Sous Chef - Rydges Canberra

Rydges Hotels & Resorts; South Canberra; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dining and stays discount across EVT

Seasonal perks at Thredbo

Rapid career growth across our hotel/e

Paid parental leave; volunteering

Job summary

Rydges Hotels & Resorts in Canberra is seeking a senior culinary leader to oversee operations in a busy hotel kitchen. You will drive quality, leadership and cost-control across all sections, while upholding WHS standards.

Join EVT's extensive hotel and entertainment network and enjoy career growth, competitive pay, and dining benefits across EVT properties, including Rydges and QT venues.

Qualifications

• Senior culinary experience in a high-volume hotel or hospitality environment.
• Strong knowledge of modern culinary techniques and menu planning.
• Solid understanding of food safety, hygiene and WH&S requirements.
• Proven ability to manage kitchen budgets and minimise waste.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Supervise daily kitchen operations across all sections.
• Approve and monitor food leaving the kitchen to ensure quality and presentation.
• Monitor storage, stock rotation and par levels to minimise waste and cost.
• Ensure compliance with hygiene, safety and WHS standards.
• Lead, train, and develop kitchen staff to maximise productivity and morale.
• Maintain standard recipes and portion controls.

Skills

Senior culinary experience

High-volume hotel

Menu planning

Food safety WHS

Team leadership

Education

Diploma in Commercial Cookery

Job description

Proudly owned and operated in Australia and New Zealand, Rydges offers refreshingly local stays in city, regional and resort-style hotels. We’re not just in the neighbourhood, we’re part of it. Every hotel is designed for ease, connection and quality. From check-in to check-out, our local heroes bring a can-do attitude and “too easy” service. Whether it’s for work or a well‑earned break, our place feels like home with the charm of somewhere new. Join us to help make every moment memorable.

EVT has an endless range of roles and career paths to explore across over 140 entertainment experiences like Event Cinemas and Moonlight Cinemas, 150 award winning restaurants and bars, and 80+ hotels, including QT, Rydges, Atura, LyLo, Independent Collection and Australia’s most loved year round alpine resort, Thredbo. Our ventures include a ~$2.3B property portfolio and hotel management, just to name a few. Once you’re in, there are no limits on where your career could take you.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise daily kitchen operations, ensuring readiness for service across all sections
• Approve and monitor all food leaving the kitchen to meet quality and presentation standards
• Monitor food storage, stock rotation and par levels to minimise waste and achieve food cost targets
• Ensure compliance with hygiene, safety and workplace health and safety (WH&S) standards at all times
• Lead, train and develop chefs, kitchen hands and stewards to maximise team productivity and morale
• Maintain and enforce standard recipes, production methods and portion controls

What You’ll Bring

• Proven experience in a senior culinary role within a high-volume hotel or hospitality environment
• Extensive knowledge of food preparation techniques, menu planning and current culinary trends
• A solid understanding of food safety, hygiene regulations and WH&S requirements
• Demonstrated ability to manage kitchen budgets, control costs and minimise wastage
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for working with internal teams and guests
• Flexibility to work varied shifts, including evenings, weekends and public holidays
• A certificate or diploma in Commercial Cookery (or equivalent qualification) is highly desirable

How You Work

• Hands-on and non-hierarchical: leads from the front.
• Resilient and solutions‑focused: stays calm, moves fast.
• Growth mindset: learns, shares, and levels up others.

Perks from Day One

As part of EVT, you unlock Elevate Perks from your first day. Parity for all levels, no ivory towers.

• 50% off dining and stays across EVT hotels, including QT, Rydges, Atura, LyLo and more.
• Seasonal perks at Thredbo.
• Rapid career growth across our hotel and entertainment network.
• Paid parental leave; community and volunteering opportunities.

Join and make a positive impact on our people, communities, and environment every day.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and review applications as they come in, so don’t wait! We can’t wait to see the places your career will go with EVT.