Lead Lebanese Chef — Full-Time, Menu Innovation

Salma restaurant; Sydney; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff meals

Friendly workplace

Menu development opportunities

Long-term career opportunities

Job summary

Salma Restaurant in Newtown, Sydney, is seeking an experienced Middle Eastern Chef for a full-time, permanent role. You will lead daily kitchen operations, preparing Lebanese and Middle Eastern dishes with high standards of flavour, presentation and portion control.

This 40-hour-per-week role requires rostered work from Wednesday to Sunday, including evenings, with immediate start and long-term commitment. Competitive salary from $80,000 to $90,000 plus staff meals and a supportive team.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional experience as a Chef specializing in Lebanese/Middle Eastern cuisine.
• Knowledge of traditional Middle Eastern ingredients, spices, recipes, and cooking methods.
• Experience preparing Arabic breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus.
• Ability to produce mezze, dips, grilled dishes and main courses.
• Hands-on experience with kibbeh, fatayer, sambousek and other pastries.
• Organise kitchen workflows and maintain high-quality meals during peak times.
• Experience supervising kitchen staff, coordinating rosters, and stock control.
• Understanding of portion control, food costing and kitchen efficiency.
• Strong communication, teamwork and organisational skills.
• Current legal working rights in Australia.

Responsibilities

• Preparing and presenting authentic Lebanese and Middle Eastern dishes using fresh ingredients.
• Producing mezze, dips, and signature main courses.
• Preparing Arabic pastries from scratch.
• Managing food preparation for all services (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
• Maintaining recipe consistency, presentation, flavour and portion sizes.
• Supporting menu development and introducing seasonal dishes.
• Coordinating kitchen operations and supervising during busy services.
• Organising staff duties, rosters and daily production schedules.
• Managing ingredients, stock, inventory and food costs.
• Ensuring compliance with Australian food safety and workplace standards.
• Minimising food waste while maintaining efficiency.

Skills

Middle Eastern cuisine

Kitchen operations

Food safety

Menu development

Team supervision

Food costing

Attention to detail

Communication

Independent work

Education

Culinary training or apprenticeship

Job description

Salma Restaurant in Newtown, Sydney, is seeking an experienced Middle Eastern Chef for a full-time, permanent role. You will lead daily kitchen operations, preparing Lebanese and Middle Eastern dishes with high standards of flavour, presentation and portion control.

This 40-hour-per-week role requires rostered work from Wednesday to Sunday, including evenings, with immediate start and long-term commitment. Competitive salary from $80,000 to $90,000 plus staff meals and a supportive team.