Head Chef

Macksville, nestled in the Nambucca Valley on the Mid North Coast of NSW, offers a relaxed lifestyle with a strong sense of community, nestled between river, coast and hinterland. Living standards are bolstered by essential services — including a modern hospital, retail and commercial amenities, well-planned residential areas.

In terms of entertainment and outdoor recreation, there’s plenty on offer for Macksville is a scenic, friendly town balancing peaceful living with good recreational and cultural amenities.

The Macksville Ex-Services Club is seeking an experienced and motivated Head Chef to lead our busy kitchen team. This is an exciting opportunity to showcase your culinary expertise, creativity, and leadership skills in a well-established community club.

The Club has all the facilities normally expected of a club of its size with a growing membership and strong tourist visitation. The club has 2 kitchens; 1 servicing the Bistro and Café and the other servicing functions in the 250 pax capacity auditorium. Combined seating capacity of the Bistro, café, sports bar and alfresco area exceeds 220 pax.

The Catering team has a current staff of 16 including both back and front of house.

About the Role:

As Head Chef, you will be responsible for the overall management of the kitchen, including:

• Design, cost and deliver a modern high-quality menu that caters to members and guests, preparing menus that meets our customer demographic and any dietary preferences.

• With a hands-on approach, you will contribute to menu planning, manage kitchen workflow and section coordination, devise daily/weekly specials, and manage functions to drive business and grow customer satisfaction.

• Conduct seasonal menu planning that is timely and on trend, up to 4 times per year.

• Managing and training kitchen staff to ensure smooth, efficient operations.

• Training & mentoring apprentices.

• Maintaining food safety, hygiene, and WHS compliance standards.

• Overseeing stock control, ordering, and cost management to achieve budget targets.

• Liaise with food suppliers and ensure the Club is receiving food that meets specifications for quality, consistency and best price.

What We’re Looking For:

• Minimum five years’ experience in a Head Chef or senior kitchen leadership role.

• Strong leadership and communication skills to inspire and manage a team.

• Proven ability to deliver consistent, high-quality meals in a fast-paced environment.

• Knowledge of modern food trends, with the ability to adapt to customer preferences.

• Demonstrated skills in kitchen financial management, including stock and wastage control.

• Proven ability to manage food costs and kitchen labour costs to budget.

• A Head Chef who represents management well, who believes food is a point of difference for the Club, welcomes challenges and is proud of the food they produce.

• A genuine desire to raise the profile of the food at the Club, fostering a favourable reputation in the local community for quality, consistency and high standards.

• Relevant trade qualifications (Cert IV preferred) and current Food Safety certification.

What We Offer:

• A supportive and professional working environment.

• A respectful staff culture where managed temperaments and absent egos succeed.

• Competitive remuneration package.

• Opportunity to contribute to the continued success of a respected community club.

• Scope for creativity in menu development, event catering opportunities and future kitchen redevelopment.

If you are a passionate and experienced Head Chef looking for your next challenge, we’d love to hear from you.

How to Apply:

Please forward your application, including a cover letter and resume outlining your experience and qualifications, to: [email protected]

Paul Clarke

Chief Executive Officer

Macksville Ex Services Club