Chef
- Lead the planning, preparation and cooking of food across the restaurant's dine-in service and catering.
- Manage kitchen operations, ensuring quality and consistency in food preparation and presentation.
- Train and supervise kitchen staff while maintaining food safety and hygiene standards.
Position: Chef
Type: Full-time
Employer: SAI 541 Pty Ltd trading as Lala's Kitchen Boronia
Location: Boronia VIC 3155
Salary: $80,000 per annum plus superannuation
About the Business
Lala's Kitchen Boronia is an Indian restaurant and catering business in Melbourne's outer east. It is named after Chef Ashvinbhai Patel, known as "Lalabhai" in Anand, Gujarat, whose family restaurant heritage goes back to 1985, and it pairs authentic regional flavours with a modern setting that stands for quality, comfort, affordability and traditional Indian hospitality. The menu covers Punjabi, Gujarati, Kathiyavadi, Rajasthani and South Indian cooking, as well as Indo-Chinese, Mexican, Italian and Continental dishes, in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian styles, with masalas prepared fresh in house. Alongside à la carte dining, the business offers a fully stocked bar with BYO wine, and caters for corporate bookings, receptions, birthdays, anniversaries and social club events, both at the restaurant and at clients' own venues. It can also coordinate whole events, including décor, venue selection, cakes, photography and music, through accredited partners. The close-knit team works on a family-style, hands-on basis where every dish and every guest matters.
About the Position
The Chef leads the planning, preparation and cooking of food across the restaurant's dine-in service, banquet menus and off-site catering. The role reports directly to the Director. It sets and maintains the standard of every plate that leaves the kitchen, from everyday à la carte orders to large reception and corporate functions. With a small team and a broad multi-regional menu, the Chef is central to menu planning, costing and ordering, kitchen hygiene and food safety, and the training and direction of kitchen staff. This keeps quality consistent and the operation profitable as function and catering work grows.
Key Responsibilities
- Plan and develop à la carte, banquet and catering menus across the restaurant's regional Indian and international offering, including vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.
- Estimate food and labour costs for menus, functions and catering quotes, and help set menu pricing that protects margins.
- Order food supplies, spices and kitchen consumables, manage stock levels and stock rotation, and liaise with suppliers on quality, price and delivery.
- Prepare and cook dishes to recipe and presentation standards, including preparing fresh masalas, marinades, sauces and breads.
- Monitor the quality of dishes at every stage of preparation and presentation, and adjust flavour, spice level and portioning to meet guest requests and dietary needs.
- Show kitchen staff the correct cooking techniques and advise on cooking procedures, recipes and plating standards.
- Organise and direct kitchen operations during service, functions and off-site catering events so that orders are timely and accurate.
- Explain and enforce food safety, hygiene and workplace health and safety requirements, including temperature control, allergen management, cleaning schedules and food safety records.
- Plan, prepare and pack food for off-site catering, including safe transport, holding and service at client venues.
- Freeze, store and preserve food correctly to minimise waste and maintain quality.
- Help select kitchen staff, and train, roster and supervise cooks and kitchen hands.
- Maintain kitchen equipment and report maintenance and repair needs promptly.
Requirements
- Australian citizens and permanent residents are encouraged to apply.
- Certificate III in Commercial Cookery and Certificate IV in Kitchen Management.
- At least one year of experience as a Chef.
- Strong knowledge of Indian regional cooking methods, including tandoor, curry, spice-blending and vegetarian techniques, and the ability to produce a broad menu consistently.
- Ability to cost recipes and menus, order stock and control food and labour costs.
- Sound working knowledge of Victorian food safety and hygiene requirements, allergen management and food safety record keeping.
- Experience planning and producing food for banquets, functions or off-site catering.
- Clear communication and leadership skills, with the ability to train and motivate a small kitchen team.
- Calm, organised and able to solve problems in a busy service environment.
- Availability to work evenings, weekends and public holidays as the roster and events require.
How to Apply
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