Head Chef – New Venue – Melbourne

Inac Hospitality; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Brand-new kitchen

Venue opening October

Open team

Career progression

Support from group

Leadership team

Job summary

INAC Hospitality Pty is opening a brand-new venue in Melbourne and seeks an experienced Head Chef to lead the kitchen from day one. You’ll build a strong BOH team, establish systems and set standards to drive the venue forward.

This hands-on leadership role offers scope to shape the menu of burgers, parmas, pizzas and casual dining, manage costs, uphold food safety, and work closely with the General Manager and leadership team during pre-opening and beyond.

Qualifications

• Experience as Head Chef in a busy venue.
• Strong leadership and team development skills.
• Ability to manage high-volume kitchen and stock costs.
• Hands-on, organised and calm under pressure.
• Availability across weekends and key periods.

Responsibilities

• Lead the kitchen through pre-opening, launch and beyond.
• Recruit, train and develop BOH team.
• Establish kitchen systems, procedures and service standards.
• Oversee preparation, service and daily kitchen operations.
• Deliver consistent, quality food across broad menu.
• Manage ordering, stock control, food costs and wastage.
• Maintain high food safety, cleanliness and compliance standards.
• Work closely with the General Manager and wider leadership team.
• Build a positive, accountable and professional kitchen culture.

Skills

Head Chef experience

Leadership

High-volume kitchen

Food cost controls

Stock control

Kitchen compliance

Hands-on approach

Weekend availability

Job description

Job Overview

Head Chef | New Venue

A brand-new hospitality and entertainment venue is opening soon, and we’re looking for an experienced Head Chef to join the opening team and lead the kitchen from day one.

Backed by an established and growing hospitality group, this is a great opportunity to put your stamp on a new kitchen, build a strong BOH team, and establish the systems and standards that will drive the venue forward.

The food offering will be fresh, approachable and family-focused, with a broad menu of crowd favourites including burgers, parmas, pizzas, share plates and quality casual dining dishes.

About the Role

As Head Chef, you’ll take ownership of the kitchen through the pre-opening period, launch and ongoing operation of the venue.

This is a hands‑on leadership role suited to a chef who enjoys being on the tools, developing their team and running an organised, efficient kitchen in a busy environment.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead the kitchen through pre-opening, launch and beyond
• Recruit, train and develop a strong BOH team
• Establish kitchen systems, procedures and service standards
• Oversee preparation, service and daily kitchen operations
• Deliver consistent, quality food across a broad menu
• Manage ordering, stock control, food costs and wastage
• Maintain high food safety, cleanliness and compliance standards
• Work closely with the General Manager and wider leadership team
• Build a positive, accountable and professional kitchen culture

What We’re Looking For

• Experience as a Head Chef in a busy restaurant, pub, club or large‑format venue
• Strong leadership and team development skills
• Confidence managing a high-volume kitchen
• Sound understanding of food costs, stock control and kitchen compliance
• A practical, organised and hands‑on approach
• Passion for producing consistent, quality food
• Ability to remain calm and lead effectively during busy services
• Availability across weekends and key trading periods

What’s On Offer

• Competitive salary package
• Brand-new kitchen and venue opening in October
• The opportunity to be part of the opening team
• Support from an established and expanding hospitality group
• Work alongside an experienced venue leadership team
• Genuine career progression as the group continues to grow
• The opportunity to build your kitchen team and culture from the ground up

If you’re an experienced kitchen leader looking for the opportunity to open a brand-new venue and make the kitchen your own, we’d love to hear from you!