Chef

Portorosa Café Spearwood is looking for an experienced and passionate Chef to join our team.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced kitchen and takes pride in delivering high-quality food and maintaining strong kitchen standards.

With a supportive team culture and a passion for quality food, Portorosa Café is a great place to grow your career in hospitality. In this role, you will be responsible for running day to day kitchen operations and ensuring everything runs smoothly. Your main duties will include:

• Planning and developing menus
• Preparing and cooking a variety of dishes
• Managing food and labour costs
• Ordering supplies and maintaining stock levels
• Supervising and supporting kitchen staff
• Training junior team members
• Maintaining high standards of food safety and hygiene
• Ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations

Benefits

• Work in a well-established Italian restaurant known for authentic Sicilian cuisine and quality ingredients
• Be part of a friendly and supportive team with a strong family style culture
• Opportunity to work with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and traditional cooking techniques
• Gain experience in a fast-paced, professional kitchen environment
• Stable full-time role with competitive salary
• Opportunity to contribute ideas and be involved in menu development
• Work in a welcoming venue focused on great food and customer experience
• On-site parking available for staff

Task & responsibilities

• Plan, develop, and update menu items in line with customer preferences and seasonal availability
• Prepare and cook high-quality Italian dishes, ensuring consistency and presentation standards
• Monitor and manage food and labour costs to support efficient kitchen operations
• Order food supplies and maintain appropriate stock levels and rotation
• Supervise and coordinate kitchen staff to ensure smooth daily service
• Train and support junior staff, promoting a positive and productive team environment
• Maintain strict food safety, hygiene, and cleanliness standards at all times
• Ensure compliance with all health and safety regulations
• Work closely with management to improve kitchen performance and customer satisfaction
• Contribute ideas for new dishes and continuous improvement of menu offerings

Qualification & experience

• Relevant qualification in Commercial Cookery (Certificate IV or Diploma), or equivalent experience
• At least 2–3 years of experience working as a Chef in a commercial kitchen
• Strong knowledge of Italian cuisine and cooking techniques (preferred)
• Proven ability to manage kitchen operations, including food preparation and service
• Experience in supervising and training kitchen staff
• Solid understanding of food safety standards and hygiene practices
• Ability to manage stock, ordering, and cost control effectively
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment