Junior Sous Chef

Junior Sous Chef; New Zealand; On-site; NZD 78,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff Perks Programme

Job summary

Rosewood Matakauri is seeking a hands-on Chef to support kitchen leadership and drive a high-performing team. You will train junior chefs, manage stock and wastage, and ensure sections are ready for service while maintaining top quality and safety standards.

You will contribute to menu development, showcase local produce, and tailor experiences to guest dietary requirements in a busy luxury hotel kitchen environment.

Qualifications

• At least 3 years' experience in high end restaurants or luxury hotels.
• Exceptional cooking techniques and meticulous processes.
• Interest in sourcing local produce for menu development.
• Strong knowledge of H&S and hygiene standards.
• Able to think quickly to handle daily guest requests and menu changes.

Responsibilities

• Ensure all sections are prepared and service-ready.
• Train, develop and support junior chefs.
• Assist with stock control, ordering and minimising wastage.
• Optimise kitchen operations for quality and efficiency.
• Monitor quality and presentation of dishes.
• Maintain exceptional food safety and hygiene standards.
• Contribute to menu development using local produce.
• Deliver memorable dining experiences including dietary requests.

Skills

Team leadership

High-pressure work

Time management

Communication skills

Multitasking

Food safety hygiene

Job description

Reporting to the Head Chef and Sous Chef, you will play a key role in the day-to-day operation of our kitchen. This is a hands‑on position that supports kitchen leadership while helping foster a positive and high‑performing team culture.

• Ensuring all sections are prepared and service-ready
• Training, developing and supporting junior chefs
• Assisting with stock control, ordering and minimising food wastage
• Optimising kitchen operations with a focus on quality and efficiency
• Monitoring the quality and presentation of dishes
• Maintaining exceptional food safety and hygiene standards
• Contributing to menu development and showcasing the best local produce
• Delivering memorable dining experiences, including accommodating guest dietary requirements and special requests.

What you will bring:

The successful candidate will be flexible, have a can do attitude, work well in a high pressure environment and want to push their career further. In addition, you will have:

• At least 3 years' relevant experience, in high end restaurants and / or luxury hotels.
• Exceptional cooking techniques and meticulous processes
• An interest in actively seeking local produce
• Strong knowledge of H&S and hygiene standards
• The agility to think on your feet as we have many daily guest requests and menu changes
• Good time management, excellent communication skills and the ability to multitask
• Be a team player and be able to drive the team
• A hands‑on Chef who is involved with the daily operation and delivery of memorable experiences

What we offer:

At Rosewood Matakauri we believe in fostering a culture of learning and development, providing you with the resources to thrive in your career.

We offer access to our Staff Perks Programme with a wide range of discounts and deals with our suppliers and partners.

This is a full time (45 hours over 5 days per week) permanent role, offering a competitive salary of $78,000 to $82,000 per annum.

Any additional days of the week worked can be accrued an ‘owed time’ as per our policy.