Head Chef

Plate It Forward; Sydney; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meals on shift

50% restaurant discount

Leadership role

Seasonal menus & weekly specials

Job summary

Plate It Forward is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead the Young Henrys kitchen in Sydney. You’ll drive day-to-day operations, mentor a growing kitchen team and partner with the Young Henrys team to deliver memorable dining experiences.

With a focus on quality, consistency and cost targets, you’ll balance creativity with profitability, manage menus, staff rosters and supplier relationships, and uphold food safety to support our social impact mission.

Qualifications

• At least three years’ experience as a Head Chef or strong Sous Chef background.
• Food Safety Supervisor certification.
• Experience managing food costs, labour, stock and kitchen budgets.
• Strong leadership, communication and team development skills.
• Calm, solutions-focused approach under pressure.
• Ability to build positive working relationships across kitchen, FOH and venue teams.
• Full Australian working rights.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day kitchen operations at Young Henrys.
• Ensure food safety, hygiene and high standard of service.
• Collaborate with Head of Culinary, operations and front of house on menus and staffing.
• Balance quality with food and labour cost targets.
• Plan weekly specials and seasonal menus.
• Manage ordering, stocktakes and supplier relationships.
• Prepare rosters and recruit/train kitchen staff.
• Provide feedback and conduct performance reviews.

Skills

Head Chef experience

Food Safety Supervisor

Food cost management

Leadership

Communication

Team development

Australian working rights

Job description

At Plate It Forward, we deliver exceptional food experiences with purpose. We use hospitality to create social impact; supporting communities, creating employment pathways and serving memorable food across our venues and catering operations.

We’re looking for an experienced Head Chef to lead the kitchen at Young Henrys. You’ll bring care and consistency to the food, build a strong kitchen team and work closely with the Young Henrys team to deliver a great experience for guests.

Head Chef | Young Henrys

Permanent full-time | $90,000–$100,000 + super

About Us

At Plate It Forward, we deliver exceptional food experiences with purpose. We use hospitality to create social impact; supporting communities, creating employment pathways and serving memorable food across our venues and catering operations.

We’re looking for an experienced Head Chef to lead the kitchen at Young Henrys. You’ll bring care and consistency to the food, build a strong kitchen team and work closely with the Young Henrys team to deliver a great experience for guests.

The Role

You’ll be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Young Henrys kitchen, ensuring food is safe, consistent and delivered to a high standard.

Working with the Head of Culinary, the Young Henrys operations team and front of house, you’ll oversee service, menus, team development and kitchen performance. You’ll balance quality and creativity with food and labour cost targets.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily kitchen operations and maintain efficient service.
• Maintain food safety, hygiene and cleaning standards.
• Develop seasonal, on-brand dishes with the Head of Culinary and relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain menus, recipe cards, portioning and presentation standards.
• Plan and deliver a weekly specials program.
• Monitor food and labour costs, stock levels and wastage.
• Manage ordering, stocktakes and supplier relationships.
• Prepare rosters that meet service needs and budget.
• Recruit, onboard, train and support kitchen team members.
• Provide regular feedback, conduct performance reviews and identify training needs.
• Work closely with front of house, venue managers and the Young Henrys team.
• Respond to issues and complaints calmly and find timely solutions.

What We’re Looking For

• At least three years’ experience as a Head Chef, or strong Sous Chef experience.
• Food Safety Supervisor certification.
• Experience managing food costs, labour, stock and kitchen budgets.
• Strong leadership, communication and team development skills.
• A calm, solutions-focused approach under pressure.
• The ability to build positive working relationships across kitchen, front-of-house and venue teams.
• Full Australian working rights.

What We Offer

• Salary of $90,000–$100,000 + super, depending on experience.
• A leadership role with scope to shape the kitchen and develop the team.
• The opportunity to contribute to seasonal menus and a weekly specials program.
• A supportive, purpose-led hospitality group.
• Meals while working and a 50% discount across our restaurants.

Work authorisation

Australia required

Work location

In person, Young Henrys