Head Chef

Head Chef Golden Fleece Hotel · 120 Montague St, South Melbourne · Full-time

Golden Fleece Hotel is a South Melbourne institution - a Greek restaurant, event and function venue, and bar inspired by the whitewashed cliffs of Santorini. We have a loyal following, a strong events calendar, and a kitchen with real ambition. We're looking for the right Head Chef to come in and make it their own.

This is a genuine leadership role with real scope. If you want a kitchen you can shape - the menu, the team, the culture, the numbers - this is it.

What You'll Own

• Day-to-day kitchen operations - service structure, pacing, standards, consistency

• Your team: hiring, development, performance, and accountability

• Food cost and labour cost - you'll know your numbers and you'll manage to them

• Ordering, stock control, and supplier relationships

• Recipe, prep, and plating standards across every service

• Cleanliness, food safety, and compliance - no exceptions

• Weekly reporting to the Operations Director on kitchen performance, labour, and priorities

What We're Looking For

• 3+ years as a Head Chef or senior Sous Chef ready to step up in a high-volume venue

• A track record of running food cost below 30% and labour at or below target

• Financially literate - you understand the P&L and know what levers to pull

• A direct people manager who can develop a team and have hard conversations when needed

• Calm under pressure, consistent across services, and hands-on when required

• Food Safety Supervisor certification required

What You'll Get

• Competitive salary - package negotiable based on experience

• Direct reporting line to the Operations Director

• Real ownership: your kitchen, your numbers, your results

• A venue with genuine upside - and the support to go after it

How to Apply

Apply via Seek with your CV and a short cover note - what you've run, what your food and labour cost looked like, and what you'd focus on first.

Applications without a cover note will not be reviewed.