Sous Chef

Optura; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sponsorship possible

Career progression to Head Chef

Job summary

Third Wave BBQ in Melbourne is seeking an experienced Sous Chef to help run the Albert Park flagship kitchen (also Moorabbin). You'll support the Head Chef, maintain high standards, and mentor the team.

This hands-on role offers career progression to Head Chef, exposure to bold, creative specials, input into menu development, and the chance to work directly with the owners. Sponsorship is possible for the right candidate already living in Melbourne, with roles at both sites.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Sous Chef or senior kitchen leader.
• Strong leadership and communication to train a team.
• Solid understanding of food costs and stock control.
• Ability to maintain quality, speed, and presentation.
• Willingness to work nights and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Support running the Albert Park kitchen and mentor junior chefs.
• Maintain food quality, consistency, speed, and presentation.
• Manage food costs, wastage, and stock levels.
• Keep food safety, hygiene and compliance up to scratch.
• Lead by example and foster a positive team culture.

Skills

Sous Chef experience

High-volume kitchens

Leadership

Food cost control

Team mentorship

Calm under pressure

Hands-on

Job description

We're after an experienced, passionate, hands-on Sous Chef to help run our Albert Park flagship kitchen (also a position available in Moorabbin). Career progression to Head Chef.

Third Wave BBQ is one of Melbourne's best-known BBQ and burger joints — slow-smoked meats, bold flavours, huge portions, wild specials, and the kind of over-the-top food creations that get people talking. This isn't a quiet, boring kitchen. We want someone who can help support the Head Chef in leading a strong team, keep standards high, and help us keep pushing the brand forward.

The role

Hands-on Sous Chef role. You'll support the running of the Albert Park kitchen and make sure food quality, consistency, speed and presentation stay at a high level. You'll work closely with the Head Chef and management team to assist with the upkeep of quality and operational standards, help mentor and drive the CDP’s and captain the kitchen in the absence of the Head Chef.

Day to day, that means:

• - Following standards and service protocols to the letter and ensuring the team do the same
• - Supporting service, prep, ordering and kitchen organisation
• - Holding the line on food quality, consistency and presentation
• - Assist with controlling food costs, wastage and stock levels
• - Keeping food safety, hygiene and compliance up to scratch
• - Maintaining a clean, professional, well-organised kitchen
• - Working with management on systems, speed of service and kitchen performance
• - Helping build a positive team culture and leading by example - happy to jump in wherever

needed

Salary: $85k-$100k + super, negotiable for the right person. Full-time, including nights and weekends.

Why join Third Wave BBQ

• - Lead one of Melbourne's best-known BBQ kitchens - a venue people already know and seek out, not a start- from-zero site.
• - Real input into the menu. You're not just executing someone else's food. You'll have genuine say in new dishes and a big hand in the bold, creative, viral specials we're known for.
• - Work directly with the owners and management - no corporate layers, decisions actually get made.
• - Training across the Third Wave group, so you properly learn the smoke craft rather than guessing it.
• - Flexibility on shifts. We get that there's a life outside the kitchen.
• - Sponsorship is possible for the right candidate already living in Melbourne.
• - Roles available in Albert Park and Moorabbin

Career growth - this is the big one

Third Wave BBQ is growing fast, with plans to expand to 30-50 venues over the next 3 years. For the right person, this role is a launchpad, not a ceiling. As we scale, there are genuine pathways into:

• - Senior kitchen leadership across the group
• - Menu development - leading dish creation across multiple venues, not just one
• - Training - building and mentoring brigades as we open new sites
• - Multi-venue operational roles - overseeing kitchens across the network

We promote from within. The Head Chef who helps us get from where we are now to 30-50 venues is the obvious person to help run things when we get there.

What we're looking for

• - Previous experience as a Sous Chef or senior kitchen leader.
• - Strong background in busy, high-volume kitchens.
• - Solid leadership and communication - you can train and motivate a team, not just give orders.
• - Strong understanding of food costs, stock control and kitchen systems.
• - Calm, organised and reliable under pressure - service gets big and you don't lose your head.
• - A genuine passion for bold food, BBQ, burgers and creative menu development.
• - A hands-on attitude - happy to jump on the line, prep, wash up, whatever the shift needs.
• - Full-time availability, including nights and weekends.
• - BBQ, smoker or American-style cooking experience is a big advantage - but not essential if you're a strong chef and genuinely keen to learn.

Your say on the menu

You’ll have real input into new dishes and a big hand in the crazy, over-the-top creations Third Wave is known for off-the-wall specials, the headline drops, the thing people queue for. If you’ve got ideas, this is the place to use them.

On camera - totally optional

We make a lot of food content for Facebook and Instagram, and it's a big part of the brand. Being in front of the camera is not compulsory and not a requirement of the role - it won't come up in hiring. That said, it’d be a greatextra if you’re comfortable occasionally appearing in food videos, helping present new dishes, or being part of behind-the-scenes kitchen content. Plenty of our best chefs stay behind the pass and that's completely fine with us.

Only mention it if it's something you'd actually want to do.

Location

Albert Park and Moorabbin (roles for 2 people)