HEAD CHEF – FULL-TIME
Señor Habibi’s
Shop 1 & 2, 12 Kurrawyba Avenue, Terrigal NSW 2260
Employer: LA Hospitality Group Pty Ltd
Salary: $85,000 per annum plus superannuation
Employment type: Permanent full-time
Important eligibility requirement:
Employer sponsorship is not available for this position. Applicants requiring current or future visa sponsorship will not be considered. You must already hold full and unrestricted Australian working rights.
Señor Habibi’s is seeking an experienced, capable and hands-on Head Chef to lead our Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurant kitchen in Terrigal.
We are looking for a strong culinary professional with genuine experience in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. You must be confident leading and training a kitchen team, maintaining consistent food quality, controlling costs and overseeing the daily operations of a busy commercial kitchen.
Our restaurant is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday, providing the successful applicant with two consistent days off each week. The standard working roster will primarily run from Thursday to Monday, including evenings, weekends and public holidays when required.
Key responsibilities:
- Plan, develop and regularly review menus in consultation with management.
- Prepare and cook Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes to a consistently high standard.
- Oversee all food preparation, cooking, plating and presentation.
- Lead, supervise, train and support chefs, cooks and kitchen attendants.
- Allocate kitchen duties and coordinate service across all kitchen sections.
- Develop and maintain recipes, portion specifications and presentation standards.
- Monitor the quality and freshness of ingredients and finished dishes.
- Manage ordering, stock rotation, storage and inventory control.
- Monitor food costs, portion control, wastage and kitchen productivity.
- Maintain consistency across à la carte dining, banquets, functions and special events.
- Ensure the kitchen complies with all food-safety, hygiene and workplace-safety requirements.
- Maintain HACCP procedures, cleaning schedules and temperature records.
- Work with management to develop seasonal menus, functions and restaurant promotions.
- Manage kitchen preparation and service during busy trading periods.
- Assist with recruiting, training, developing and assessing kitchen employees.
- Liaise with suppliers and management regarding produce quality, availability and pricing.
- Ensure kitchen equipment is properly maintained and faults are promptly reported.
About you:
- At least three years of relevant commercial cookery experience.
- Relevant commercial cookery qualifications or equivalent professional experience.
- Demonstrated experience as a Head Chef, Senior Sous Chef or highly experienced Chef in a busy restaurant.
- Strong practical knowledge of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ingredients, flavours and cooking techniques.
- Experience preparing grilled meats, seafood, mezze, dips, sauces, breads, salads and banquet-style dishes.
- Proven ability to lead, train and organise a kitchen team.
- Strong food-costing, stock-control and waste-management skills.
- Sound knowledge of Australian food-safety and workplace-safety requirements.
- Ability to remain calm, organised and hands-on during busy services.
- Availability to work Thursday to Monday, including evenings, weekends and public holidays when required.
- Full and unrestricted Australian working rights.
What we offer:
- Guaranteed annual salary of $85,000 plus superannuation.
- Permanent full-time employment.
- Two consistent days off each week—Tuesday and Wednesday.
- A senior leadership position in an established Terrigal restaurant.
- The opportunity to contribute to menu development and kitchen operations.
- A supportive, professional and team-focused workplace.
To apply, please submit your current résumé and a cover letter explaining your relevant experience, qualifications and suitability for the position.
Only applicants who meet the experience, cuisine knowledge and Australian working-rights requirements will be shortlisted.
Work location: In person
Pay: $85,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
