Lead Food & Dining Manager – Retirement Village

Metlifecare; Hamilton; Hybrid; NZD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellness days

Health insurance

Parental leave

KiwiSaver

Job summary

Metlifecare in Hamilton is seeking an experienced Food Services Manager to lead the Forest Lake Gardens Food & Dining team. This hands-on role owns the operation while working alongside staff to prepare fresh, high-quality meals for residents.

You will recruit, train, and develop kitchen staff, design resident-focused menus, and manage stock, budgets, and compliance with food safety standards. The position is permanent, 35 hours per week, Tuesday to Saturday, with a focus on delivering

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Chef, with previous Café leadership or management experience.
• Strong people leadership skills and the ability to motivate and develop a team.
• Excellent knowledge of food safety, stock control, and kitchen operations.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.
• Experience working within aged care or retirement living is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Prepare nutritious, delicious meals for residents.
• Lead, mentor, and supervise the kitchen team to deliver excellent service.
• Manage recruitment, training, and ongoing development of kitchen staff.
• Develop resident-focused menus and cabinet food offerings.
• Oversee stock control, ordering, and kitchen budgets.
• Ensure compliance with Food Control Plan requirements and audit standards.
• Champion high standards of food quality, presentation, and customer service.
• Promote a safe, healthy, and positive workplace environment.

Skills

Chef

Leadership

Job description

Metlifecare in Hamilton is seeking an experienced Food Services Manager to lead the Forest Lake Gardens Food & Dining team. This hands-on role owns the operation while working alongside staff to prepare fresh, high-quality meals for residents.

You will recruit, train, and develop kitchen staff, design resident-focused menus, and manage stock, budgets, and compliance with food safety standards. The position is permanent, 35 hours per week, Tuesday to Saturday, with a focus on delivering