Catering Services Head Chef

Auckland Council; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Auckland Council is seeking an accomplished Head Chef to lead our Catering Services culinary operations across Tāmaki Makaurau. Reporting to the Head of Catering Operations, you will oversee 12-15 chefs, drive menu development, ensure consistent food quality, and manage food safety, cost control and multi-site delivery.

You will mentor your team, optimise centralised production, contribute to business planning and deliver commercially sustainable dining experiences for workplaces, meetings and

Qualifications

• Level 3 and Level 4 cookery qualifications.
• Three to five years' experience in a comparable role.
• At least five years in a senior commercial kitchen position.
• Proven experience leading and coaching a professional kitchen team.
• Developing innovative, healthy and commercially viable menus.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, direction and professional development for the chef team.
• Lead menu planning and development, balancing creativity, nutrition, customer expectations and commercial viability.
• Maintain consistent food quality and presentation across café and function catering operations.
• Oversee food safety programmes, kitchen hygiene and health and safety compliance across all locations.
• Manage food costs, labour budgets, inventory, supplier relationships and waste reduction initiatives.
• Coordinate centralised production processes to support efficient service across multiple sites.
• Contribute to business planning and operational improvements as part of the leadership team.

Skills

Leadership

Menu development

Food safety

Budgeting

Staff development

Education

Cookery qualifications Level 3/4

Job description

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Auckland Council is seeking an accomplished Head Chef to lead our Catering Services culinary operations across Tāmaki Makaurau.

Reporting to the Head of Catering Operations(Manager of Catering Services), you will lead a team of 12-15 chefs responsible for delivering quality café, corporate and function catering services (corporate functions and catering services). As part of the Catering Services leadership (lead) team, you will oversee menu development, food production, operational performance, and compliance across multiple sites.

This role offers the opportunity to influence the strategic direction of our culinary offering, champion innovation and develop a capable, engaged team while ensuring commercially sustainable outcomes.

• Provide leadership, direction and professional development for the chef team, building a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Lead menu planning and development, balancing creativity, nutritional value, customer expectations and commercial viability.
• Maintain consistent food quality and presentation across café and function catering operations.
• Oversee food safety programmes, kitchen hygiene and health and safety compliance across all catering locations.
• Manage food costs, labour budgets, inventory, supplier relationships and waste reduction initiatives.
• Optimise centralised production processes to support efficient, consistent service delivery across multiple sites.
• Contribute to business planning and operational improvements as part of the Catering Services leadership team.
• Coordinate food preparation and catering support during emergency responses, including arranging staff and resources at short notice. -ADD

You are an established culinary leader with sound commercial judgement, strong operational expertise and a proven ability to develop successful teams. You bring a considered approach to menu innovation, service delivery and financial performance.

To be successful, you will have:

• Level 3 and Level 4 cookery qualifications, with three to five years' experience in a comparable role and at least five years in a senior commercial kitchen position.
• Demonstrated experience leading, coaching and managing the performance of a professional kitchen team.
• Proven capability in developing innovative, healthy and commercially viable menus, with a strong focus on food quality and consistency across café and function catering.
• Comprehensive knowledge of New Zealand food safety and health and safety legislation, including experience managing food safety programmes.
• Strong financial and operational management skills, including labour planning, stock control, supplier management and centralised production across multiple locations.

A full New Zealand driver's licence is required. Experience implementing an MPI approved Food Safety Programme would be advantageous.

Auckland Council offers the opportunity to contribute to a diverse catering operation supporting our workplaces, people and events across the region.

You will join an established leadership team with the scope to influence culinary standards, strengthen operational performance and develop the capability of your team.

We offer a supportive working environment, professional development opportunities and a range of employee benefits as part of one of New Zealand's largest local government organisations.