Chef

Role Overview

You will be responsible for the day-to-day preparation and cooking of meals in a hospital food service environment, making sure every plate meets both clinical dietary specifications and expectations for taste and presentation. Your work directly supports patient recovery and staff wellbeing, because safe, nutritious, and reliably served food is a core part of care. This is a hands-on operational role where you will work closely with dietary teams to translate nutritional plans into practical, appetising meals under tight service deadlines.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook menu items for patients, staff, and visitors, following standardised recipes, portion-control guidelines, and each patient’s prescribed nutritional plan.
• Coordinate cooking schedules so that meals are plated and delivered at the correct temperature and within the required service windows.
• Check incoming deliveries against order sheets, verifying quality, quantity, and expiry dates, and promptly flag shortages or damaged stock to the supervising chef or stores team.
• Rotate food inventory using a first-in, first-out approach, and report low stock levels or potential wastage before they become service issues.
• Maintain a spotless work area, sanitise utensils and equipment, and follow all documented infection-control and food-safety protocols, including proper hand-washing and cross-contamination prevention.
• Separate general, organic, and hazardous kitchen waste correctly, and dispose of it according to hospital policy and local environmental rules.
• Communicate regularly with dieticians and nursing staff to adapt meals for modified diets, allergies, or cultural requirements, and escalate any unclear or conflicting instructions.
• Support the training of junior kitchen assistants by demonstrating safe food handling and consistent plating standards.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Diploma in Food and Beverage Production, Food Service Management, or a closely related culinary field.
• A current and valid Food Handlers Certificate from an accredited training provider.
• At least 1 to 3 years of practical cooking experience, preferably in a hospital, aged-care, banquet, or high-volume catering kitchen.
• Working knowledge of therapeutic diets such as diabetic, low-sodium, texture-modified, and allergy-safe meal preparation.
• Solid understanding of HACCP principles, foodborne-illness prevention, and safe temperature-control practices.
• Ability to read and execute recipes accurately while adjusting batch yields without compromising quality.
• Physical stamina to stand for extended periods, lift moderate loads of food supplies, and work in a fast-paced, heat-exposed kitchen environment.
• Strong organisational skills and clear spoken communication for coordinating with dietitians, supervisors, and service staff.