Placed.au is looking for a full-time Chef & Beverage Operations Manager for our client in Melbourne, Victoria. The Chef will lead kitchen operations and craft high-quality dishes, while the Beverage Operations Manager will oversee beverage services, ensuring an exceptional dining experience. If you are passionate about food, drinks, and hospitality, we would love to hear from you. Apply today and get the benefits of working in a thriving environment, a great work culture, and competitive pay.
Position: Chef
Job description:
•Prepare, cook, and present food to a high standard for regular service.
•Supervise and coordinate the daily activities of kitchen staff.
•Collaborate with other chefs and the owner to develop recipes and plan menus, taking into account seasonal availability of ingredients, expected customer numbers, portion sizes, and final menu pricing.
•Check the quantity and quality of received goods to ensure items meet order specifications and quality standards.
•Prepare meals in line with agreed recipes and standards.
•Monitor and maintain stock levels to minimise waste and manage inventory efficiently.
•Order food and other supplies as required to support kitchen operations.
•Train kitchen staff through on-the-job instruction and arrange external training where appropriate.
•Ensure all staff comply with Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements.
•Ensure all kitchen equipment, including fridges and cooking appliances, is operating correctly and at appropriate temperatures.
•Work within the budget set by the restaurant manager.
•Maintain strict safety, hygiene, and sanitation standards within the kitchen.
•Manage kitchen staff effectively, delegating tasks related to meal preparation, cooking, and timely food service.
Qualifications/Attributes:
•Must hold Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery or higher, or at least 3 years of relevant work experience in lieu of the qualification.
•Must possess at least a minimum of 1 year of relevant work experience.
•Have outstanding communication and leadership skills.
•Must have the willingness to collaborate with other colleagues.
•Must be obsessed with cooking, including unique and emerging trends.
•Must have organisational skills.
•Ability to adapt and work in a fast-paced environment.
Position: Beverage Operations Manager
Job description:
•Design, document, and implement espresso and filter coffee recipes for all blends and seasonal single origins, based on TDS, extraction %, brew ratio, and roast profile.
•Manage daily espresso calibration protocols, including dose yield, pressure profiling, and grinder adjustments, ensuring consistent flavour output across shifts and staff.
•Develop and trial non-coffee beverage recipes, including seasonal drink innovations, cold brew infusions, signature syrups, and house-made concentrates.
•Create and maintain recipe cards, technical SOPs, and beverage guides used across all service staff and venues.
•Oversee technical beverage quality during service, including extraction consistency, milk texturing, latte art standards, and bar cleanliness.
•Continuously assess and improve bar workflows to reduce service times, optimise bar layout and ergonomics, and integrate new drink offerings without bottlenecks.
•Ensure all drinks meet presentation, flavour, and temperature standards defined by our beverage playbook.
•Oversee calibration, cleaning, and minor servicing of espresso machines (e.g., La Marzocco), batch brewers (e.g., Moccamaster), grinders (e.g., Mythos, EK43), and nitro/cold brew systems.
•Work with our roasting and tech team to schedule preventive maintenance and liaise with external service technicians as required.
•Evaluate and trial new brewing technologies and equipment integrations in consultation with the roasting and R&D team.
•Track usage data and manage inventory of coffee beans, alternative milks, barista-grade syrups, tea, cold brew ingredients, and brewing consumables.
•Forecast ordering needs, reduce waste, and optimise cost-per-cup for house and signature drinks.
•Liaise with vendors, roasters, and internal teams to ensure timely restocking and introduction of new ingredients.
•Lead technical training programs for baristas, including extraction theory, latte art progression, dialling-in, and drink consistency under pressure.
•Deliver onboarding for new hires and run quarterly skills assessments and refresher training modules.
•Provide real-time coaching on the floor and address any drink execution issues immediately to ensure service excellence.
•Analyse POS data to identify bestsellers, prep time trends, and profitability of new beverage offerings.
•Collaborate with sales and brand teams to align beverage offerings with marketing campaigns, seasonal activations, and sensory branding.
Qualifications/Attributes:
•Must hold a Diploma of Hospitality Management or a related field. or higher, or at least 3 years of relevant work experience in lieu of the qualification.
•Must possess at least a minimum of 1 year of relevant work experience.
•Strong technical expertise in espresso theory, brew methods (V60, batch, cold brew), milk chemistry, and drink architecture.
•Familiarity with TDS meters, refractometers, pressure profiling, and modern calibration techniques.
•Proven experience with team leadership, bar workflow structuring, and beverage service innovation.
•Understanding of cost control, stock forecasting, and supplier negotiation specific to beverage components.
•Passion for quality and a high personal standard for taste, presentation, and customer engagement at the coffee bar.
Salary Range: $65,000 - $95,000 p.a. excluding superannuation.