Head Chef

Why Join Sodexo?

Sodexo is a people business, employing over 400,000 people worldwide and thousands in Australia. Our team play a key role in keeping our sites functioning and well-maintained for village residents' safety, comfort, and well-being. Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it's a chance to be part of something greater because we believe our everyday actions have a big impact. Here's what's on offer:

· Access to fantastic Village facilities and lifestyle options including gyms, fitness classes, pools, tennis courts, and social activities (dependent on Village)

· We offer a competitive salary, many training, upskilling and development opportunities and an outstanding benefits and recognition program

· Great teamwork and a solid group of people around you

What's the role?

Are you passionate about food and are looking for a job opportunity with a lifestyle roster that gives you work-life balance? At Sodexo, we're expanding our team and seeking service-driven individuals to join us as Head Chefs. This is your chance to work with a global food and facilities management company while enjoying the benefits of a 14 days on, 7 days off roster FIFO from Brisbane.

 

What you'll do:

Your role goes beyond the kitchen—you're a vital part of resident wellbeing. Key responsibilities include:

· Building a strong team: taking a hands-on role growing an existing pax camp through a constant expansion over the next 18 months to 1500pax.

· Kitchen and staff management: Lead and supervise a multicultural kitchen team, growing to around 55 team members across three swings, including chefs, kitchen hands, and utilities. This includes rostering, delegation, training, performance management/ development of staff, to build you and your team into the next generation of leaders for our business.

· Meal production: Oversee the preparation and presentation of large-scale industrial volume food production for residents, typically covering breakfast, packed "crib" lunches, and dinner.

· Financial and inventory control: Maintaining strict oversight of kitchen inventory and stock levels through concise ordering and stock rotation, whilst proactively managing waste to ensure cost-effective operations and minimising environmental impacts.

· Quality and safety assurance: Maintain the highest standards of food quality, presentation, and safety. Engage with team members to follow strict hygiene practices and adhere to (HACCP) standards.

· Compliance: Ensure all catering team members, adhere to agreed scope of works, follow company policies and relevant Work Health and Safety (WHS) and food safety regulations.

Qualifications and Experience

If you're an enthusiastic, customer-focused professional with a flair for operational excellence of a high performing kitchen team, we'd love to hear from you. To qualify, you'll need:

· Australian Citizenship, Permanent Residency or full Australian working rights.

· Trade Certificate or Certificate III in Commercial Cookery (at a minimum)

· Proven experience as a head chef, including experience in high-volume, mass-catering environments like remote camps, mining sites, catering or hotels.

· Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills to effectively manage a large kitchen team including both front and back of house operations in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

· Proficiency in all aspects of kitchen operations, including, in depth understanding and hands on experience of HACCP guidelines, cost control, inventory management, and bulk cooking techniques.

· A passion for driving high-quality culinary experiences in remote locations across Tropical North Queensland with uncapped growth potential for senior management roles within a global company.

The ability to work long hours on flexible, rotating rosters (e.g., 2 weeks on, 1 week off) in a remote, tropical and potentially isolated location.