Sous Chef — Rydges Rotorua Full time

EVT Group; Rotorua; On-site; NZD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

50% dining & stays

Movie discounts

Seasonal perks at Thredbo

Rapid career growth

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Rydges Rotorua, part of EVT Group, is seeking a Sous Chef to work with the Executive Chef across restaurant, bar and conference catering in a busy hotel setting.

You will mentor staff, help develop menus, ensure food safety and cost control, and step in during the Executive Chef's absence. The role offers growth within EVT's nationwide hotel and entertainment network.

Qualifications

• NZQF Diploma in Cookery or Kitchen Management, or equivalent.
• Proven leadership in a busy hotel kitchen.
• Strong understanding of techniques, recipes and banquets.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Executive Chef in running kitchen across restaurant, bar and events.
• Plan and organise preparation and cooking to a high standard.
• Lead, mentor and supervise kitchen staff on shift.
• Develop and cost new menus for banquet and conference catering.
• Monitor food quality, portion control and storage; maintain cleanliness.
• Manage stock ordering, requisitions and wastage within budget.
• Step in to run the kitchen in the Executive Chef's absence.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety and health & safety procedures.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Food safety

Portion control

Stock management

Education

NZQF Diploma in Cookery or Kitchen Management

Three years of experience as Chef (substitute)

Job description

10 Tryon Street, Whakarewarewa, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand

Posted Thursday, 3 September 2026 at 12:00 pm

Sous Chef — Rydges Rotorua Full time

About EVT

Proudly owned and operated in Australia and New Zealand, Rydges offers refreshingly local stays in city, regional and resort-style hotels. We're not just in the neighbourhood, we're part of it. Every hotel is designed for ease, connection and quality. From check-in to check-out, our local heroes bring a can-do attitude and "too easy" service. Whether it's for work or a well-earned break, our place feels like home with the charm of somewhere new. Join us to help make every moment memorable.

EVT has an endless range of roles and career paths to explore across over 140 entertainment experiences like Event Cinemas and Moonlight Cinemas, 150 award winning restaurants and bars, and 80+ hotels, including QT, Rydges, Atura, LyLo, Independent Collection and Australia's most loved year round alpine resort, Thredbo. Our ventures include a ~$2.3B property portfolio and hotel management, just to name a few. Once you're in, there's no limits on where your career could take you.

About the Role

Rydges Rotorua sits on the edge of the Redwood Forest, overlooking the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley — one of the region's most sought-after hotel locations. The property features 203 rooms, seven flexible conference and event spaces catering for groups from 6 to 600 guests, and Chapman's Restaurant & Bar, home to the hotel's well-known buffet and a la carte dining experience.

As Sous Chef, you'll work closely with the Executive Chef to lead kitchen operations across this busy, multi-faceted food and beverage offering — from daily restaurant service through to large-scale conference and banquet catering.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist the Executive Chef in the effective running of the kitchen across restaurant, bar and conference & events catering.
• Plan and organise the preparation and cooking of food to a consistently high standard, in line with hotel menus and recipes.
• Lead, mentor and train chefs and kitchen staff, supervising them on shift and building consistency across the team.
• Assist in developing and costing new menus, including for banquet and conference catering.
• Monitor food quality, portion control and food storage practices, maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness.
• Manage stock ordering, requisitions and wastage control in line with budget guidelines.
• Step in to run the kitchen effectively in the Executive Chef's absence, resolving issues as they arise.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, health and safety procedures across the kitchen.

What You'll Bring

• A NZQF Diploma in Cookery or Kitchen Management (or equivalent), or at least three years' relevant experience as a Chef, which may substitute for formal qualifications.
• Proven experience in a Sous Chef, Senior Chef de Partie or similar leadership role within a busy kitchen, ideally in a hotel or high-volume, multi-outlet environment.
• A strong understanding of techniques, recipe execution and dish consistency across a la carte and banquet/buffet-style service.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, with experience mentoring, training and supervising kitchen staff.
• A solid grasp of food safety, portion control and stock management practices.
• The ambition and readiness to take the next step towards an Executive Chef role.

How You Work

• Growth mindset — learns, shares, and levels up others.
• Hands-on and non-hierarchical — leads from the front.
• Owner's mindset — acts on data/feedback; ships improvements.
• Resilient and solutions-focused — stays calm, moves fast.

Perks from Day One

As part of EVT, you unlock Elevate Perks from your first day. Parity for all levels — no ivory towers.

• 50% off dining and stays across EVT hotels – QT, Rydges, Atura, LyLo and more.
• $2 movie tickets + discounts on Gold Class, Moonlight Cinema and Candy Bar.
• Seasonal perks at Thredbo.
• Rapid career growth across our hotel & entertainment network.
• Paid parental leave; community & volunteering opportunities.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds