Job Info
Location: KYNETON, VIC
Salary: Above Award
Job Type: Permanent position | Full time position
Job Description
Our client, The Local Eatery, is a hospitality venue located in Kyneton, Victoria, offering a relaxed dining experience with a focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The business provides a diverse menu covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner service, catering to dine-in and takeaway customers. With an emphasis on quality food, seasonal produce and community engagement, The Local Eatery maintains a welcoming atmosphere and consistent service standards.
The Local Eatery is currently seeking a qualified and experienced Chef to join their kitchen team and contribute to the continued delivery of high-quality food and service. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting daily kitchen operations, ensuring efficient workflow, maintaining consistency in food quality and presentation, and assisting in cost control and stock management, while working collaboratively within a fast-paced hospitality environment. The annual salary for this position is $76,515 to $77,000.
Duties include:
* Plan and design menu offerings (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and seasonal/local produce, ensuring variety, quality and profitability in line with customer expectations.
* Estimate ingredient quantities and food costs for menu items, monitor food costs and balance portion control to meet budgetary and waste management objectives.
* Order, receive, and manage food supplies from vendors and local producers, ensuring stock levels are maintained, and inventory rotation (FIFO) is followed.
* Prepare and cook food to the required standard for all menu items, applying appropriate culinary techniques and presentation expectations.
* Monitor quality of dishes throughout preparation and plating to uphold food standards in taste, appearance, temperature, and consistency.
* Train and supervise kitchen staff and trainees, delegate tasks in the kitchen, and demonstrate proper cooking techniques to less experienced team members.
* Ensure compliance with food safety, hygiene and workplace health standards, including safe food handling, cleanliness of kitchen and equipment and sanitation procedures.
* Coordinate kitchen activities during service periods, including timing of dish preparation and order sequencing to support efficient service.
* Communicate with Front of House (FOH) staff and management regarding menu changes, special dietary requests (e.g., allergies) and customer feedback to ensure service quality.
* Develop and refine recipes to maintain consistency and incorporate customer preferences, seasonal availability and cost targets.
* Implement portion control systems and monitor waste reduction practices to support food cost control and sustainable operations.
* Contribute to kitchen budgeting and labour planning, providing input on staffing needs and cost effective use of resources during roster planning.
Qualifications:
* Must have a minimum of three (3) years of experience in the relevant field.
* Should hold a Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery.