Head Chef & Site Manager – Aged Care Kitchen Lead

Cater Plus; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Cater Plus in Christchurch is seeking an experienced Chef/Site Manager to lead our food service operation at Banbury Park, Christchurch. This full-time role involves hands-on cooking, baking, and day-to-day management to ensure residents receive nutritious meals and high-quality service.

You will manage a kitchen team, develop seasonal menus, control costs, ensure food safety compliance, and coordinate events for residents and families, while maintaining high standards of presentation and

Qualifications

• Experienced Chef with leadership skills.
• Proven experience managing teams in catering or aged-care environments.
• Skilled in preparing high-quality meals and baked goods.
• Passionate about delivering excellent resident service.
• Strong organisational and time management abilities.
• Knowledge of NZ food control regulations and safety.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all kitchen operations, ensuring exceptional food quality and service delivery.
• Take an active hands-on role in food preparation, cooking, and baking to ensure consistently high-quality meals and home-style baked goods.
• Plan, prepare, and deliver nutritious, high-quality meals that meet aged care dietary and wellness requirements.
• Develop and maintain appealing seasonal menus, incorporating resident preferences and dietary requirements.
• Ensure all meals and baking are prepared to a high standard of presentation, taste, and nutrition.
• Lead, coach, and support kitchen staff to achieve high standards and foster a positive team culture.
• Monitor food quality and presentation to ensure a consistently excellent resident experience.
• Manage budgets, food costs, labour costs, ordering, and stock control to maintain efficient operations.
• Coordinate and deliver special meals, celebrations, and events for residents and their families.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, health and safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accurate records and reporting through effective use of computer systems and administration tools.

Skills

Leadership

Cooking

Baking

Menu planning

Budgeting

Job description

Cater Plus in Christchurch is seeking an experienced Chef/Site Manager to lead our food service operation at Banbury Park, Christchurch. This full-time role involves hands-on cooking, baking, and day-to-day management to ensure residents receive nutritious meals and high-quality service.

You will manage a kitchen team, develop seasonal menus, control costs, ensure food safety compliance, and coordinate events for residents and families, while maintaining high standards of presentation and