Commercial Cookery

Job description

Job Description

This is a highly operational position suited to a strong senior chef who is confident managing a large kitchen team, multiple food outlets and a significant functions and events operation. Working closely with the Executive Chef, the successful candidate will take primary responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the venue's kitchen and catering departments.

With the Executive Chef overseeing broader responsibilities across multiple properties, this role requires someone who can confidently step up, take ownership of the venue and ensure the kitchen operates efficiently, consistently and to a high standard.

The venue incorporates multiple service areas, including all-day dining, café operations, functions and events, making this a varied and demanding leadership opportunity.

About the Role

The Executive Sous Chef will be responsible for leading and coordinating the day-to-day kitchen operation across multiple service areas.

This includes managing a kitchen team of approximately 50 staff, maintaining quality and consistency, overseeing staffing and rostering, managing food and wage costs, coordinating large functions and ensuring strong communication between kitchen, front-of-house, functions and management.

This is a hands‑on senior leadership role requiring someone who can manage both the operational detail and the bigger picture.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading, supervising and developing a large team of chefs, apprentices and kitchen staff.
• Overseeing the day-to-day operation of multiple kitchen and food service areas.
• Managing high-volume all-day dining, café and restaurant operations.
• Coordinating large functions, events and catering requirements.
• Ensuring function running sheets, preparation schedules and service requirements are followed accurately.
• Managing rosters and staffing levels while maintaining wage budgets.
• Training, mentoring and developing kitchen staff and apprentices.
• Maintaining consistently high standards of food quality, presentation and service.
• Managing food costs, stock control, ordering, deliveries and wastage.
• Monitoring departmental budgets and supporting weekly and annual financial targets.
• Maintaining strong food safety, hygiene and HACCP standards.
• Supporting menu development, daily specials and operational improvements.
• Ensuring recipes, portion controls and preparation standards are consistently followed.
• Working closely with front-of-house, functions and management teams.
• Managing operational issues proactively and maintaining standards during peak service periods.
• Acting in the capacity of the Executive Chef when required.

About the Candidate

This position requires an experienced and confident culinary leader who understands the demands of running a large, high-volume hospitality operation.

The successful candidate will need to be comfortable leading a substantial team, managing multiple priorities and maintaining control across several service areas at the same time. You will be:

• A strong and experienced kitchen leader.
• Highly organised and capable of managing multiple outlets.
• Experienced in high-volume hospitality environments.
• Confident managing large kitchen teams.
• Experienced in large functions, events and high-volume catering.
• Commercially aware with strong food cost, wage and wastage management skills.
• Calm and decisive under pressure.
• A strong communicator who can work effectively across kitchen, front‑of‑house, functions and management.
• Passionate about developing staff and creating a strong team culture.
• Hands‑on and willing to support the operation when required.
• Accountable, professional and committed to maintaining high standards.
• Certificate III in Commercial Cookery or equivalent recognised qualification.
• Significant experience as an Executive Sous Chef, Senior Sous Chef or similar senior culinary leadership position.
• Demonstrated experience managing a large kitchen team.
• Strong experience in high-volume hospitality operations.
• Experience managing multiple food outlets or service areas.
• Strong functions and large‑scale catering experience.
• Current Food Safety Supervisor qualification.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP procedures and food safety requirements.
• Demonstrated experience with rostering and labour cost management.
• Strong stock management, food cost and wastage control experience.
• Proven ability to train, mentor and manage chefs, apprentices and kitchen staff.
• Excellent organisational, communication and leadership skills.

Work Environment

Experience within any of the following environments will be highly regarded:

• Large clubs or leagues clubs.
• Resorts or large hotels.
• Multi‑outlet hospitality venues.
• Convention or function centres.
• High-volume restaurants.
• Large-scale catering operations.
• Venues operating multiple restaurants, cafés and function spaces.
• Salary of $100,000-$120,000 + Super, depending on experience.
• A genuine senior leadership role with significant operational responsibility.
• The opportunity to lead a large and established kitchen team.
• Exposure to multiple food outlets and service styles.
• Significant functions and events operations.
• The autonomy to take ownership of the day‑to‑day kitchen operation.
• The opportunity to work closely with an experienced Executive Chef.
• Long-term career stability within a highly established Townsville organisation., National