At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and mentor kitchen teams across diverse venues while developing creative menus.
- Company: Established Canberra hospitality group with a dynamic and supportive culture.
- Benefits: Opportunity for real ownership, variety, and impact in a senior leadership role.
- Other info: Hands-on role requiring calm leadership and problem-solving skills under pressure.
- Why this job: Make a difference in multiple kitchens and influence food direction across venues.
- Qualifications: Proven experience as an Executive Chef or senior multi-site kitchen leader.
The predicted salary is between 66150 - 80850 $ per year.
We are an established Canberra hospitality group seeking an experienced Group Executive Head Chef to lead and support multiple kitchen teams across a diverse venue portfolio.
This is a hands‑on leadership role suited to someone who can move confidently between high‑volume casual dining, functions and events, and casual fine dining.
The role requires strong operational discipline, creative menu development, commercial awareness, calm leadership, and the ability to build trust across multiple teams.
This is not a role for someone who wants to sit behind a keyboard.
We are looking for a chef who is present in the kitchens, visible to the team, and willing to step in where needed.
About the role
The Group Executive Head Chef will work across multiple kitchens, supporting venue chefs and kitchen teams with day‑to‑day operations, menu development, kitchen systems, supplier relationships, rostering, training and culture.
You will be responsible for maintaining consistency, improving kitchen performance, mentoring staff, managing food and kitchen staff costs, and ensuring food quality is delivered across regular service, functions, events and seasonal dining offers.
This role will suit someone who is commercially sharp, highly organised, calm under pressure, and genuinely invested in developing people.
Key responsibilities
- Lead, support and mentor kitchen teams across multiple venues
- Oversee food quality, consistency, presentation and kitchen standards
- Develop seasonal menus across casual dining, functions and elevated casual dining
- Manage menu costing, COGS, stock control and wastage reduction
- Build and maintain strong supplier relationships
- Manage kitchen rostering in line with service needs, labour budgets and operational demands
- Work with venue leadership to improve systems, workflow and service delivery
- Support recruitment, onboarding, training and development of kitchen staff
- Build a positive, respectful and accountable kitchen culture
- Provide hands‑on support during busy periods, functions and key services
- Identify problems quickly and implement practical solutions
- Ensure compliance with food safety, WHS and hygiene standards
- Work collaboratively with owners, managers and front‑of‑house teams
About you
- You are an experienced senior chef who understands the pressure of kitchens.
You can think on your feet, solve problems in real time, and remain calm when service is under pressure.
- Has proven experience as an Executive Chef or senior multi‑site kitchen leader
- Is comfortable working across functions, casual dining and refined casual food
- Has strong menu development and costing experience
- Understands COGS, labour, rostering, stock control, wastage and kitchen profitability
- Can manage supplier relationships professionally and commercially
- Can think quickly and solve problems without panic
- Remains calm, composed and practical under pressure
- Can mentor chefs and junior staff
- Is prepared to be hands‑on and present with the team
- Communicates well with both kitchen and front‑of‑house leaders
- Takes ownership, follows through and is comfortable with accountability
- Why this role
This is an opportunity to take on a senior leadership position across a varied hospitality operation.
You will have the ability to influence menus, suppliers, systems, team development, cost controls and the overall food direction across multiple venues.
For the right person, this is a role with real ownership, variety and impact.
All applications will be treated confidentially.
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Group Executive Head Chef in Canberra employer: at
At ALH Hotels, we pride ourselves on being a vibrant and inclusive workplace where every team member is valued. As an Assistant Manager at the Sail and Anchor, you'll not only enjoy competitive benefits like discounts across our brands and comprehensive wellbeing support, but you'll also have the opportunity to grow your career within the Endeavour Group network. Join us in creating a welcoming atmosphere for locals while developing your leadership skills in a dynamic pub environment.
