Sous Chef

Exchange House Services Australia Pty Ltd; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is seeking a Kitchen Operations Lead to support daily catering and café services for staff and clients in Melbourne. You will oversee preparation, stock control, and service standards, while ensuring food safety, compliance, and a positive team environment.

The role requires a minimum 4 years in commercial kitchens, hospitality experience, and proficiency with MS Office and space-management systems. A curious mindset toward new technology is welcome.

Qualifications

• Certificate, Diploma or equivalent qualification in Hospitality (TAFE or similar).
• Minimum 4 years' experience in a commercial kitchen, catering or hospitality environment in a similar role.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise, support and provide direction to team members.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience using computerised catering, booking or space management systems (e.g. Manhattan Space Scheduling Software).
• Strong organisational, communication and customer service skills.
• Sound understanding of food safety, hygiene and workplace health and safety requirements.
• Is curious about new tech and open to learning, even better if you’re excited about AI!

Responsibilities

• Support the daily operation of the kitchen, delivering high-quality catering and café services for staff, clients and events.
• Prepare and present food to agreed quality, presentation and service standards.
• Assist with menu planning, food preparation and catering operations, ensuring variety, cost-effectiveness and dietary needs are met.
• Coordinate catering requests and kitchen workflows to ensure efficient service delivery.
• Manage stock, ordering and supplier relationships, maintaining inventory within budget.
• Support kitchen administration, including reporting, invoicing and staff records.
• Maintain a safe, clean and compliant kitchen environment in line with food safety and hygiene standards.
• Contribute to a positive team culture through collaboration, training and continuous improvement.

Skills

Supervise team

Customer service

Communication

Organisational skills

Education

Hospitality qualification (Certificate/ Diploma)

Tools

Manhattan Space Scheduling Software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world‑leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years. As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be. Our footprint is extensive and committed across the world’s largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs. At our best tackling complexity and navigating change, we work alongside you on demanding litigation, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private market transactions. We are recognised as leading in these areas. We are immersed in the sectors and challenges that impact you. We are recognised as standing apart in energy, infrastructure and resources. And we’re focused on areas of growth that affect every business across the world. All of this is achieved by supporting the growth of our people, who help us deliver on our ambition – which is to help you achieve yours.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Your goals. Our ambition The Opportunity

What you’ll do

• Support the daily operation of the kitchen, delivering high‑quality catering and café services for staff, clients and events.
• Prepare and present food to agreed quality, presentation and service standards.
• Assist with menu planning, food preparation and catering operations, ensuring variety, cost‑effectiveness and dietary needs are met.
• Coordinate catering requests and kitchen workflows to ensure efficient service delivery.
• Manage stock, ordering and supplier relationships, maintaining inventory within budget.
• Support kitchen administration, including reporting, invoicing and staff records.
• Maintain a safe, clean and compliant kitchen environment in line with food safety and hygiene standards.
• Contribute to a positive team culture through collaboration, training and continuous improvement.

What you’ll bring

• Certificate, Diploma or equivalent qualification in Hospitality (TAFE or similar).
• Minimum 4 years' experience in a commercial kitchen, catering or hospitality environment in a similar role.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise, support and provide direction to team members.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience using computerised catering, booking or space management systems (e.g. Manhattan Space Scheduling Software).
• Strong organisational, communication and customer service skills.
• Sound understanding of food safety, hygiene and workplace health and safety requirements.
• Is curious about new tech and open to learning, even better if you’re excited about AI!

What you can expect from us

We’re a world leading international law firm with a global team of over 6,000 professionals across 26 offices. As the market leader in Australia, we are committed to high performance, collaboration, diversity and digital innovation. We are client‑centred, commercially driven, and renowned for our solution‑focused expertise. We will align your growth with our ambitions. We make your personal and professional growth our business. And as part of the team, our ambition is yours too. Wherever you are in your career: grow and help the firm grow with you. We will provide opportunities to learn on the job as well as a mix of learning opportunities tailored to you. Daily experiences, supportive challenges, team collaboration, mentors, and structured learning opportunities help you to expand your knowledge and reach your goals. We value your wellbeing, both at home and work and we place a strong emphasis on mental health. If you need support, you’ll have it and we’ll empower you to harness your personal strengths, navigate uncertainty, embrace opportunities, and effectively manage things within your control. For more benefits on offer such as our holistic wellbeing fund or home office allowance please.

Join us to be part of a human, bold and outstanding team at Australia’s market leading law firm. We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.

Team Office Operations Working Pattern Full time Location Melbourne Contract type Permanent Contract Diversity & Inclusion We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding. At Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, we align your growth and ambition with ours. We invest in your personal and professional growth and support you to achieve your ambitions. And you share responsibility for playing a part in delivering the firm’s growth and ambition too. A leading global law firm, with over 6,000 people, we are in the world's largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs. We’re recognised leaders in demanding contentious matters, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private transactions. We’re immersed in the many challenges facing our clients. We’re invested and resourceful. We understand the part technology and digitalisation play in the delivery of legal services. We want to make a positive impact wherever in the world we operate. You’ll have the opportunity to engage with this with an open mind and curiosity. We are known for our diverse perspectives and renowned for our culture. Being human, bold and outstanding are more than our values: you’ll discover they are our lived experience. And by being ambitious for your growth and ours, we’ll achieve our goals together.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Your growth. Our ambition.