Overview
Wayfinder is opening a new winery restaurant in Margaret River, built around a simple idea: the menu starts in the garden. We have a 1-acre market garden on site and a growing farm program. Your job is to turn that daily harvest into food that's considered, seasonal, and made to sit naturally alongside our wines. This is a founding role as our Head Chef. You'll set the food direction, build the kitchen systems, and lead the team from day one.
What you'll be building
* garden-led, farm-to-table restaurant with a strong focus on provenance and seasonality
* Menus that change with harvest, weather, and the realities of the region
* A calm, professional kitchen culture with clear standards and good communication
* Food designed to pair with Wayfinder wines and elevate the overall cellar door experience
What you'll be responsible for
* Creating and executing two seasonal menus that make sense for their respective settings (60 seat restaurant and casual outdoor dining area)
* Working closely with our market garden team to plan planting and harvest around service needs
* Leading recruitment, training, and day-to-day management of the kitchen team
* Running service across both areas, plus events as required
* Managing food cost, stock, ordering, supplier relationships, and kitchen budgets
* Maintaining high standards across quality, consistency, prep systems, and presentation
* Ensuring compliance across food safety, hygiene, and WHS
* Building sustainable practices that work in service (waste reduction, smart prep, whole-produce use)
What we're looking for
You're a senior chef who can lead a team and run a tight pass—without ego or chaos. You care about produce, but you also understand margins, rostering, prep discipline, and the commercial realities of a busy venue.
* 5+ years in a senior chef leadership role in a quality, commercially successful kitchen
* Strong capability in cost control, ordering, stocktake, and kitchen administration
* Experience writing menus that reflect seasonality (not catalogues)
* A leadership style that's direct, steady, and respectful
* High standards for cleanliness, safety, and consistency
* The flexibility to work with what the garden and region can supply week to week
What's on offer
* Competitive salary (aligned to experience)
* A new, purpose-built kitchen and venue
* Close collaboration with garden and winemaking teams
* A strong emphasis on daytime service and sustainable work practices
* The opportunity to define the culinary identity of Wayfinder Farm from the start
About Wayfinder
Wayfinder is part of Overstory, alongside Small Wonder (Tasmania) and Small Story Merchants (east-coast wine distribution). We also operate Wayfinder Dunsborough, our wine bar and restaurant that opened in 2024. Across the group, we build hospitality around seasonality, regional partnerships, and thoughtful service.
Apply
Send your CV and a short cover letter (max two pages) outlining:
* how you build menus around seasonality and harvest
* why this role in Margaret River makes sense for you
Applicants must have the right to work full-time in Australia. No recruitment agencies, please.
Applications may also be considered for an upcoming Sous Chef role.
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