Head Pastry Chef

Cremorne St Bakers; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Birthday Day Off

Job summary

Cremorne Street Bakers, based in metro Melbourne, seeks a Head Pastry Chef to lead daily production and work alongside the Bakery Production Manager as 2IC. You will manage a team of 12 pastry staff, ensure timely delivery, and drive NPD for seasonal updates while upholding strict quality and food safety standards.

The role is hands-on, requires a proactive leader who can optimise waste and efficiency, and who can cover bakery operations in the manager's absence.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years of experience as a Senior or Head Chef in a high-volume wholesale bakery.
• Energetic, practical, on the move, and capable of driving pace while maintaining meticulous attention to detail and kitchen harmony.
• Must hold Australian Citizenship or Permanent Residency.

Responsibilities

• Run the daily production schedule, oversee floor operations, manage finished product quality control, and maintain organised, dry stores, fridges and freezers.
• Lead, motivate, and up skill a team of 12; train new team members and foster a respectful, high-performing kitchen culture.
• Manage stock control, handle ordering via computer portals, continuously look for production operational efficiencies, and actively execute improvements.
• Step up and cover all bakery production operations in the absence of the Bakery Production Manager.
• Drive and complete the New Product Development (NPD) schedule for dynamic seasonal and client menu updates.
• Maintain tight food safety protocols and waste-reduction strategies to meet company growth and margin targets.

Skills

Team leadership

Kitchen operations

Waste management

New product development

Quality control

Job description

We are seeking an ambitious, practical, and highly organised Head Pastry Chef to lead daily production and work directly alongside our Bakery Production Manager as 2IC. In this hands-on leadership role, you will manage a team of 12 chefs, bakery assistants and kitchen hands, keeping the team motivated, inspired, and operating at pace to meet strict delivery deadlines. You will run the daily production floor, manage waste, maximise efficiencies to hit key performance indicators (KPIs), and take the lead on our New Product Development (NPD) schedule for menu updates.

Key responsibilities

Run the daily production schedule, oversee floor operations, manage finished product quality control, and maintain organised, dry stores, fridges and freezers.

Lead, motivate, and up skill a team of 12; train new team members and foster a respectful, high-performing kitchen culture.

Manage stock control, handle ordering via computer portals, continuously look for production operational efficiencies, and actively execute improvements.

Step up and cover all bakery production operations in the absence of the Bakery Production Manager.

Drive and complete the New Product Development (NPD) schedule for dynamic seasonal and client menu updates.

Maintain tight food safety protocols and waste-reduction strategies to meet company growth and margin targets.

About you

Minimum 5+ years of experience as a Senior or previous Head Chef role Cake Baker/Pastry Chef role in a high-volume commercial wholesale baking environment.

Energetic, practical, on the move, and capable of driving pace while maintaining meticulous attention to detail and kitchen harmony.

Must hold Australian Citizenship or Permanent Residency.

About us

Cremorne Street Bakers is a premium progressive wholesale cake and sweet baked goods company based in metro Melbourne. We supply cafes, foodservice providers, independent supermarkets, national FMCG accounts, and retail customers across Victoria including our own onsite store. We pride ourselves on having excellent facilities, top-tier equipment, a positive team attitude, and a genuine passion for what we do every day. To support our growth trajectory of 20% this year, we are currently doubling our bakery footprint into the adjacent premises—making this an exciting time to join our expanding business.

• Consistent daytime working hours (Tuesday to Saturday).
• A friendly, respectful, and professional baking team environment.
• Job stability in a rapidly expanding, successful company.
• Paid Birthday Day Off after 6 months of continuous service.
• Clear pathways for long-term career advancement and leadership growth.