Head Chef

Position Description 

Reporting to the General Manager of Operations (GMO), you will lead the day-to-day delivery of Food Services across YDHS, ensuring safe, consistent, high-quality meals and service in line with the YDHS Food Safety Plan, relevant legislation, and HACCP principles.

This is a leadership role requiring a suitably qualified Chef with strong Head Chef capability - able to run a structured, high-standard kitchen and build a positive, accountable team culture. You will work closely with and report regularly to the GMO on performance, staffing, budgeting, compliance, and improvement priorities.

You will also build and deliver menus based on YDHS’s approved Aged Care meal roster, ensuring meals reflect the tastes and preferences of our residents and meet all dietary requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the kitchen team and maintain high standards of quality, hygiene, presentation and professionalism
• Deliver meals that are consistent, well-cooked and thoughtfully presented, with residents’ experience as the key measure
• Build and deliver menus aligned to the approved Aged Care meal roster, incorporating resident preferences and feedback
• Ensure meals meet dietary and texture needs where required, without compromising quality or presentation
• Oversee food safety systems (cleaning schedules, temperature control, storage, allergens) and ensure incident reporting when required
• Manage rosters, leave coverage, delegation, coaching and performance follow-up
• Lead ordering and stock control, minimise waste, monitor cost pressures, and maintain strong supplier coordination with GMO oversight
• Provide regular updates to the GMO and escalate risks promptly (food safety, equipment failure, supply disruption)
• Maintain accurate records and documentation for audits and operational governance

Key Selection Criteria

Mandatory:

• Cert IV Commercial Cookery and/or Cert IV Kitchen Management (or equivalent)
• Head Chef / Senior Chef / Kitchen Manager experience (leadership, compliance, workflow, costs)
• High-volume/institutional catering experience
• Team leadership experience (rostering, supervision, coaching)
• Strong admin capability (rosters, records, supplier coordination)
• Sound knowledge of food safety legislation and HACCP

Desirable:

• Healthcare/aged care/hospital experience; continuous improvement/waste reduction initiatives.

• Current Victorian Driver’s Licence

Relevant information

YDHS is responsible for employing and contracting applicants who meet stringent community and public and public sector expectations. Applicants shall be required to provide and maintain:

• An original National Police Record Check completed within the last twelve (12) months prior to commencement.
• An employee Working with Children Check.
• A NDIS Worker Screening Check.
• Relevant professional registrations.
• Complete a Pre-existing injury declaration form.
• Undergo any other relevant checks, education or licencing as directed at own cost.

What’s on offer 

• Diverse service.
• Salary packaging up to $9,000 per annum.
• Meals/Entertainment benefit up to $2,650 per annum.

• Free access to a brand-new state of the art, onsite gymnasium.
• Brand new onsite Cafe.
• Experienced and friendly team to offer support at all times.
• Access to continuing professional development to improve skills and knowledge.
• Beautiful location - Yarram is a major hub for surrounding areas. 

How to apply

If you would enjoy the variety of this role and the close-knit community this township has to offers, we want to hear from you! For more information about this position, please contact Stacey O’Neill – Human Resources Manager on 03 5182 0279 or via email: humanresources@ydhs.com.au. Please click here for a copy of the Position Description

Join us in our quest to provide exceptional healthcare services to our local community. Apply today and make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families. Please click the APPLY button for direct application. Applications should include a cover letter addressing the Key Selection Criteria and current resume.
Applications close: Sunday 13th September 2026

About us

The Yarram and District Health Service (YDHS) is based in Yarram, 220 kilometers southeast of Melbourne on the South Gippsland Highway in rural Victoria. Yarram is 73 kilometers southwest of Sale and 62 kilometers southeast of Traralgon.

We provide our community with Acute Inpatient services, Dialysis, Urgent Care, Aged Care, Respite Care, Primary Health, Community Services, and an Integrated Health Care Centre. Our consumers and community are at the core of every decision we make. YDHS is committed to the Child Safe Standards.

YDHS want to attract and retain the best staff to provide an exceptional service to our community. We promote and develop opportunities for people to contribute to and encourage innovation, leadership, and collaboration. We are committed to making YDHS a Centre of Excellence in everything we do.

Before commencement, the successful applicant will:

Provide an original National Police Record Check – no older than twelve (12) months, an Employee Working with Children Check, be willing to apply for and pass a NDIS Workers Screening Check, a current season influenza vaccine (if applicable to work area), unless a valid medical exemption applies and complete a Pre-existing injury declaration form.

Diversity and inclusion

We embrace workforce diversity and actively encourage applications from across our community including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with linguistically diverse backgrounds, people of all genders and gender identities and people with disabilities.