Kitchen Manager

Coco Ichibanya; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

CoCo ICHIBANYA Australia is seeking a hands-on Kitchen Manager to oversee daily BOH operations, ensure SOPs and brand standards are followed, and participate in food preparation alongside the team.

The role requires Australian citizenship or permanent residency with unrestricted working rights, a recognised culinary qualification, and at least 3 years in Australian kitchens; strong leadership and food safety knowledge are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience in Australian commercial kitchens.
• Senior chef, Sous Chef, Chef de Partie or equivalent leadership role.
• Supervise, train and coordinate kitchen staff.
• Ability to implement and enforce SOPs and brand standards.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage daily kitchen operations for smooth service.
• Enforce SOPs, procedures and CoCo ICHIBANYA brand standards.
• Ensure food preparation, recipes, portions and presentation follow specifications.
• Maintain consistent quality, flavour, temperature and presentation.
• Participate in food preparation, cooking, plating and service.
• Ensure compliance with Australian and Victorian food safety regulations.
• Supervise, train and coordinate BOH staff.
• Monitor ingredient usage, stock levels and inventory requirements.
• Manage kitchen workflow during high-volume service periods.
• Collaborate with Shop Manager for smooth daily operations.

Skills

Leadership

Food safety

Cooking

Inventory management

Team supervision

Time management

Education

Commercial cookery qualification

Trade apprenticeship

Job description

Eligibility Requirement: Applicants must be Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents with full, unrestricted working rights in Australia.

About the role

The Kitchen Manager is responsible for the overall management, performance and daily operations of the kitchen at CoCo ICHIBANYA Australia, with primary responsibility for all Back of House (BOH) activities. The primary responsibility of this position is to ensure the consistent implementation, execution and enforcement of CoCo ICHIBANYA Japan's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), recipes, food preparation methods, quality standards and kitchen operational requirements. This is a hands‑on kitchen management position, not solely a supervisory or administrative role. The Kitchen Manager / Sous Chef is expected to actively participate in daily food preparation, cooking, plating, cleaning and service operations alongside the kitchen team whenever reasonably required.

Key responsibilities

Oversee and manage daily kitchen operations, ensuring smooth and efficient service throughout operating hours

Implement, maintain and strictly enforce all CoCo ICHIBANYA Japan SOPs, kitchen procedures and brand standards

Ensure all food preparation, cooking methods, recipes, portion sizes and presentation follow approved CoCo ICHIBANYA specifications

Maintain consistent food quality, flavour, temperature and presentation across every service

Actively participate in food preparation, cooking, plating and service during daily operations

Ensure kitchen operations comply with applicable Australian and Victorian food safety legislation, hygiene requirements and workplace health and safety obligations

Supervise, train, guide and coordinate all BOH employees during daily operations

Monitor ingredient usage, kitchen stock levels and inventory requirements

Manage kitchen workflow to ensure efficient food production during high-volume service periods

Work closely with the Shop Manager to ensure smooth daily restaurant operations

About you

Australian citizenship or Australian permanent residency with unrestricted working rights

Relevant commercial cookery qualification, completed apprenticeship, recognised trade assessment or equivalent appropriate culinary training

Minimum 3 years of relevant experience working in Australian commercial kitchens

Demonstrated experience in a senior chef, Sous Chef, Chef de Partie, Kitchen Supervisor or equivalent kitchen leadership position

Strong understanding of Australian commercial kitchen operations, food safety regulations and workplace health and safety requirements

Demonstrated ability to supervise, train and coordinate kitchen employees

Proven experience in food preparation, cooking, inventory management, stock control and food cost management

Ability to implement and consistently enforce standardised recipes, operating procedures and quality assurance systems

Strong organisational, communication, problem-solving and time management skills

Ability to work independently and remain effective under pressure