Head Chef & Cook

Employer Sponsored Jobs; Ballarat; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Visa sponsorship

Employer visa program

Career growth in hospitality

Job summary

Employer Sponsored Jobs seeks an accomplished Head Chef to lead an Italian-inspired dining operation in Ballarat, Victoria. You will oversee kitchen leadership, establish food standards, culture and direction for the venue, while guiding the opening kitchen team to deliver high-quality service.

Ideal candidates possess senior culinary experience, strong leadership and a passion for authentic Italian/European cuisine.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated and verifiable commercial kitchen experience relevant to the position.
• Minimum 3 years of senior culinary or Head Chef experience for Head Chef applicants.
• Previous experience in Chef, Cook or commercial kitchen roles.
• Experience with Italian or modern European cuisine is highly regarded.
• Relevant culinary qualifications, trade certificates or recognised training advantageous.
• Ability to provide clear evidence of employment history, skills and relevant professional experience.
• Strong leadership and communications skills for senior kitchen positions.
• Knowledge of food costing, stock management and commercial kitchen operations.
• Ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced and high-pressures service environment.
• Commitment to food quality, consistency and professional presentation.
• Strong understanding of foodsafety, hygiene and workplace standards.
• Reliable, organised and team-focused approach.
• Availability to work required hospitality shifts, evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Leading and supporting kitchen teams to deliver professional and efficient service.
• Preparing and cooking Italian and European-inspired dishes to a consistently high standard.
• Maintaining food quality, presentation, taste and portion consistency.
• Developing menus, recipes, specials and seasonal dishes.
• Managing food costing, ordering, purchasing and stock control.
• Monitoring kitchen expenditure and supporting effective labour management.
• Training, mentoring and developing junior kitchen team members.
• Preparing and coordinating staff rosters where required.
• Maintaining high standards of food safety, hygiene and workplace compliance.
• Supporting smooth and efficient kitchen operations during busy service periods.
• Assisting with food preparation, storage, stock rotation and kitchen organisation.
• Working closely with management and colleagues to achieve operational and service standards.
• Maintaining a clean, safe and well-organised commercial kitchen environment.

Skills

Leadership & management

Food costing

Stock management

Kitchen operations

Quality & presentation

Fast-paced service

Communication

Reliability & organisation

Shift availability

Italian/European cuisine

Staff mentoring

Education

Culinary qualifications / trade certificates

Job description

ourskillsshouldspeakforthemselves—andsoshouldyouridentity.ThisopportunityisdesignedforexperiencedculinaryprofessionalsseekingatransparentpathwaytoconnecttheirverifiedexperiencewithgenuinehospitalityemploymentopportunitiesinVictoria.

WeareseekinganaccomplishedHeadCheftotakealeadingroleinlaunchingandshapinganewItalian-inspireddiningoperation,alongwithskilledChefs,CooksandexperiencedKitchenHandstoformthewiderkitchenteam.

Throughaverifiedemployment-focusedrecruitmentprocess,suitableapplicantshavetheopportunitytopresenttheirprofessionalbackground,culinarycapabilityandrelevantexperienceclearlytothehiringbusiness.Thiscreatesastrongerconnectionbetweengenuineemployersandqualifiedhospitalityprofessionals.

ThesuccessfulHeadChefwillprovidehands-onkitchenleadershipwhilehelpingestablishthefoodstandards,teamcultureandoperationaldirectionofthevenue.Othersuccessfulcandidateswillcontributetodeliveringconsistent,high-qualityfoodserviceaspartoftheopeningkitchenteam.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadingandsupportingkitchenteamstodeliverprofessionalandefficientservice
• PreparingandcookingItalianandEuropean-inspireddishestoaconsistentlyhighstandard
• Maintainingfoodquality,presentation,tasteandportionconsistency
• Developingmenus,recipes,specialsandseasonaldishes
• Managingfoodcosting,ordering,purchasingandstockcontrol
• Monitoringkitchenexpenditureandsupportingeffectivelabourmanagement
• Training,mentoringanddevelopingjuniorkitchenteammembers
• Preparingandcoordinatingstaffrosterswhererequired
• Maintaininghighstandardsoffoodsafety,hygieneandworkplacecompliance
• Supportingsmoothandefficientkitchenoperationsduringbusyserviceperiods
• Assistingwithfoodpreparation,storage,stockrotationandkitchenorganisation
• Workingcloselywithmanagementandcolleaguestoachieveoperationalandservicestandards
• Maintainingaclean,safeandwell-organisedcommercialkitchenenvironment

Requirements & Eligibility

• Demonstratedandverifiablecommercialkitchenexperiencerelevanttotheposition
• Minimum3yearsofseniorculinaryorHeadChefexperienceforHeadChefapplicants
• PreviousexperienceinChef,Cookorcommercialkitchenrolesforotheravailablepositions
• ExperiencewithItalianormodernEuropeancuisineishighlyregarded
• Relevantculinaryqualifications,tradecertificatesorrecognisedtrainingareadvantageous
• Abilitytoprovideclearevidenceofemploymenthistory,skillsandrelevantprofessionalexperience
• Strongleadershipandcommunicationskillsforseniorkitchenpositions
• Knowledgeoffoodcosting,stockmanagementandcommercialkitchenoperations
• Abilitytoperformeffectivelyinafast-pacedandhigh-pressureserviceenvironment
• Commitmenttofoodquality,consistencyandprofessionalpresentation
• Strongunderstandingoffoodsafety,hygieneandworkplacestandards
• Reliable,organisedandteam-focusedapproach
• Availabilitytoworkrequiredhospitalityshifts,includingeveningsandweekends

Special Instructions

Eligibleapplicantsmaybeconsideredforemployersponsorshipbasedonskills,experienceandapplicablevisarequirements

Full visa sponsorship available under Australia Subclass 482 / 186 Employer Nomination.