Lead the Kitchen. Shape the Experience. Make Every Meal Matter.
Food is an important part of the care and experience we provide at Beechworth Health Service. We are looking for an experienced Head Chef to lead our kitchen team and help us deliver meals that are safe, nutritious, enjoyable and responsive to the individual needs and preferences of our residents and patients.
This is a hands-on leadership role combining three kitchen production days with one protected administration day each week. You will lead and support the kitchen team while remaining actively involved in the preparation and production of meals.
As Head Chef, you will take the lead on kitchen operations, food safety, menu and recipe development, procurement, stock and cost management, workforce planning and continuous improvement. You will work closely with our Dining Experience Supervisor, Dietitian, nursing, clinical and lifestyle teams to ensure meals meet dietary and texture requirements while also delivering on quality, taste, presentation and consumer choice.
This is an opportunity to do more than manage a kitchen. You will have the scope to develop menus, improve systems, build the capability of the team and influence how food services continue to evolve at BHS.
Essential
- Formal chef/cooking qualifications and a minimum of four years' experience in a commercial kitchen.
- Current Food Handling Certificate.
- Accreditation in a recognised Food Safety and Occupational Hygiene course, including qualifications required to undertake the designated Food Safety Supervisor responsibilities of the role.
- Demonstrated knowledge of contemporary food-safety requirements and experience implementing and monitoring a Food Safety Program.
- Demonstrated experience supervising and developing kitchen staff, including rostering, workforce allocation, coaching and performance oversight.
- Demonstrated experience in large-scale food production, including special diets, allergen management and texture-modified foods.
- Demonstrated experience in ordering, stock control, supplier coordination and food-cost management.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and standardise menus and recipes.
- Strong organisational, problem-solving and time-management skills.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and teamwork skills.
- Demonstrated commitment to person-centred service and continuous improvement.
Desirable
- Experience as a Head Chef or senior chef within a health service, residential aged care facility or comparable institutional food-service environment.
- Experience with Simple Foods, Chefmax or similar menu and food-service management software.
- Experience working collaboratively with Dietitians and clinical teams.
- Financial management and budget experience.
- Experience participating in accreditation, regulatory or food-safety audits.
- First Aid Certificate.
Beechworth Health Service (BHS) is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and follows Equal Employment Opportunity Principles. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, all members of the LGBTQI+ community and people with disability.
BHS is committed to its child safety and wellbeing obligations as defined under the Commission for Children and Young peoples’ standards (2021) and associated legislation (Child Wellbeing and Safety act 2005). BHS will affirm and uphold the Commission’s Child Safe Standards, and will promote a zero tolerance for child abuse.
BHS is committed to meeting its obligations under the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and NDIS Commission to support the workforce to provide the care and services that upholds the relevant codes of conduct.
Employment conditions and remuneration are as prescribed in the relevant award (dependent upon qualification) and current Enterprise Agreement.
For more information please contact Sarah Bartsh on 03 5728 0200.
Applications Close: 7th September 2026
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