Chef

Position: Chef

Type: Full-time, permanent — 38 hours per week

Employer: Md Nazimul Haque trading as Madhumoti Restaurant

Location: Footscray, Victoria

Salary: $80,000 per annum, exclusive of superannuation

About the Business

Madhumoti Restaurant is a Bangladeshi and Indian restaurant in Footscray that has been feeding Melbourne's western suburbs since 2005. Its kitchen prepares a broad menu of traditional Bangladeshi and Indian dishes — curries, tandoor items, biryani, rice dishes and breads — from fresh ingredients and long-established recipes, and the business runs a dine-in restaurant alongside a catering service for parties, family functions and other events. With a team of eleven and the owner working alongside staff every day, it is a close, hands-on operation in which the authenticity and consistency of what leaves the kitchen come first. The business values respect for traditional cooking methods, genuine hospitality, reliability through busy service, and a supportive kitchen where every member of the team takes pride in their craft.

About the Position

This is an additional Chef position created to strengthen an established kitchen team as the restaurant's dine-in trade and function catering continue to grow. The Chef reports directly to the owner, supervises four kitchen staff, and carries day-to-day responsibility for menu planning, food preparation and cooking, costing and portion control, and the standard of every dish served in the restaurant or sent out to a catered event. In a single-site business of this size it is a senior kitchen role: the Chef plans and costs ahead of service, leads the brigade from the pass during it, and holds the kitchen to the hygiene and food safety standards the business is accountable for.

Key Responsibilities

Plan and develop menus for the restaurant and for catered parties, family functions and events, including seasonal and special-occasion offerings.

Estimate food and labour costs, order food supplies and ingredients, and maintain stock levels and supplier relationships.

Prepare and cook the full range of traditional Bangladeshi and Indian dishes on the menu, including curries, tandoor items, biryani, rice dishes and breads, using fresh ingredients and traditional methods.

Prepare and maintain spice blends, marinades, curry bases and sauces to a consistent standard.

Monitor the quality of dishes at every stage of preparation, cooking and presentation, and check plates before they leave the kitchen.

Regulate the temperature of ovens, grills, tandoors and other cooking equipment and oversee cooking times so that dishes are properly and safely cooked.

Supervise, direct and roster four kitchen staff, allocating sections and tasks across dine-in service and catering production.

Demonstrate cooking techniques and advise kitchen staff on preparation and cooking procedures, and select and train new kitchen staff.

Discuss food preparation, menu changes, dietary and allergen requirements and customer feedback with the owner, kitchen staff and front-of-house staff.

Explain and enforce hygiene and food safety requirements, including temperature monitoring, cleaning schedules, allergen controls and correct storage and labelling.

Freeze, preserve and correctly store foods, and manage stock rotation to control wastage.

Plan and coordinate kitchen production for catering orders and functions alongside ordinary restaurant service.

Maintain the cleanliness, order and safe operation of the kitchen and its equipment, and report maintenance and repair needs to the owner.

Requirements

Australian citizens and permanent residents are encouraged to apply.

Certificate III in Commercial Cookery.

Certificate IV in Kitchen Management.

A minimum of one year of relevant experience as a Chef.

Demonstrated skill in Bangladeshi and Indian cookery, including tandoor work, spice blending, curry bases, biryani and breads.

Working knowledge of food safety and hygiene requirements, including temperature control and record keeping, allergen management, safe storage and cleaning schedules.

Practical ability in menu planning, costing, ordering, portion control and stock management.

Proven ability to supervise, train and roster kitchen staff and to keep a small brigade working to time through a busy service.

Strong communication skills and the ability to work closely with the owner, kitchen staff and front-of-house staff.

Sound judgement and problem solving under service pressure, with close attention to detail and consistency.

Availability to work a rotating roster including evenings, weekends and public holidays.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit their resume, including a valid email address, through this online portal. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.