SOUS CHEF

Exchange Hotel; Town of Gawler; On-site; AUD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Exchange Hotel in Gawler is seeking a hands-on Sous Chef to lead Murray's BBQ & Bar, an established American BBQ and modern pub food venue.

This is not a quiet kitchen role. They want a leader who can take ownership, steady the team, drive consistency and help shape the next stage of their food business, with a focus on cost control, staff development and guest satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Sous chef experience in a busy pub or hotel kitchen.
• Proven leadership and team management ability.
• Strong understanding of food cost, labour, prep systems and kitchen profitability.
• Hands-on approach; not seeking a purely creative title.
• Experience with smoked meats or high-volume casual dining is advantageous.
• Excellent communication with front-of-house and management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and stabilise the kitchen team from day one.
• Maintain and improve consistency across menus, specials, and events.
• Build a kitchen culture centred on accountability and prep discipline.
• Collaborate with ownership on menu direction, GP, labour, and waste reduction.
• Provide calm leadership in a busy, outer-suburban hotel kitchen.

Skills

Sous chef experience

People leadership

Food cost understanding

Hands-on kitchen

Communication with front-of-house

Job description

The wonderful Exchange Hotel in Gawler is looking for a hands-on, commercially minded Sous chef to lead the kitchen at Murray's BBQ & Bar, an established American BBQ and modern pub food venue.

This is not a quiet kitchen role. They are looking for a leader who can take ownership, steady the team, drive consistency and help shape the next stage of their food business.

Murray's BBQ & Bar is known for smoked meats, pub classics, weekly specials, group bookings, functions and local hospitality. The right persons will enjoy leading a real pub kitchen with personality, pace and opportunity.

Key priorities for the Sous chef role:

• Lead and stabilise the kitchen team immediately.
• Maintain and improve consistency across Murray's BBQ & Bar, pub classics, specials, functions and events.
• Build a stronger kitchen culture around accountability, prep discipline, service standards and communication.
• Work with ownership on menu direction, food GP, labour control, ordering and waste reduction.
• Bring calm leadership to a busy outer-suburban hotel environment.

The ideal candidate would have:

• Sous chef experience in a busy pub, hotel, bistro or large-format hospitality venue.
• Strong people leadership skills.
• Commercial understanding of food cost, labour, prep systems and kitchen profitability.
• Ability to work in a practical, hands-on kitchen — not someone who only wants a "creative chef" title.
• Experience with smoked meats, grill, pub food, functions or high-volume casual dining would be highly regarded.
• Strong communication with front-of-house and management.
• No sponsorship available sorry.

For more information www.exchangehotelgawler.com.au