Our client, Paila Restaurant, is a casual dining restaurant specialising in authentic Nepali and Indian cuisine, offering a diverse menu that focuses on delivering rich, flavourful dishes made with high-quality ingredients and traditional cooking techniques that reflect the culinary heritage of Nepal and India, located in Coburg, Victoria.
They are currently seeking an experienced Head Chef – Nepali & Indian Cuisine to lead their kitchen operations, maintain authentic flavour standards, develop and refine menu offerings, and ensure consistent food quality and presentation. The ideal candidate will bring strong expertise in Indian and Nepali cooking techniques, including spice blending, curry preparation, and tandoor operations, along with proven leadership in managing kitchen teams and maintaining food safety standards.
The annual salary for the Head Chef position is $77,000 to $85,000.
Duties include:
- Design and refine authentic Nepali and Indian menus featuring curries, biryanis, tandoori items, momo, thali sets, and street-food-inspired dishes, ensuring cultural authenticity and customer appeal.
- Supervise preparation of core dishes such as butter chicken, dal makhani, chicken tikka masala, momo, chow mein, and biryani, ensuring proper technique and flavour balance.
- Develop and standardise house-made spice mixes to maintain consistent taste profiles across all dishes.
- Oversee safe and efficient operation of tandoor ovens and grills for naan, kebabs, tandoori chicken, paneer tikka, and other charcoal/oven-based items.
- Organise kitchen sections and manage workflow to ensure timely preparation of multi-component dishes like thali and banquet-style orders.
- Ensure all dishes meet authentic Nepali and Indian flavour standards, including correct spice intensity, texture, and traditional presentation styles.
- Source and manage essential ingredients such as basmati rice, lentils, ghee, spices, paneer, naan flour, and fresh produce, ensuring freshness and cost efficiency.
- Implement strict food hygiene and safety procedures, particularly for high-risk items such as dairy-based gravies, meats, and marinated products.
- Train kitchen staff in traditional cooking methods, including curry preparation, dough handling for naan/roti, dum cooking for biryani, and momo folding techniques.
- Create detailed recipes with precise spice ratios, cooking times, and portion standards to ensure consistency across all shifts and staff members.
- Manage food costs by balancing high-cost ingredients with efficient portioning and menu engineering strategies.
- Review customer feedback on spice levels, authenticity, and dish quality, and adjust recipes or menu offerings accordingly to suit local and international palates.
Qualifications:
- Must have a minimum of two (2) years of experience in Nepali and Indian Cuisine.
- Can prepare Nepali and Indian Cuisine.
- Can handle the kitchen team and rostering, ensuring hygiene and handle the busy hours.
- Nepali & Hindi language speaking will be prioritised.
Pay: $77,000.00 – $85,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
