Sous Chef

Dropping Inn; Queenstown; On-site; NZD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-based bonus

Minimum 30 hours per week

Staff discounts across venues

Career progression

Visa transfer support

Job summary

Dropping Inn in Queenstown invites a dedicated Sous Chef to join our Michelin‑level Treehouse restaurant. You will support the Head Chef and ensure consistent, high‑quality dishes while upholding rigorous food safety standards.

With 3–4 years in fine dining and a passion for excellence, you’ll thrive in a collaborative team. We offer a competitive salary, minimum 30 hours weekly, staff discounts across venues, and clear opportunities for career progression.

Qualifications

• Three to four years relevant industry experience in high quality restaurants or equivalent.
• A passion for excellence and continuous improvement.
• Understanding of food safety and impeccable hygiene standards.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to build and maintain strong and respectful work relationships.
• Be organized, punctual and reliable.
• Be friendly, energetic, and a positive can-do attitude.
• Be career-driven and eager to learn from the best.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef and Group Executive Chef in the smooth running of kitchen operations while maintaining very high standards.
• Responsible for preparation and cooking of high quality dishes across grill/sauce and small plate sections.
• Ability to work in a team environment with a strong emphasis on impeccable food safety and accommodating dietary requirements.

Skills

Teamwork

Food safety

Communication

Punctuality

Reliability

Attitude

Career-driven

Adaptability

Job description

Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand Restaurant 2026

Join our award wining team in a positve work environment

Commitment to excellence at a Michelin level

We have an exciting opportunitie at our Michelin award wining Treehouse restaurant for a Sous chef who is passionate about high qaulity cooking. Previous experience in a Sous Chef or Snr Chef de Partie role would be advantageous. If you love working in a Michelin award wining restuarant with a great team, then please read on.

Key responsibilities:

You will support the Head Chef and Group Executive Chef in the smooth running of all kitchen operations whilst maintaining very high standards. You will be respsonsible for prepartaion and cooking of high quality dishes. The role requires the abitlity to work in a team environment with a strong emphasis on impeccable food saftey standards. You will be working on across the grill/sauce section and small plate section. You will need to be flexiable and adaptable in all situtations - including any guests dietary requirements.

Skills, experience and attributes:

Three to four years relevant industry experience in high quality restaurants and/or relevant qualifications

A passion for excellence and continuous improvement

Understanding of food saftey and impeccable hygine standards

Excellent verbal and communication skills

Ability to build and maintain strong and respectful work relationships

Be organized, punctual and reliable

Be Friendly, energetic, and a positve can-do attitude

Be career-driven and have the desire to learn from the very best

About Us:

Dropping Inn are a multi-site hospitality cohort in beautiful Wanaka. Hospitality is a team sport. We create fun and rewarding working environments that offer pathways for personal and professional growth.

We believe in building strong connections with our staff and community through creating opportunities for people to come together showcasing New Zealands best ingredients.

Our Values:

People & Team Development

Cultivate Our Community

Make Every Visit Memorable

Improvement is a Daily Habit

Profit Matters

What we can offer:

Great salary/wage + opportunity for performance based bonus'
(dependent on experience and shared goals).

Minimum 30 hours per week guaranteed.

Best perks in the business including discounts across all the venues.

Mulit site operation with genuine opportunity for career progression and professional development.

Support from our Group Executive Chef & Head Chef

We are an accredited employer, we can support applicants wanting to stay in NZ longer, and to transfer from a Working Holiday Visa to a Sponsored Visa.

Applicants must be located in New Zealand.

We can transfer visas but we are not looking to sponsor anyone from outside of New Zealand.