Head Chef, Cafe & Catering

Melba Group; Auckland; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

SERGEANT GROUP in Auckland CBD is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead the kitchen across café and corporate catering. This role blends creativity, leadership and technical execution in a dynamic hospitality setting.

You’ll manage cabinet and café offerings, plan menus, cost control, and train staff to ensure high standards for canapés, buffets and seated meals. Daytime hours, Monday–Friday with occasional evenings.

Qualifications

• Strong technical skills in contemporary and classical cooking.
• Ability to consistently deliver cabinet food, café dishes and corporate catering.
• Strong baking skills and pride in producing food from scratch.
• Confident catering for canapés, buffets, functions and seated meals.
• Ability to lead, teach, train and develop a kitchen team.
• Excellent organisation, communication and time-management skills.
• Understands food cost, ordering, stock management, labour and kitchen budgets.
• Meticulous about recipes, consistency, presentation and food quality.
• Remains calm and adaptable during busy services and last-minute catering requirements.

Responsibilities

• Own the whole kitchen operation and day-to-day performance of the kitchen.
• Lead and develop the kitchen team.
• Maintain consistently high food and presentation standards.
• Manage café, cabinet and catering production.
• Plan and execute corporate catering and functions.
• Ordering, stock control and food-cost management.
• Maintain food safety and kitchen compliance.
• Ensure equipment and kitchen environments are clean, organised and well maintained.
• Create a positive, professional and high-performing kitchen culture.

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Auckland CBD | Full Time | Predominantly Days only, Monday–Friday

SERGEANT GROUP is looking for an experienced Café & Catering Head Chef to lead the kitchen of one of our contemporary Auckland CBD cafés.

This is much more than a standard café kitchen, this role offers creativity, leadership & technical execution.

Our food offering includes outstanding made-in-house cabinet food, a curated seasonal café menu and a substantial corporate catering programme. We also cater for functions and events, including canapés, buffets and seated three-course meals.

The role is predominantly Monday to Friday and daytime hours, with some flexibility required for occasional evening functions and events.

Take a look at our food and hospitality style at sergeant.nz. If this feels like the kind of kitchen you would like to lead, we’d love to hear from you.

About you

Strong technical skills and an excellent knowledge of both contemporary and classical cooking

Can consistently deliver exceptional cabinet food, café dishes and corporate catering

Has strong baking skills and takes pride in producing food from scratch

Is confident catering for canapés, buffets, functions and seated meals

Can lead, teach, train and develop a kitchen team

Has excellent organisation, communication and time-management skills

Understands food cost, ordering, stock management, labour and kitchen budgets

Is meticulous about recipes, consistency, presentation and food quality

Remains calm and adaptable when dealing with busy services and last-minute catering requirements

As Head Chef, you’ll take ownership of whole kitchen operation, the day-to-day performance of the kitchen, including:

Leading and developing the kitchen team

Maintaining consistently high food and presentation standards

Managing café, cabinet and catering production

Planning and executing corporate catering and functions

Ordering, stock control and food-cost management

Maintaining food safety and kitchen compliance

Ensuring equipment and kitchen environments are clean, organised and well maintained

Creating a positive, professional and high-performing kitchen culture

SERGEANT GROUP has been part of Auckland hospitality for more than 30 years.

We’re looking for someone who wants more than their next chef job. This is an opportunity to take ownership of a busy kitchen, work across café and catering, develop a team and continue building your career within an established hospitality group.

If you’re an experienced Head Chef ready for your next challenge, we’d love to hear from you.