Chef
- Lead the kitchen team and manage all kitchen operations.
- Plan and develop menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Ensure food safety and hygiene standards are maintained.
Position: Chef
Type: Full-time, permanent (38 hours per week)
Employer: Rainbow Beach Australia Pty Ltd trading as The Deck Rainbow Beach
Location: Rainbow Beach QLD 4581
Salary: $80,000 per annum plus superannuation
About the Business
Rainbow Beach Australia Pty Ltd operates four established hospitality and retail businesses at the beach end of Rainbow Beach, Queensland — The Deck Restaurant, The Deck Bar, SPAR Rainbow Beach Supermarket and Salt and Pepper Café — which the company took over on 1 July 2026 and now runs with a team of around 35 staff. Rainbow Beach is the gateway to K’gari, Double Island Point and the Great Sandy National Park, and the town draws a year-round mix of locals, day visitors and holidaymakers, with trade building strongly through the school holidays and summer season. At the heart of the group is The Deck, a beachfront restaurant and bar with two decks and a beer garden looking out over the ocean, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner from a relaxed modern Australian menu to families, large groups and visitors passing through. The business is built on fresh food, friendly service and a welcoming, unhurried coastal atmosphere, and it looks for people who take pride in consistent standards, work well as part of a close team and enjoy the pace of a busy holiday-town venue.
About the Position
The Deck is recruiting a full-time Chef to take charge of its restaurant kitchen following the departure of the previous chef. Reporting directly to the Director and leading a kitchen team of five, the Chef is responsible for the menu, the cost and ordering of everything that comes through the kitchen, the quality and consistency of every dish sent to the decks and beer garden, and the food safety and hygiene standards of the operation across seven-day breakfast, lunch and dinner service. The role carries real weight within the business: with trade swinging sharply between quiet weekdays and fully booked holiday weekends, the Chef’s planning, costing and leadership of the team determine both the guest experience and the kitchen’s contribution to the group’s results.
Key Responsibilities
- Plan and develop breakfast, lunch and dinner menus suited to a beachfront restaurant and bar serving locals, holidaymakers, families and large group bookings, and refresh them with seasonal availability and guest feedback
- Estimate food and labour costs for each menu and service period, set portion sizes and recipe specifications, and keep kitchen expenditure within the budget agreed with the Director
- Order food supplies and kitchen consumables, manage supplier relationships and delivery schedules, check incoming goods for quality and accuracy, and control storage, stock rotation and wastage
- Monitor the quality of dishes at every stage of preparation, cooking and presentation, and ensure consistency and timely service across the restaurant, the decks and the beer garden
- Prepare and cook food during service, demonstrate techniques and advise kitchen staff on cooking and preparation procedures
- Explain and enforce food safety and hygiene regulations throughout the kitchen, maintain the food safety program, cleaning schedules and temperature records, and manage allergen and dietary requirements
- Train, roster, supervise and direct the kitchen team of five, allocate duties for each service, and develop the skills and standards of the team
- Liaise with the Director, bar and floor staff on menu changes, daily specials, dietary requests and service issues so the kitchen and front of house work as one
- Maintain kitchen equipment and work areas, report maintenance needs promptly, and ensure safe work practices are followed at all times
Requirements
- Australian citizens and permanent residents are encouraged to apply.
- A Diploma or higher qualification in commercial cookery, hospitality or a closely related field
- At least one year of experience as a Chef, or in a comparable kitchen leadership role, in a restaurant, hotel or similar commercial kitchen
- Demonstrated skills in menu planning and costing, stock ordering and supplier management, food safety and hygiene compliance, allergen management, kitchen rostering and the administration that keeps a busy kitchen running
- Ability to run a high-volume, seven-day breakfast-to-dinner service with consistent quality and timing during peak holiday trade
- Strong leadership and communication skills, a calm and organised approach under pressure, sound problem-solving, and genuine care for the guest experience
- Availability to work a rotating roster that includes early mornings, evenings, weekends and public holidays in line with the venue’s trading hours
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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