Head Chef

Rat the Cafe; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Rat the Cafe in Melbourne's inner north is seeking a Head Chef to lead a small kitchen team in a full-time role. You'll guide service, mentor junior cooks and design a rotating seasonal menu that fits the café's neighbourhood vibe.

You’ll work daytime shifts, finish by 3.30pm, with the potential for a four-day week pro-rata and some Friday evenings in the future. This is a steady kitchen environment with a collaborative culture and room to grow.

Qualifications

• Some experience in a similar role.
• Strong palate and good eye for simple plating.
• Solid understanding of modern café cooking.
• Confidence with food safety and stock systems.
• Calm, solutions-focused approach when things get busy.

Responsibilities

• Lead the kitchen calmly and positively, setting the tone from the front.
• Create a respectful, upbeat environment where people feel supported.
• Design and deliver a rotating seasonal menu that's thoughtful, generous and well executed.
• Cook food that's well seasoned, consistent and suited to our neighbourhood.
• Train and support a small team with patience and clarity.
• Stay on top of ordering, suppliers and stock so the kitchen runs smoothly.
• Manage food costs and wages responsibly, without losing the soul of the food.
• Maintain a clean, organised kitchen that's always food-safety ready.

Job description

Potentially a good fit for a Senior Sous ready to step up into their first Head Chef role, or an experienced Head Chef looking for a steady kitchen to pour their energy into.

About Rat

Rat is a community-focused Thornbury café built on good produce, low waste, and a genuinely kind team culture. We cook seasonally, source thoughtfully, and try to run the kind of place that feels good to walk into - whether you're a regular, a supplier, or part of the team. We're growing steadily and are looking for a Head Chef to help guide the kitchen through its next chapter.

About the Role

This is a full-time, hands-on role of around 40 hours a week, all daytime shifts and finishing by 3.30pm (with the possibility of some Friday evenings down the track). We are open to the possibility of creating a four day working week (pro-rata), and happy to discuss other arrangements. You'll lead a small three-person kitchen team. During the week you'll often run solo shifts; on weekends you'll work alongside another chef. As we continue to grow the business we will look at expanding the team and making sure that you have the support you need. It's a role that suits someone confident, organised and happy to take ownership - but who also values collaboration.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leading the kitchen calmly and positively, setting the tone from the front
• Creating a respectful, upbeat environment where people feel supported
• Designing and delivering a rotating seasonal menu that's thoughtful, generous and well executed
• Cooking food that's well seasoned, consistent and suited to our neighbourhood
• Training and supporting a small team with patience and clarity
• Staying on top of ordering, suppliers and stock so the kitchen runs smoothly
• Managing food costs and wages responsibly, without losing the soul of the food
• Maintaining a clean, organised kitchen that's always food-safety ready

We're after someone steady, kind and quietly confident, who takes pride in their work and loves what they do. You enjoy mentoring others, understand that leadership is about tone as much as technique, and can run a service smoothly without ego or drama.

Ideally you'll bring

• Some experience in a similar role
• A strong palate and a good eye for simple, appealing plating
• Solid understanding of modern café cooking
• Confidence with food safety and stock systems
• A calm, solutions-focused approach when things get busy