Head Chef

Open Pantry Co.; Torquay; On-site; AUD 77,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

Open Pantry Co. in Torquay, VIC, is seeking a hands-on Head Chef to lead a compact kitchen in a coastal brewery venue. Base salary $85,000, full-time, with a menu set at group level and recipes/supply handled centrally so you can focus on service and team leadership.

You will supervise a brigade of two Chefs de Partie (a third role coming), run daily operations, ensure food safety, rostering, and maintain high standards across all services.

Qualifications

• Head Chef or strong senior Sous experience in a high-volume pub or comparable kitchen.
• Ability to run a clean, consistent, well-organised section.
• Solid grasp of food safety, rostering and cost control.
• Full working rights in Australia (visa sponsorship is not available for this role)

Responsibilities

• Lead a brigade of yourself plus two Chefs de Partie, with a third role coming.
• Focus on execution, consistency and operational discipline — not menu creation.
• Oversee daily kitchen operations from prep to pass.
• Ensure food safety and compliance standards.
• Roster and manage labour through seasonal demand.
• Lead and develop your brigade.

Skills

Head Chef experience

High-volume kitchen

Food safety knowledge

Leadership

Job description

Head Chef

Torquay VIC | $85,000 base | Full-time

Open Pantry Co. is recruiting a Head Chef for a well-established coastal brewery venue in Torquay.

This is a hands-on role leading a compact, well-run kitchen serving honest, well-executed food alongside great beer. The menu is set at group level — your job is to run a tight kitchen and deliver it consistently, every service. We’re after a strong, dependable Head Chef to lead the pass.

The role

You’ll lead a brigade of yourself plus two Chefs de Partie (with a third role coming), reporting to the Venue Manager. The focus is execution, consistency and operational discipline — not menu creation. Recipes and suppliers are handled at group level, so you can focus on running great service.

What you’ll own

• Consistent execution of an established, group-designed menu
• Daily kitchen operations — prep, service and pass
• Food safety and compliance standards
• Kitchen rostering and managing labour through seasonal demand
• Leading and developing your brigade

What you’ll bring

• Head Chef or strong senior Sous experience in a high-volume pub or comparable kitchen
• A reliable operator who runs a clean, consistent, well-organised section
• Solid grasp of food safety, rostering and cost control
• Calm under a busy service and able to hold standards through seasonal peaks
• Full working rights in Australia (visa sponsorship is not available for this role)

The offer

Base salary $85,000, full-time. A well-supported kitchen with the recipes and supply chain handled at group level, so you can focus on running great service and leading your team.