Head Chef | Melbourne Public

Australian Venue Co.; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Staff discounts

Job summary

Melbourne Public is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead the kitchen at our South Wharf venue. You will oversee a large team, drive food quality and service standards, and manage costs across busy events and functions with live entertainment.

The role demands strong leadership in a high-volume pub/restaurant environment, menu development, and seamless operation across multiple dining and event spaces. Competitive salary plus quarterly bonus.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a large, busy kitchen team.
• Proven ability to manage GP and labour costs.
• Track record of delivering high-quality pub/restaurant food.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop and motivate the kitchen team across high-volume service.
• Oversee food quality, presentation and consistency across venues.
• Plan menus, manage costs, stock, ordering and function catering.
• Rostering and labour management; ensure food safety standards.

Skills

Leadership

High-volume kitchen

Food quality

GP management

Staff development

Education

Professional chef qualification

Job description

Lead the kitchen at one of South Wharf’s biggest hospitality venues.

Melbourne Public is looking for an experienced Head Chef to lead the kitchen team at our South Wharf venue, right on the Yarra River.

With a large open-plan venue, outdoor terrace, dining spaces, live music, major sporting events and functions for up to 1,000 guests, this is a role for a chef who knows how to lead from the front and thrive in a high-volume environment.

Our food offering is all about quality pub classics, shareable dishes and crowd favourites, with a menu that caters to everything from casual lunches and dinners through to large functions and busy event periods.

The Role

As Head Chef, you’ll take ownership of the kitchen operation, leading a large team and ensuring food quality, consistency and service standards are maintained across every part of the venue.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Leading, developing and motivating the kitchen team
• Overseeing high-volume service across multiple areas of the venue
• Maintaining food quality, presentation and consistency
• Managing food costs, GP, stock control and ordering
• Menu development and seasonal menu updates
• Planning and executing large functions and events
• Managing kitchen labour and rostering
• Maintaining food safety and compliance standards
• Working closely with the venue leadership team to drive the overall operation

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for an experienced Head Chef who is:

• Confident leading a large, busy kitchen team
• Experienced in high-volume pub, restaurant or event environments
• Strong across food, people and kitchen operations
• Commercially minded with a solid understanding of GP and labour
• Calm and organised under pressure
• Passionate about developing a team and maintaining high standards
• Comfortable managing functions, events and peak trading periods
• Competitive salary + annual bonus of up to $20K paid quarterly
• Lead the kitchen of a major South Wharf venue
• Work alongside a strong and experienced hospitality team
• Large and varied operation with functions, events and live entertainment
• Opportunities for career development and progression
• Staff discounts across 240+ venues
• Training and development opportunities
• Be part of a venue that is always busy, energetic and evolving

If you're ready to take the reins of a high-volume kitchen and make your mark at Melbourne Public, we’d love to hear from you.