Chef / Cook - FRDC, Palmerston North

Cater Plus Services NZ Ltd; Palmerston North; Hybrid; NZD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Cater Plus is seeking an experienced and reliable Chef/Cook to join our close-knit team at the Fonterra Research and Development Centre in Palmerston North. You will prepare and present high-quality café-style meals and cabinet food for up to 300 customers daily, with a 5:00am to 1:30pm, Monday to Friday schedule and weekends/public holidays off.

Working in a small team, you will focus on food safety and cleanliness while delivering consistent presentation and taste.

Qualifications

• Experience preparing and cooking food in large quantities.
• Strong baking skills and experience producing fresh baked goods.
• Ability to prepare and maintain an attractive café-style food cabinet.
• Pride in food presentation and quality.
• Organised and able to work efficiently in a busy kitchen.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene, and cleanliness.
• Reliable, self-motivated, and able to work well within a small team.
• Remain calm under pressure while consistently delivering quality food.
• Excellent communication and time management skills.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook a wide range of café-style meals and cabinet food.
• Ensure food is prepared and presented to a consistently high standard.
• Support stock control and minimise food waste.
• Maintain a clean, organised, and compliant kitchen environment.
• Contribute positively to a team-focused workplace culture.

Skills

Large-volume cooking

Baking skills

Food presentation

Food safety

Time management

Teamwork

Calm under pressure

Communication

Tools

Kitchen equipment handling

Job description

40 hours per week | Monday to Friday | 5:00am - 1:30pm

Love creating great food and enjoy having your weekends and public holidays free?

Cater Plus is seeking an experienced and reliable Chef/Cook to join our close-knit team at the Fonterra Research and Development Centre in Palmerston North. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys preparing quality food in a fast-paced commercial kitchen environment while maintaining a great work/life balance.

Working as part of a small team, you will be responsible for preparing and presenting a variety of fresh, high-quality food for up to 300 customers each day. The site is closed on weekends and public holidays, allowing you the benefit of regular family-friendly hours.

The role offers public holidays off as the site is closed and a supportive team environment and excellent work/life balance.

To be successful in this role, you will:

• Have experience preparing and cooking food in large quantities
• Have strong baking skills and experience producing fresh baked goods
• Be confident preparing and maintaining an attractive café-style food cabinet
• Take pride in food presentation and quality
• Be organised and able to work efficiently in a busy kitchen environment
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene, and cleanliness
• Be reliable, self-motivated, and able to work well within a small team
• Remain calm under pressure while consistently delivering quality food
• Possess excellent communication and time management skills

We are looking for someone who can:

• Prepare and cook a wide range of café-style meals and cabinet food
• Ensure food is prepared and presented to a consistently high standard
• Support stock control and minimising food waste
• Maintain a clean, organised, and compliant kitchen environment
• Contribute positively to a team-focused workplace culture

Who we are:

Cater Plus is one of New Zealand's leading catering companies with over 780 team members nationwide. We're known for great food, great service, and creating workplaces where people feel supported, valued, and proud of what they do.

You must be legally entitled to work in New Zealand (NZ citizen, resident, or valid work visa). Please include your current visa status and expiry date (if applicable) with your application.