Tasting Room Kitchen Lead

Village Vineyards; Havelock North; On-site; NZD 44,000 - 48,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

KiwiSaver

Wine discounts

Statutory holiday pay

Job summary

Village Vineyards, nestled in Havelock North, seeks a weekend chef/cook to run the kitchen with creative input on a wine-paired grazing menu. You will collaborate closely with the owners and FOH team in a scenic, daytime-only setting.

Ideal candidates have substantial kitchen experience, strong plating skills, and a commitment to food safety. This role offers a supportive team, a relaxed tasting room atmosphere, and the chance to showcase culinary flair.

Qualifications

• Extensive kitchen experience and ability to run a kitchen independently.
• Strong team player with supportive leadership and collaboration.
• Good eye for quality ingredients, plating, and menu refinement.
• Solid understanding of food safety compliance and inventory management.

Responsibilities

• Manage weekend kitchen service independently.
• Handle setup, food assembly, plating, order flow, and clean-down efficiently.
• Prepare and execute a seasonal grazing menu designed to pair with our organic wines.
• Partner with the Duty Manager to ensure a seamless tasting room service.
• Oversee food safety compliance under our Food Control Plan.
• Manage kitchen stock, track ingredient freshness, and report reordering needs.
• Assist FOH staff with food running or table clearing during quiet kitchen windows.

Skills

Kitchen experience

Team player

Attention to plating

Food safety compliance

Job description

Village Vineyards – Havelock North, North Island

Location: Village Vineyards, 265 Te Mata Road, Havelock North (10 minute walk from town)

Pay Rate: $32.00 – $35.00/hr gross base. Daytime hours, no late nights or split shifts.

Season Dates: Saturday 7th Nov 2026 – Sunday 16th May 2027. Open to an earlier start date for the right candidate.

Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Service 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Clean-down 4:00PM – 5:00PM)

Flexible Additional Hours: Open to expanding beyond core weekend shifts with additional days.

About the role:

Perched directly over the vines, our kitchen offers a stunning backdrop to run service from. You will run the kitchen independently, bringing your own creative input to our wine-paired grazing menu. You will work closely alongside the owners, Duty Manager, and FOH team. This role is ideal for an experienced chef/cook looking for a weekend role in a fantastic location.

Key responsibilities:

Manage weekend kitchen service independently. Handle setup, food assembly, plating, order flow, and clean-down efficiently.

Prepare and execute a seasonal grazing menu designed to pair with our certified organic wines.

Partner with the Duty Manager to ensure a seamless tasting room service.

Oversee food safety compliance under our Food Control Plan.

Manage kitchen stock, track ingredient freshness, and report reordering needs.

Assist FOH floor staff with food running or table clearing during quiet kitchen windows.

About you:

Plenty of kitchen experience, whether you have run a kitchen on your own before or are an experienced cook/chef ready to give it a go.

A true team player with supportive leadership skills who thrives working closely alongside owners and FOH staff.

Strong eye for quality ingredients, plating, and menu refinement.

Pride in maintaining a clean, organised kitchen and dish station.

Solid understanding of food safety compliance and inventory management.

Reliable, punctual, and fully available for weekend daytime shifts throughout the seasonal dates.

About us:

Fruit production for the Evans Family began in the late 1970s with the Village Orchard in Havelock North. Carrying that legacy forward into today, Rhys Evans crafts BioGro certified organic wines from his family's Havelock North vineyard. The winemaking is a fully integrated process at Village Vineyards and pride is taken in owning every step, from pruning to bottling to pouring. Exceptional and warm customer service is at the heart of everything we do. While we are serious about organic viticulture, our tasting room atmosphere is down to earth, fun, and relaxed.

Competitive daytime rate: $32.00 - $35.00/hr gross base rate reflective of sole-charge responsibility.

Prepare service in a light-filled kitchen featuring panoramic views across the vines.

Predictable weekend schedule with kitchen closing at 4:00 PM in a relaxed tasting room atmosphere.

An awesome guest base that makes each shift something to look forward to.

Creative autonomy to shape our tasting room menu.

Full statutory holiday pay, KiwiSaver, and generous wine discounts.