Victoria Executive Chef - Lead 80+ Venues & Food Strategy

ALH Hotels; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Exclusive staff discounts on ALH pubs

Health and wellbeing services

Learning and development opportunities

Additional group benefits with Endeva​

Job summary

ALH Hotels is seeking an Executive Chef to lead food strategy and culinary excellence across Victoria’s 80+ venues. You’ll shape menus, ensure financial and safety targets, and mentor venue Head Chefs to deliver outstanding food experiences.

You will drive food innovation, manage apprentices, and partner with operations to optimise peak trading days while maintaining high allergen accuracy and seasonal menu relevance.

Qualifications

• Trade cooking qualifications and significant experience as a chef.
• Multi-site experience across pubs, restaurants, functions.
• Certification in commercial food safety and HACCP principles.
• Cert IV Workplace training and assessment (or equivalent trainer accreditation).
• Knowledge of cooking practices, trends and presentation methods.
• Knowledge of safe, hygienic working practices and ability to instruct others.
• Intermediate computer skills.
• Strong business acumen and demonstrated ability to achieve business development targets.
• Technical food development experience.
• Leadership and team management skills.
• Current driver licence and ability to travel across Victoria as required.

Responsibilities

• Define venues food offer relevant to market and ALH standards.
• Ensure all business metrics are met including financial, safety, customer and team.
• Work with the Operations Team to target and prioritise opportunities for the business.
• Business case recommendations for kitchen equipment changes.
• Support the Operations team in identifying and assisting in the succession planning for future leaders.
• Strategic management of Apprentices and School Based Trainee programs.
• Weekly auditing and continuous improvement in Food Safety processes at venue level as well as ongoing support and training in relevant food safety system.
• Work with venue teams in ensuring hygiene standards are met in terms of back of house operations, using safe food handling and storage practises and set cleaning schedules and procedures.
• Ensuring adherence to the food safety program/HACCP requirements.
• Active involvement with Venue and Operations teams on all seasonal menus changes to ensure they are market driven, competitively priced and sufficiently diverse within the portfolio.
• Work with the Operations Team to develop peak trading day menu.
• Develop and implement, in conjunction with the Operations team, a state based calendar of food activities (footy specials, etc) with menu suggestions.
• Verify accuracy in allergen mapping and dietary balance of menus.

Skills

Chef experience

Multi-site experience

Food safety certification

HACCP principles

Cert IV training

Cooking techniques

Food trends

Food presentation

Basic IT skills

Business acumen

Food development

Leadership

Driver licence

Education

Cert IV Workplace training and assessment

Trade cooking qualifications

Job description

ALH Hotels is seeking an Executive Chef to lead food strategy and culinary excellence across Victoria’s 80+ venues. You’ll shape menus, ensure financial and safety targets, and mentor venue Head Chefs to deliver outstanding food experiences.

You will drive food innovation, manage apprentices, and partner with operations to optimise peak trading days while maintaining high allergen accuracy and seasonal menu relevance.