Executive Chef

Novotel Hotels; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Accor Academy access

Discounted F&B

Worldwide accommodations discount

Dry cleaning of uniform

Diversity & inclusion culture

Parental leave

Employee assistance program

Job summary

Novotel Auckland Ellerslie is seeking an experienced Executive Chef to lead our culinary operation across Acacia Restaurant & Garden Bar, conferences and events. You will provide strong leadership, coaching and develop a high-performing kitchen team to deliver exceptional guest experiences across dining and functions.

This hands-on role requires strong commercial acumen, food safety expertise, and the ability to drive menu innovation while controlling costs.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as an Executive Chef in hotel, conference & events or high-volume hospitality.
• Strong ability to coach, mentor, and develop high-performing teams.
• Experience fostering a positive, accountable, collaborative team culture.
• Commercial acumen: food cost control, labour, budgeting & forecasting.
• Proven ability to manage diverse culinary operations (restaurant, conferencing, events, banqueting).
• Sound knowledge of Food Safety, HACCP & Health & Safety requirements.
• Excellent organisational, communication & stakeholder management skills.
• Hands-on, solutions-focused approach with passion for guest experiences.
• Flexibility to work a 7-day roster including evenings & weekends.

Responsibilities

• Provide strong leadership to the kitchen team, fostering accountability, collaboration, continuous learning and professional development.
• Lead, coach and develop team members to build capability, performance and engagement.
• Oversee culinary operations across restaurant, conferencing, events and room service, ensuring quality and guest satisfaction.
• Drive menu development and culinary innovation while balancing commercial performance and operational efficiency.
• Manage food and labour costs, inventory, purchasing and waste control to achieve financial targets.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, HACCP, and Health & Safety requirements.
• Partner with Food & Beverage, Conference & Events, and hotel leadership to deliver exceptional guest experiences.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities across people, processes and service delivery.

Skills

Executive leadership

Menu development

Culinary operations

People development

Budgeting

Food safety

Job description

Company Description

At Novotel & ibis Auckland Ellerslie, food is at the heart of the guest experience. From restaurant dining and room service to conferences, meetings and corporate events, our culinary team plays a vital role in delivering memorable experiences for every guest.

We are seeking an experienced Executive Chef to lead the culinary operation across our 247-room dual-branded hotel complex. Reporting to the General Manager, you will provide strong leadership across all kitchen operations, building team capability, fostering a positive culture, and delivering consistently high standards across Acacia Restaurant & Garden Bar, conferencing and events.

This is an opportunity for a hands‑on leader to make a lasting impact. You will bring structure, coaching, and a passion for developing people, while driving continuous improvement and delivering exceptional food experiences that reflect the quality, hospitality, and values of the Novotel and ibis brands.

Job Description

• Provide strong leadership to the kitchen team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and professional development.
• Lead, coach, and develop team members to build capability, performance, and engagement.
• Oversee culinary operations across Acacia Restaurant & Garden Bar, conferencing, events, and room service, ensuring quality, consistency, and guest satisfaction.
• Drive menu development and culinary innovation while balancing commercial performance and operational efficiency.
• Manage food and labour costs, inventory, purchasing, and waste control to achieve financial targets.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, hygiene, HACCP, and Health & Safety requirements.
• Partner closely with Food & Beverage, Conference & Events, and hotel leadership teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities across people, processes, and service delivery.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as an Executive Chef, or senior culinary leader within a hotel, conference and events, or high-volume hospitality environment.
• A strong people leader with a demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and develop high-performing teams.
• Experience fostering a positive, accountable, and collaborative team culture.
• Strong commercial acumen, including food cost control, labour management, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Proven ability to manage diverse culinary operations, including restaurant dining, conferencing, events, and banqueting.
• Sound knowledge of Food Safety, HACCP, and Health & Safety requirements.
• Exceptional organisational, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• A hands‑on, solutions-focused approach with a passion for delivering memorable guest experiences.
• Flexibility to work across a rotating 7‑day roster, including evenings, weekends, and public holidays.

Additional Information

Accor isn't just about developing your career; it's also about helping you enjoy it too. We believe in rewarding your achievements with a range of exciting employee benefits and programs.

Just To Name a Few

• Learn your Way & Typsy - Access to our Accor Academy so you can Earn while you Learn!
• Incredible Accor Heartist Benefits - including discounted Food & Beverage + Accommodation Worldwide
• Dry Cleaning of Uniform
• Diverse and inclusive work culture
• Accor's Parental Leave Scheme
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program