Head Chef

Barney's Bar & Bistro; Pomonal; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Accommodation nearby

Job summary

Barney's Bar & Bistro in the Grampians region invites an experienced Head Chef to lead the kitchen, drive quality food and hospitality, and manage private functions, events, and Barney's Bites mobile trailer.

You will influence menus, mentor a team, and partner with ownership to evolve the offering while delivering memorable guest experiences in a country bistro setting.

Qualifications

• Experience as Head Chef or senior Sous Chef ready to take the next step.
• Creative yet commercial mindset for menu development and kitchen operations.
• Leadership with confidence, positivity and professionalism.
• Mentoring and developing a kitchen team.
• Organised, reliable and proactive in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and develop the kitchen team.
• Deliver consistently high-quality food and service.
• Design seasonal menus, daily specials and function menus.
• Use fresh ingredients and showcase local produce.
• Maintain food quality, consistency and presentation.
• Manage food costs, stock control and ordering.
• Oversee labour management and rostering.
• Ensure food safety standards and kitchen compliance.
• Collaborate with owners to evolve Barney's offerings.
• Support Barney's Bites and off-site catering as needed.

Skills

Kitchen leadership

Mentoring

Menu design

Food safety

Cost control

Labour management

People management

Job description

Barney's Bar & Bistro is looking for an experienced, passionate and motivated Head Chef to lead the kitchen and drive the next chapter of the food offering. Located in the heart of the Grampians, Barney's is a welcoming country bistro with a strong local following and a steady stream of visitors exploring one of Victoria's premier tourism destinations. The focus is on quality, approachable food, genuine hospitality and creating memorable experiences for every guest. Alongside the restaurant, the role involves hosting private functions, special events and operating Barney's Bites, a mobile food trailer. This creates plenty of variety and gives the Head Chef the opportunity to be involved in everything from day-to-day restaurant service through to catering and special events.

Key responsibilities

• Leading, mentoring and developing the kitchen team
• Delivering consistently high-quality food and service
• Designing seasonal menus, daily specials and function menus
• Working with fresh, quality ingredients and showcasing local produce where possible
• Maintaining food quality, consistency and presentation
• Managing food costs, stock control and ordering
• Labour management and rostering
• Maintaining food safety standards and kitchen compliance
• Working closely with the owners to continue evolving Barney's food offering
• Supporting Barney's Bites and off-site catering when required

About you

• Previous experience as a Head Chef, or an experienced Sous Chef ready to take the next step
• Loves cooking and takes genuine pride in producing quality food
• Creative while understanding the commercial realities of running a successful kitchen
• Leads with confidence, positivity and professionalism
• Enjoys mentoring and developing a team
• Organised, reliable and proactive
• Salary package of $80,000 to $100,000 plus superannuation, depending on experience, skills and the value brought to the role
• Genuine creative freedom to influence menus and the direction of the kitchen
• A supportive ownership team that values initiative, collaboration and new ideas
• Variety through restaurant service, functions, catering and food trailer operations
• A stable, long-term leadership role with opportunities to grow alongside the business
• The opportunity to live and work in the spectacular Grampians region
• Affordable accommodation available, located five minutes from the venue, ideal for a single person or couple within a well-maintained shared house

About us

Barney's Bar & Bistro is a welcoming country bistro located in the heart of the Grampians with a strong local following and a steady stream of visitors exploring one of Victoria's premier tourism destinations. The focus is on quality, approachable food, genuine hospitality and creating memorable experiences for every guest. The business operates a restaurant, hosts private functions and special events, and operates Barney's Bites, a mobile food trailer.