Head Chef

Employer Sponsored Jobs; Gold Coast City; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Employer Sponsored Jobs on the Gold Coast is seeking a hands-on Head Chef to lead two kitchens—a high-volume grill house and a 1920s-inspired lounge. You will design menus, manage food costs, and mentor a brigade of sous chefs, cooks and kitchen hands.

This role requires formal cookery training, proven experience in fast-paced venues, and the ability to oversee prep, line service and functions, while maintaining safety and quality.

Qualifications

• Proven CV evidence of volume cooked and costs met
• Formal cookery training completed
• Background in high-volume, fast-paced kitchens
• Experience with events and banquets is desirable
• Willingness to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends

Responsibilities

• Design menus for the grill house and the lounge, adding seasonal specials and new dishes without losing sight of cost
• Direct and motivate the kitchen team through training and feedback
• Oversee all preparation and cooking, including grill and smoker, and assist on the line during busy periods
• Ensure quality, flavour, presentation and portion size meet the standard on every plate
• Uphold food safety, hygiene and allergen requirements in a clean, orderly and safe kitchen
• Manage inventory, purchasing, stock levels and storage to keep waste low
• Keep food and labour costs inside the budget and set rosters for lunch, dinner, and late-night service
• Organise functions, banquet menus and private events
• Collaborate with front of house to keep service timely and align with industry trends and techniques

Skills

Menu design

Cost control

Staff leadership

High-volume kitchens

Food safety

Allergen management

Education

Certificate III in Commercial Cookery

Culinary arts qualification

Tools

Stock control systems

Supplier management

Job description

A Gold Coast hospitality group needs a Head Chef who can take charge of two neighbouring kitchens and keep both running to a high standard. One venue is a busy grill house with an award to its name, cooking low-and-slow smoked meats, prime steaks and burgers; the other is a lounge with a 1920s feel, a premium share-plate tapas menu and a steady calendar of private functions.

The employer wants a hands-on leader who reports to the Executive Chef, builds menus that hold their margin, runs a tight brigade and steps onto the pass when it gets busy. Candidates who require visa sponsorship are welcome, and the group will support the right person through the process where applicable.

Employers hiring at this level read a CV for evidence, showing the volume you have cooked for, the cost targets you met and your formal cookery training.

• Design menus for the grill house and the lounge, adding seasonal specials and new dishes without losing sight of cost
• Direct and motivate the kitchen team of sous chefs, cooks and kitchen hands through training and feedback
• Oversee all preparation and cooking, the grill and smoker included, and help on the line in rush periods
• Make sure quality, flavour, presentation and portion size meet the standard on every plate
• Uphold food safety, hygiene and allergen requirements in a clean, orderly and safe kitchen
• Look after inventory, purchasing, stock levels and storage so that waste stays low
• Keep food and labour costs inside the budget and set rosters for lunch, dinner and late-night service
• Organise functions, banquet menus and private events
• Partner with front of house to keep service timely and follow industry trends and techniques

• Proven experience in a Head Chef, Sous Chef or Kitchen Manager role
• Certificate III in Commercial Cookery, a culinary arts qualification or equivalent formal training
• Background in high-volume, fast-paced kitchens and in functions and banquet catering
• Highly desirable: experience with American-style BBQ, smoking and grilling premium steaks
• A demonstrated track record of managing food and labour costs to budget
• Strong knowledge of ordering systems, stock control and managing suppliers
• Solid understanding of food safety and allergen management
• Capable of working in a physically demanding environment, including long periods on your feet and lifting heavy items
• Available for flexible hours covering evenings, weekends and public holidays