Head Chef | Melbourne Public

Australian Venue Co.; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus up to AU$20K

Staff discounts across 240+ venues

Training and development opportunities

Job summary

Melbourne Public at South Wharf is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead the kitchen team in a high-volume, multi-venue space on the Yarra River. You will oversee a large operation with dining spaces, outdoor terrace, live music and events for up to 1,000 guests.

You will be responsible for food quality, consistency, and service standards across all areas, while leading, developing and motivating the kitchen team, managing costs, inventory and labour, and planning menus for peak events.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a large, busy kitchen team.
• Proven ability to manage GP, food cost and labour in high-volume service.
• Strong focus on food quality, consistency and service standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate a large kitchen team across multiple service areas.
• Oversee high-volume service during peak periods and events.
• Maintain food quality, presentation and consistency across the venue.
• Manage food costs, GP, stock control and ordering.
• Develop menus and implement seasonal updates.
• Plan and execute large functions and events.
• Manage kitchen labour and rostering.
• Ensure food safety and compliance standards.
• Collaborate with venue leadership to drive overall operation.

Skills

Leadership

High-volume kitchen

GP & labour understanding

Menu development

Staff development

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.