Food Preparation & Cooking - Mlk Traders Pty Ltd

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, operates a South Indian restaurant specialising in traditional Tamil Nadu and Chettinad cuisine. The restaurant offers a variety of authentic dishes, including Chettinad-style curries, chicken and mutton biryanis, Chicken 65, pepper chicken, seafood preparations, dosa, idli, vada and parotta. Providing dine-in, takeaway and delivery services, the business focuses on traditional cooking techniques, aromatic spices, authentic flavours and consistent food quality.

About the Role

Aachi's Chettinad is seeking an experienced Chef to join its kitchen team. The successful candidate will be responsible for planning and organising food preparation, preparing and cooking traditional South Indian dishes, monitoring food quality and coordinating kitchen activities to maintain consistent cooking and 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.

Location: 252 Railway Parade, Noble Park VIC 3174

Employment Type: Full-Time

Salary: $75,000 to $85,000 per annum plus Superannuation

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook traditional South Indian and Chettinad dishes, including chicken and mutton biryanis, Chettinad curries, Chicken 65, pepper chicken, seafood preparations, dosa, idli and parotta, in accordance with established recipes and cooking standards.
• Plan and organise daily food preparation, including the preparation of spice blends, curry bases, marinades, biryani ingredients, dosa and idli batters, and other components required for restaurant service.
• Monitor the quality, flavour, seasoning, texture, cooking consistency and presentation of dishes throughout preparation and service.
• Inspect fresh produce, meats, seafood, rice, lentils, spices and other ingredients to ensure their quality, freshness and suitability for cooking.
• Contribute to menu planning, daily specials and improvements to existing dishes, considering traditional Chettinad cooking methods, ingredient availability, customer preferences and food costs.
• Estimate food quantities and associated labour requirements, monitor ingredient costs and assist with ordering supplies and controlling kitchen wastage.
• Coordinate food preparation and cooking across curry, biryani, tawa and other kitchen sections to ensure efficient workflow and timely completion of customer orders.
• Demonstrate traditional South Indian cooking techniques and guide kitchen staff in spice preparation, curry making, biryani cooking, batter preparation and food presentation.
• Liaise with restaurant management and front-of-house staff regarding meal preparation requirements, dietary requests and service timing.
• Monitor ingredient storage, stock rotation, refrigeration and temperature-control procedures to maintain food quality and minimise spoilage.
• Explain and enforce food safety, hygiene and workplace health and safety requirements throughout kitchen operations.
• Review kitchen preparation procedures and identify practical improvements to cooking efficiency, recipe consistency and workflow during busy service periods.

Candidate Requirements

• Relevant qualification such as Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery, Culinary Arts or a closely related culinary discipline.
• Minimum 1–2 years of relevant experience as a Chef in a commercial restaurant kitchen.
• Demonstrated experience preparing and cooking South Indian, Chettinad, Tamil or similar regional Indian cuisine will be highly regarded.
• Strong knowledge of traditional cooking techniques, including spice blending, curry preparation, biryani cooking, grilling, frying and batter-based preparations.
• Ability to plan and organise daily food preparation and coordinate kitchen activities during busy service periods.
• Experience contributing to menu planning, estimating food and labour requirements, monitoring ingredient costs and controlling kitchen wastage.
• Ability to maintain consistent food quality, authentic flavours and presentation standards.
• Ability to demonstrate cooking techniques and provide practical guidance to kitchen staff.
• Sound knowledge of food safety, hygiene, stock rotation and safe food-handling practices.
• Strong organisational, communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in a busy restaurant kitchen.
• Only candidates currently residing in Australia will be shortlisted.