Head Chef

Brandon Hotel; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full-time employment

Creative menu freedom

Close-knit team

Job summary

The Brandon Hotel is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead our busy inner-city kitchen and deliver quality pub food that keeps our regulars coming back. You will oversee all kitchen operations, mentor a growing team, and ensure consistency across menus and service during peak times.

We value calm leadership, strong communication, and close collaboration with front-of-house to create a seamless guest experience.

Qualifications

• Experience as head chef or senior sous chef
• Experience in high-volume pub kitchen
• Strong knowledge of food costing and stock control
• Confident leader with excellent communication
• Ability to collaborate with front-of-house

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen operations and ensure smooth service during peak times
• Develop and refine a modern pub menu that fits our venue and audience
• Control food costs, stock, ordering, waste and supplier relationships
• Roster and manage kitchen staff to meet business needs
• Collaborate closely with venue management to align priorities and service

Job description

A proper inner city local, with a busy front bar, cold beers pouring and community of regulars who make this place what it is.Looking for an experienced Head Chef to lead our kitchen, bring quality pub food to the table help us keep delivering the experience people come back for.

The Brandon is a small, fast-paced inner-city pub with a big sense of community. Known for its buzzing front bar, cold beers, live sport and welcoming atmosphere, we're a proper local where everyone feels at home. We pride ourselves on good old fashioned pub vibes, great service and bringing people together over good food,coldbeers and friendly company.

We're looking for an experienced Head Chef to lead our kitchen, bring great food to the table and help us keep delivering the kind of pub experience people come back for.

We believe good pub food doesn't need to be complicated. It needs to bequality, consistentand made and served with care. We want someone who understands that a great kitchen is about more than what's on the plate, it's about the team behind it and the experience we're creating for our punters.

This is a hands on leadership role, overseeing all aspects of the kitchen. You'll lead from the front, keep service running smoothly and build a kitchen team that takes pride in what they do. You will work closely with the Venue Manager to ensurestrong communication and coordination between front and back of house, aligning team priorities and driving the overall success of the venue. The right candidate for this role will bring calm leadership to busy service, have exceptional kitchen management skills and take genuine ownership of their role.

You will be responsible for

• Leading the team: Build a positive, respectful kitchen culture where people communicate, take responsibility and work together.
• Taking pride in the menu and food on the plate: Develop and refine a modern pub menu that suits our venue, our regulars and the pace of service.
• Keeping standards high: Deliver consistent, quality food from a well organised kitchen, even when the pub is pumping.
• Managing the numbers: Take charge of food costs, stock control, ordering, portioning, waste and supplier relationships.
• Rostering: Plan staffing and labour to meet the needs of the business while supporting your team's performance.
• Working as one team: Build a strong relationship with front of house and venue management, as service doesn't stop at the pass.
• Taking ownership: Put good systems in place, solve problems proactively and take pride in how your department operates.

Who we are looking for

You will ideally bring:

• Previous experience as a head chef or a strong Sous who is ready to take the next step in their career
• Experience in a busy pub setting, or similar high volume venue
• A genuine love for the pub
• Strong knowledge of food costing, stock management, ordering and labour control
• Confidence to lead a team, set expectations, train and manage staff
• Clear communication and a genuine appreciation for the role FOH plays in guest experience

Whats in it for you

• Full time employment
• A senior role in small, growing pub
• Be part of a close knit team, that values good communication and working together
• Opportunity to make the kitchen your own and have creative freedom over the menu and specials

We are looking for someone to join the Brando's close team rather than simply filling a role. If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you.