Food Production Chef - Manager

Lewis Continental Kitchen; Sydney; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Lewis Continental Kitchen is seeking a senior, hands-on Kitchen Leader to drive the ready-meals production operation. You will lead daily production, coordinate the kitchen team, ensure recipes and specs are followed, and maintain strict food-safety and HACCP standards.

The role offers Monday–Friday hours, with no nights or weekends, and a focus on consistency and efficiency. You will plan workflows, supervise staff, and work alongside the team to cook, portion and pack products, while ensuring

Qualifications

• Qualified and experienced Chef or Cook with strong commercial kitchen experience.
• Current HACCP qualification and a thorough understanding of HACCP principles.
• Proven experience in high-volume kitchen or food-manufacturing environment.
• Experience supervising or managing a kitchen or food-production team.
• Hands-on leader who cooks and works alongside the team.
• Knowledge of bulk cooking, portion control and production processes.
• Understanding of food safety, allergen management, hygiene and traceability.
• Excellent organisational, planning and time-management skills.
• Full Australian working rights.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the daily production of chilled and frozen ready meals.
• Work hands-on with the team to prepare, cook, portion and pack products.
• Produce sauces, soups, curries, casseroles and other meal components in bulk.
• Plan daily workflows, allocate tasks and meet production targets.
• Ensure products made accurately according to recipes and specifications.
• Monitor yields, portion control, wastage and ingredient usage.
• Maintain HACCP, food-safety, allergen-management and hygiene standards.
• Complete production, temperature, traceability and food-safety records.
• Supervise, train and support kitchen and production employees.
• Keep kitchen and production areas clean, organised and audit-ready.

Skills

Hands-on leadership

Team supervision

Organisation

Time management

Education

HACCP qualification

Job description

This is a practical leadership role combining high-volume cooking with the day-to-day management of ready-meals production. You will be responsible for ensuring meals are produced safely, efficiently and consistently in accordance with approved recipes, production schedules and quality standards. You will lead the kitchen team, coordinate workflow and work alongside them throughout production. The position offers excellent work-life balance, with regular hours of 7:00am to 3:00pm, Monday to Friday, and no scheduled night or weekend work.

Key responsibilities

Lead and manage the daily production of chilled and frozen ready meals.

Work hands-on with the team to prepare, cook, portion and pack products.

Produce sauces, soups, curries, casseroles and other meal components in bulk volumes.

Plan daily workflows, allocate tasks and ensure production targets are achieved.

Ensure products are made accurately and consistently according to approved recipes and specifications.

Monitor yields, portion control, wastage and ingredient usage.

Maintain strict HACCP, food-safety, allergen-management and hygiene standards.

Complete production, temperature, traceability and food-safety records accurately.

Supervise, train and support kitchen and production employees.

Ensure the kitchen and production areas remain clean, organised and audit-ready.

About you

Qualified and experienced Chef or Cook with strong commercial kitchen experience.

Current HACCP qualification and a thorough understanding of HACCP principles.

Proven experience working in a high-volume kitchen or food-manufacturing environment.

Previous experience supervising or managing a kitchen or food-production team.

Willingness to be a hands-on leader who cooks and works alongside the team.

Strong knowledge of bulk cooking, portion control and production processes.

Sound understanding of food safety, allergen management, hygiene and traceability requirements.

Excellent organisational, planning and time-management skills.

Full Australian working rights.

About us

Lewis Continental Kitchen is an established Australian food business known for producing high-quality ready meals and specialty food products. We are committed to using quality ingredients, maintaining exceptional food-safety standards and delivering consistently great products to our customers.

Consistent Monday-to-Friday hours from 7:00am to 3:00pm.

A senior, hands-on position with responsibility for the ready-meals production operation.

The opportunity to help develop products and improve production processes.

A supportive working environment within an established Australian food business.