Role Overview
As the Head Chef, you will be the operational backbone of the kitchen. You will be responsible for leading the BOH team, maintaining strict consistency across all recipes (including the precision monitoring of large-scale batter fermentation, spice blends, and traditional gravies), managing inventory, and driving kitchen profitability. This role requires a rare combination of authentic culinary mastery, strong leadership, and sharp commercial acumen to manage food costs, labor costs, and vendor relationships.
Key Responsibilities
1. Culinary Excellence & Quality Control
- Recipe & Flavor Integrity: Ensure every dish leaving the kitchen consistently meets Sathvik Foods' strict flavor profiles, presentation standards, and portion sizes.
- Bulk Production Oversight: Oversee the precise daily production and fermentation of foundational items (Dosa/Idli batters, Sambar, Rasam, and Chutneys) to handle high-volume demand without quality drops.
- Menu Maintenance: Manage special menu items, seasonal offerings, and ensure all dietary guidelines (such as strict vegetarian, vegan, and nut-allergy restrictions) are strictly managed.
2. Kitchen Operations & Cost Management
- Financial Control: Actively manage and optimize the kitchen budget, focusing closely on Food Cost Percentages and minimizing waste.
- Inventory & Purchasing: Oversee ordering, stock takes, and maintain strategic relationships with local spice, dairy, and fresh produce suppliers to secure high-quality ingredients at commercial rates.
- Tech Optimization: Utilize the Kitchen Display System (KDS) and inventory software to streamline ticket times, track stock, and ensure flawless communication with the front-of-house team.
3. Team Leadership & Rostering
- Labor Efficiency: Design and execute strategic BOH staff rosters that align perfectly with peak business cycles while meeting labor cost targets.
- Training & Mentorship: Build a high-performance culture by hiring, training, and mentoring Assistant Chefs, line cooks, and kitchen hands.
- Accountability: Establish clear daily station checklists and hold the team accountable to performance and timing metrics.
4. Food Safety, Hygiene & Compliance
- HACCP Compliance: Implement and strictly enforce food safety programs, ensuring all temperature logs, cleaning schedules, and labeling systems comply with NSW Food Authority standards.
- WHS Leadership: Maintain a safe workplace environment, ensuring all commercial kitchen equipment (heavy-duty grinders, commercial ranges, dishwashers) is operated and maintained correctly.
Qualifications & Experience
- Experience: Minimum 3–5 years of experience as a Head Chef or strong Sous Chef in a high-volume, commercial kitchen. Deep, practical expertise in authentic South Indian vegetarian cuisine is essential.
- Qualifications: Certificate III or IV in Commercial Cookery (or international equivalent). A certified Food Safety Supervisor qualification is mandatory.
- Leadership Capabilities: Proven track record of managing kitchen labor budgets, food costs, and leading a diverse kitchen team under intense, fast-paced conditions.
- Operational Skills: Highly proficient with modern kitchen technology, including KDS platforms, POS systems, and digital inventory management tools.
- Availability: Full flexibility to work a hospitality schedule, including weekends, nights, public holidays, and split shifts as required.
What We Offer
- Highly competitive salary package + performance-based incentives.
- A fully equipped, modern commercial kitchen environment.
- Direct collaboration and strategic involvement with the Restaurant Directors.
- Long-term career security and growth opportunities as the brand expands.
Pay: From $85,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
