Indian Chef

Sweta Pty Ltd; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 90,000; Part time

Job summary

Lala's Kitchen Indian Restaurant in Melbourne is seeking an experienced Indian Culinary Chef for either part-time or full-time roles. The candidate will lead kitchen operations, train staff, and work with the owner to design, trial and refine authentic Indian and Indo-Chinese menus.

The ideal applicant has 3–5 years in a commercial kitchen, holds relevant cookery qualifications, and maintains high hygiene standards. This is a hands-on leadership role in a busy restaurant.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years' experience in a commercial kitchen as a chef.
• Certificate III/IV in Commercial Cookery or equivalent.
• Maintain high standards of food hygiene and safety.
• Take initiative and manage kitchen operations independently.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook a diverse range of Indian dishes to recipes and quality standards.
• Operate a traditional Indian tandoor and prepare tandoori meats, kebabs, naan and roti.
• Prepare curries, gravies, biryani, pulao and other regional dishes.
• Lead kitchen operations and ensure smooth workflow during service.
• Train, supervise, and support junior kitchen staff.
• Collaborate with owner to design, trial and refine menu items.

Skills

Culinary skills

Tandoor cooking

Indo-Chinese cuisine

Kitchen leadership

Train staff

Education

Certificate III/IV in Commercial Cookery

Diploma in Hospitality Management

Tools

Tandoor oven

Commercial kitchen equipment

Job description

Lala's Kitchen Indian Restaurant is seeking an experienced Part Time or Full-time Indian Culinary Chef with strong hands-on experience in authentic Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisine to join our busy restaurants. The successful candidate will have practical experience across traditional Indian cooking techniques, including tandoor cooking, curries and gravies, specialty rice dishes, Indian snacks, street food and popular Indo-Chinese dishes, while maintaining consistent standards of taste, presentation, hygiene and food safety. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled chef who is passionate about authentic Indian cuisine and ready to take responsibility for leading kitchen operations. You will work closely with the owner to design, trial, and refine menu items, manage daily kitchen operations, and train and mentor kitchen staff to ensure a smooth and efficient service.

Key responsibilities

• Prepare and cook a diverse range of traditional and contemporary Indian dishes to established recipes and quality standards.
• Operate a traditional Indian tandoor and prepare tandoori meats, tikka, kebabs, naan, roti and other tandoor specialties.
• Prepare a broad range of traditional Indian curries and gravies, including vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.
• Prepare specialty rice dishes, including biryani, pulao and other regional rice preparations.
• Prepare a variety of Indian snacks, appetisers and street-food items, including appropriate chutneys, sauces and accompaniments.
• Prepare popular Indo-Chinese dishes, including noodles, fried rice, Manchurian-style dishes, chilli dishes and other wok-based vegetarian and non-vegetarian menu items.
• Prepare sauces, marinades, curry bases, gravies and spice combinations required for daily kitchen operations.
• Maintain consistency in taste, quality, portion size and presentation across all menu categories.
• Lead kitchen operations and ensure smooth workflow during service.
• Train, supervise, and support junior kitchen staff.

About you

• Certificate III and IV in Commercial Cookery, Diploma of Hospitality Management or equivalent.
• 3-5 years' experience in a commercial kitchen as a chef.
• Maintain the highest standards of food hygiene and safety.
• Take initiative and make independent decisions to handle kitchen operations effectively.

About us

Lala's Kitchen Indian Restaurant is a busy restaurant committed to maintaining high standards of food quality and service.