Head Chef

Ibis Care; Sydney; On-site; AUD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Ibis Care is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead the central production kitchen of our residential aged care facility. This hands-on leadership role delivers freshly cooked, nutritious meals, ensures safety and compliance with food standards, and accommodates dietary needs for residents.

The successful candidate will manage day-to-day kitchen operations, supervise catering staff, plan menus, control food costs, and uphold texture-modified diets and high hygiene standards.

Qualifications

• Five years' experience in aged care/healthcare (essential).
• Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery required or equivalent.
• Current Food Safety Supervisor Certification required.
• IDDSI competence demonstrated.
• Strong HACCP knowledge and food safety processes.
• Understanding of texture-modified meals and nutrition for older people.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day operations of a commercial kitchen in a residential aged care setting.
• Lead and supervise catering staff.
• Menu planning and food cost control within budget.
• Ensure compliance with Food Safety, HACCP, and IDDSI standards.
• Oversee ordering, stock control, and online ordering systems.
• Maintain high standards of hygiene, safety, and quality.
• Collaborate with clinical and care teams to support residents' nutritional needs.

Skills

Team leadership

Menu planning

Food safety knowledge

Education

Five years' experience in aged care/health care

Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery

Current Food Safety Supervisor Certification

IDDSI competence

HACCP knowledge

Texture-modified diets and nutrition for older people

Job description

Full-Time Permanent | 76 hours per fortnight
Monday to Friday | Occasional Weekend Work

We are seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead the central production kitchen of our residential aged care facility.

This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for delivering freshly cooked, nutritious meals to residents, ensuring compliance with food safety standards, aged care requirements, and individual dietary needs. Our kitchen provides hot meals and refreshments 7 days a week, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

The Head Chef plays a critical role in ensuring meals are safe, high quality, culturally appropriate, and compliant with texture-modified diets.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage day-to-day operations of a commercial kitchen in an aged care setting
• Lead and supervise Catering staff
• Menu planning and food cost control within budget
• Ensure compliance with Food Safety, HACCP, and IDDSI standards
• Oversee ordering, stock control, and online ordering systems
• Maintain high standards of hygiene, safety, and quality
• Work collaboratively with clinical and care teams to support residents' nutritional needs

Essential Criteria:

• Minimum 5 years' experience as a Chef in Aged Care or Health Care
• Demonstrated experience working in an aged care environment
• Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery (or equivalent)
• Proven ability to supervise and lead a catering team
• Experience using online ordering systems
• Current Food Safety Supervisor Certification
• Demonstrated IDDSI competence
• Strong HACCP knowledge and understanding of food safety processes
• Sound understanding of special diets, texture-modified meals, and nutrition for older people

We are an equal-opportunity employer and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds.

Offer of employment is subject to a satisfactory police and Reference checks.