Pastry Sous Chef

Venues Ōtautahi; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Venues Ōtautahi – Christchurch is seeking a talented Pastry Sous Chef to join our culinary team. You will lead the pastry kitchen for high-volume events, collaborating with the Head Pastry Chef to deliver exquisite pastries, desserts and baked goods with exceptional quality, presentation and flavor.

You will manage rostering, ordering, inventory, and production planning while mentoring the pastry team and maintaining strict food safety and service standards across events ranging from functions

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Senior Pastry roles within a high-volume kitchen environment.
• Knowledge of Pastry techniques, production and menu design.
• A genuine passion for pastry and a creative approach.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Calm and composed under pressure, with strong problem-solving skills
• Inspirational leader who builds confidence and capability in others
• High attention to detail, quality, and presentation
• Adaptable and resilient, with a commitment to continuous improvement

Responsibilities

• Support the day-to-day operations of the pastry kitchen across a diverse range of events and functions.
• Lead the preparation, production and presentation of high-quality pastry, dessert and baked goods for a high-volume service.
• Assist with rostering, ordering, inventory management, and stock control to support efficient pastry operations
• Ensure exceptional quality, food safety, and timely delivery across all events.
• Work closely with the Head Pastry Chef and provide leadership, coaching, and hands-on support to the Pastry team, fostering a positive and high-performing kitchen culture
• Support creative menu development, recipe refinement, and production planning to meet operational and guest requirements

Skills

Senior pastry experience

High-volume kitchen

Pastry techniques

Menu design

Leadership

Time management

Attention to detail

Adaptable

Job description

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Venues Ōtautahi – Christchurch, South Island

• Create exquisite pastries for a range of exclusive events

Join our culinary team

We are seeking a talented and creative Pastry Sous Chef to join our culinary team. Working alongside the Head Pastry Chef, you will help create and deliver exceptional pastry offerings that combine exquisite presentation with outstanding flavour and quality for a wide range of events, from functions and buffets to large-scale gala dinners for up to 5,000 guests.

With a strong focus on high-volume event catering, the Pastry Sous Chef is the second-in-command for the Pastry team, supporting team leadership, kitchen management and the efficient day-to-day operation of the pastry section while ensuring consistently high standards are maintained.

Venues Ōtautahi attract and host a wide range of events in Christchurch and manage a diverse and iconic portfolio of community venues, including the Christchurch Town Hall, Wolfbrook Arena, Hagley Oval, the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, and One New Zealand Stadium.

The events held across the Venues Ōtautahi portfolio deliver significant social, cultural, and economic benefits to the region, and ultimately, these iconic city venues play a valued role in the Christchurch way of life and the economic prosperity and social wellbeing of the region.

What you’ll do

• Support the day-to-day operations of the pastry kitchen across a diverse range of events and functions.
• Lead the preparation, production and presentation of high-quality pastry, dessert and baked goods for a high-volume service.
• Assist with rostering, ordering, inventory management, and stock control to support efficient pastry operations
• Ensure exceptional quality, food safety, and timely delivery across all events.
• Work closely with the Head Pastry Chef and provide leadership, coaching, and hands-on support to the Pastry team, fostering a positive and high-performing kitchen culture
• Support creative menu development, recipe refinement, and production planning to meet operational and guest requirements

What you will bring

• Proven experience in Senior Pastry roles within a high-volume kitchen environment.
• Knowledge of Pastry techniques, production and menu design.
• A genuine passion for pastry and a creative approach.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Calm and composed under pressure, with strong problem-solving skills
• Inspirational leader who builds confidence and capability in others
• High attention to detail, quality, and presentation
• Adaptable and resilient, with a commitment to continuous improvement

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a highly collaborative team, gain exposure to unique events, and work within a prestigious venue.

We act with aspiration, agility, kindness and are driven to take care of the venues to make them places of pride and delight for everyone.

If you are ready to bring your talent and inspire our team, we want to hear from you.