Head Chef

Overview

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Join Ventia in Supporting Australia’s Defence Community

Ventia is a long-standing partner of the Department of Defence, providing integrated Defence infrastructure and asset management support services.

As part of our Defence Base Services contract, Ventia has proudly delivered essential services across military bases nationwide for a decade. We help create safe, efficient, and supportive environments where Defence personnel live, work, and train.

Safety Commitment At Ventia, safety is more than a priority — it’s our way of working. It is our licence to operate and the foundation of our culture. We foster a community where safe work practices are not just spoken about — they are consistently demonstrated in everything we do.

We are committed to maintaining a high-performing, safety-focused environment and seek individuals who actively contribute to this culture. Every team member plays a vital role in upholding our safety standards and ensuring the wellbeing of themselves, their colleagues, and the communities we serve.

What’s on offer

- Ventia have been awarded a 6-year Defence Base Services contract with opportunity for further extension
- Ventia is recognised as a Veteran Employer of Choice by the Australian Government’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- Safety First- At Ventia, we believe that every job should be done right, and that everyone should go home safely at the end of each day.
- Uniform/PPE supplied.
- Access to a variety of health and wellbeing initiatives, including discounted health insurance and our employee assistance program.
- Access to Ventia’s: amazing discounts at over 450 retailers across Australia, including major retail brands

About the role

Ventia is seeking a qualified Head Chef to lead kitchen operations, ensuring food safety, quality, and compliance across diverse settings. The role fosters a culture of safety, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities

- Operational Leadership: Oversee the preparation and delivery of all meal services across multiple Defence sites, ensuring quality, consistency and compliance with Ventia and Defence standards.
- Team Management: Train, develop and lead kitchen teams, manage rosters and payroll, and foster a collaborative, high-performing environment that supports career growth and performance excellence.
- Food Safety & Compliance: Champion Ventia's Food Safety Program and HACCP practices, ensuring robust hygiene, hazard control, documentation and training across all sites.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with the Hospitality and Catering Manager, Mess Committees and compliance teams to align on service expectations, customer satisfaction and event delivery.
- Stock & Resource Management: Manage ordering, stock rotation, storage, inventory controls and wastage practices to ensure efficient and safe operations.
- Security & SHEQ Standards: Uphold Defence security protocols and lead by example in safety, health, environment and quality performance across all kitchen operations.
- Reporting & Continuous Improvement: Monitor feedback, investigate issues, provide operational reports, and implement improvements that support Defence outsourcing objectives and Ventia's values.
- Strategic Coordination: Support Defence surge operations, managing rapid mobilisation of staff and resources during emergency events.

About You

- Qualifications: Hold a recognised Commercial Cookery qualification and Food Safety Supervisor certification (both required).
- Leadership & Operations: Proven experience managing large-volume commercial kitchens with a strong understanding of contract, budget, and quality management.
- Food Safety & Compliance: In-depth knowledge of food safety standards, legislation, regulatory compliance, and HACCP principles.
- Technical Proficiency: Confident using Microsoft Office and related systems, with the ability to learn and teach new digital tools.
- Customer & Team Focus: Committed to service excellence with strong planning, communication, and team collaboration skills in multi-site environments.
- In-depth knowledge of food safety standards, legislation, regulatory compliance, and HACCP principles.
- You are a safety-focused leader who drives accountability and continuous improvement. You coach and empower teams to deliver operational excellence, embedding safety as a core value in every aspect of work. At Ventia, we value leaders who lead by example — fostering a culture where safety is second nature and every team member feels responsible for their own wellbeing and that of others.
- Respectful and inclusive approach to working with diverse communities.
- Hold a current Australian Driver's License & own transport to drive across sites.
- You take pride in delivering high-quality work safely and reliably. You follow established procedures, actively look out for your teammates, and understand that safety is a shared responsibility. You contribute to a culture where safety incidents, near misses, and hazards are reported promptly and constructively.
- Must be eligible to hold a Defence Security Clearance. As a result of this requirement the applicant must be an Australian Citizen and be willing to undertake and maintain a satisfactory Australian Federal Police Check

About Ventia

Ventia is a leading infrastructure services company, operating across Australia and New Zealand. Our clients are the owners and operators of assets that are critical to our local communities. We pride ourselves on working smart, safely and sustainably, harnessing the latest technologies and brightest minds. With a diverse and proud heritage, we have a track record of delivering essential services to the communities in which we operate.

Diversity

Ventia is enriched by the diverse experiences, talents and cultures that our people bring to the organisation, while celebrating and respecting the communities we operate in. We are committed to providing a safe and positive environment that provides equal opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTQIA+, Women, Veterans and spouses and people with disabilities.

How to apply

If you are looking to expand your career with a business that rewards and values its employees, please apply below by clicking on the apply now button.

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