Head Chef - Kristin School

Compass Group New Zealand; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free uniforms

On-site parking

Subsidised accommodation

Health insurance discounts

Job summary

Compass Group New Zealand seeks a Head Chef for Kristin School to lead all kitchen operations, delivering high-quality food and catering aligned with client standards. You will oversee menu planning, food production, team leadership, stock management, and compliance, ensuring a memorable dining experience for students, staff, and visitors.

You will recruit and coach a high-performing kitchen team, drive menu development, and manage costs while upholding safety and quality across site operations.

Qualifications

• NZQA Level 4 Cookery Certificate (or equivalent) with a minimum of four years of proven culinary experience.
• Proven leadership and mentoring of kitchen teams.
• Strong menu costing, stock control, and budget management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage kitchen operations ensuring high-quality food and service delivery.
• Develop, cost, and manage menus addressing dietary, nutritional, and cultural requirements.
• Recruit, coach and develop kitchen team members fostering a high-performing culture.
• Manage stock control, purchasing, cost management, and supplier relationships.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, health & safety, hygiene, and operational standards.

Skills

Leadership

Menu development

Team coaching

Stock management

Compliance

Communication

Customer-focused

Education

NZQA Level 4 Cookery Certificate

Job description

Lead a premium school kitchen. Inspire your team. Create exceptional dining experiences every day.

• Lead a flagship education catering operation – make a meaningful impact within one of Auckland's leading schools.
• Showcase your culinary creativity – drive menu development, innovation, and exceptional food experiences.
• Grow your leadership career – lead a high-performing team within New Zealand's largest food and support services provider.

As Head Chef at Kristin School, you will lead all kitchen operations, ensuring the delivery of high-quality food and catering services in line with Compass Group and client standards. You'll oversee menu planning, food production, team leadership, stock management, and compliance, while creating an outstanding dining experience for students, staff, and visitors.

• Lead and manage kitchen operations, ensuring high-quality food preparation, presentation, and service delivery.
• Develop, cost, and manage menus while catering for dietary, nutritional, and cultural requirements.
• Recruit, coach, mentor, and develop kitchen team members, fostering a positive and high-performing culture.
• Manage stock control, purchasing, food storage, supplier relationships, and cost management.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, health & safety, hygiene, and operational standards at all times.
• NZQA Level 4 Cookery Certificate (or equivalent trade qualification) with a minimum of four years' proven culinary experience.
• Proven experience leading and mentoring kitchen teams while driving performance and engagement.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience in menu costing, stock control, and operating within budget constraints.
• Excellent communication skills with a flexible, professional, and customer-focused approach.
• Passionate about food quality, service excellence, continuous improvement, and creating memorable dining experiences.
• Comprehensive Training & Development: Access to online learning programs, apprenticeships, and NZQA qualifications to support your career growth.
• Formal Career Paths: We offer formal career paths to help you achieve your professional goals.
• Rewards & Recognition: Celebrate your achievements with our Star Awards, Service Awards, and annual performance bonuses.
• Health & Safety Focus: A commitment to providing a safe and healthy work environment, prioritizing the well-being of employees and customers.
• Corporate & Retail Discounts: Enjoy exclusive discounts on health insurance, gym memberships, optometry services, and more.
• Site-Specific Benefits: Depending on the site, tailored perks such as free uniforms, on-site parking, subsidized accommodation, and access to amenities like gyms and pools are available.

Please visit our Benefits page for a comprehensive list of our benefits.

• We are New Zealand's leading and largest food and support services provider across multiple industries.
• Our sub-brands , Eurest, Chartwells, Restaurant Associates,Medirest, ESSand Rapportmanage these industry sectors.
• We specialise in turning ordinary acts of service into extraordinary experiential moments for our clients. With innovative and talented teams across New Zealand, we transform experiences from being GOOD to GREAT .
• Our people areawesome,they breathe life into our brands and makegreat thingshappen!
• Our strength comes from the combination of the things we have in common - our shared values, vision, and purpose and to make our commitment unique for you - RESPECT, GROWTH, and TEAMWORK are the founding pillars of these commitments.
• We are committed to reflecting the diversity of our customers, suppliers, and colleagues. We also prioritise sustainability in everything we do, ensuring an inclusive andequitableenvironment for all.

Successful candidates will be able to pass pre-employment checks satisfactorily.

Applicants for this position should have NZ residency or a valid NZ work visa.

Creating meaningful and lasting connections with every experience.