Head Pastry Chef

Smith + Deli

About Us

Great food that happens to be plant based!

Smith + Deli - @smithanddeli - opened in 2015 as a New York deli-meets-bodega inspired plant-based sandwich shop and providore. Re-launched seven years later in Collingwood alongside sister restaurant, Smith + Daughters, the new spot has become Australia’s biggest plant-based destination.

Owner Shannon Martinez - @shannon_martinez - has been making food more accessible for much of her career. As arguably Australia's best-known proponent of plant-based cooking, she's devoted to the idea that plant-based food should be delicious and attractive to anyone, regardless of the diet they follow.

Our fridges are filled with ready-made meals, cheeses, and specialty goods. The coffee machine is locked and loaded, with every imaginable alt-milk ready to go. In addition to pantry staples, the shelves are also filled with items from our popular merch range.

The pastry case is the home of Shannon’s famous baked goods including croissants, cinnamon & cardamom doughnuts, glazed doughnuts, almond croissants, brownies and a rotating range of cookies, blondies, scrolls, and more!

There's a bottle shop, and an ever-expanding grocery offering and sometimes obscure array of plant-based products to enhance cooking at home.

The Position

We are looking for a hands-on, qualified pastry chef to head up the day to day tasks of the pastry team, as well as some wholesale production. You will train alongside our Assistant Head Pastry Chef to ensure the high standards of our plant based products are met.

You love food, using the freshest, quality ingredients and pushing the boundaries to create classic dishes with a plant based spin, but most of all you love cooking and being part of a team that genuinely enjoys providing a hospitality experience that people talk about. You:

Have proven experience with cake decorating and pastry lamination

Have experience leading a team

Can follow instructions, recipes and portion control impeccably to maintain consistency and quality control, and adhere to food costings

Have the ability to work alone once trained/instructed clearly on new tasks.

Be able to manage hands on cooking time with the required administrative tasks applicable to the job e.g. ordering, food costings

Time manage yourself well, as well as multitask to ensure production times are met.

Have a high level of hygiene and cleanliness as you work.

The Successful Candidate

We are looking for someone that genuinely loves food and will be committed to sharing the journey with us and the team at Smith + Deli . The successful candidate must:

Have experience in a pastry role, with the ability to quickly learn and work alone.

Be able to demonstrate your experiences in alignment with the details outlined above in “The Position”,

An excitement to learn plant based food and take on feedback about your quality of work,

A current Food Safety Supervisor certification (preferred but not essential).

A desire to expand and grow with us as we add an exciting and already committed pipeline of wholesale customers throughout 2025 and beyond.

Be available to work full time, from Tuesday through to Sunday (days worked will be discussed and negotiated once successful).