Chef
- Plan and prepare dumpling and hot-dish menu.
- Supervise kitchen staff and manage kitchen operations.
- Ensure food safety and hygiene compliance.
Position: Chef
Type: Full time (38 hours per week)
Employer: The Dumplings Club Canberra Pty Ltd
Location: Phillip ACT 2606
Salary: $80,000+ per annum, exclusive of superannuation
About the Business
The Dumplings Club Canberra Pty Ltd operates a dumpling restaurant on Bradley Street in the Woden town centre, Phillip, at the heart of one of Canberra's busiest southside dining precincts. The restaurant specialises in freshly made dumplings prepared on site, served alongside a broader menu of modern Asian dishes to a steady dine-in and takeaway trade drawn from the surrounding shopping, office and residential areas. The business is a close-knit team of five, led directly by its Director, and it has built its reputation on the freshness of its product, the consistency of its cooking and a lively, welcoming service style. Staff work together across kitchen and front of house in a fast-moving environment where quality, food safety and respect for each other's work are expected of everyone.
About the Position
The Chef is a new full-time position created to take charge of kitchen production at the Bradley Street restaurant. Reporting to the Director, the Chef will plan and prepare the dumpling and hot-dish menu, run service through peak lunch and dinner periods, oversee the kitchen staff on shift, and manage ordering, stock and food-safety compliance in a compact kitchen where every dish is made fresh. In a five-person business, the Chef is central to daily trading: the quality, speed and consistency of the kitchen's output directly determine the restaurant's reputation and turnover, and the role carries real responsibility for cost control, hygiene standards and the training of junior kitchen staff.
Key Responsibilities
- Plan menus and develop dumpling fillings, sauces and hot dishes in consultation with the Director, taking account of seasonal produce, cost and customer demand.
- Prepare, cook and present dumplings and all other menu items to a consistent standard of quality, portion and presentation across every service.
- Coordinate kitchen production during lunch and dinner periods so that dishes are prepared in the correct sequence and sent out promptly during peak trade.
- Supervise and instruct kitchen staff in food preparation, dumpling making, cooking techniques and presentation, and train new kitchen team members.
- Estimate food and labour requirements, order ingredients and supplies from suppliers and manage stock levels, rotation and storage to minimise waste.
- Monitor the quality of dishes at all stages of preparation and presentation, and check the freshness and quality of incoming produce and ingredients.
- Ensure the kitchen operates in accordance with food safety, hygiene and workplace health and safety requirements, including temperature control, allergen management and cleaning schedules.
- Maintain cleanliness of kitchen equipment, work surfaces and storage areas and ensure equipment is used and maintained correctly.
- Discuss food preparation and service issues with the Director and front-of-house staff and resolve customer requests, dietary needs and complaints relating to food.
- Prepare and cost menu items and monitor food costs against budget.
- Freeze and preserve food products where required and demonstrate correct techniques to kitchen staff.
Requirements
- Australian citizens and permanent residents are encouraged to apply.
- A Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery, or a Certificate IV in Kitchen Management together with a Diploma of Hospitality Management.
- At least one year of full-time work experience as a Chef.
- Demonstrated skill in dumpling and Asian-style cooking, menu planning and costing, stock ordering and control, and food safety and hygiene compliance in a commercial kitchen.
- Strong communication and organisational skills, the ability to lead and train kitchen staff, a calm and reliable approach under peak-service pressure, attention to detail, and availability to work a rotating roster including evenings, weekends and public holidays.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit their resume with a valid email address through this online portal. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
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