Head Chef | Mercure Centro Port Macquarie & Birdrock Bar & Grill

Lead the complete culinary operation of an award-winning hotel, premium restaurant and growing events destination.

Mercure Centro Port Macquarie is seeking an experienced and commercially minded Head Chef to take ownership of all culinary operations across the hotel, including Birdrock Bar & Grill, conferences, weddings, functions, breakfast and in-room dining.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership role for a chef who can deliver exceptional food while building a strong team, improving systems and driving the commercial performance of a diverse food and beverage operation.

The opportunity

Working closely with the General Manager and Food & Beverage leadership team, you will shape the direction of our culinary offering and lead its day-to-day delivery.

You will be responsible for food quality, menu development, kitchen culture, labour management, food costs, purchasing, compliance and profitability. You’ll have the autonomy to lead your kitchen, supported by an experienced hotel and wider group leadership team.

What you’ll be responsible for

Culinary direction and guest experience

Lead all culinary operations across Birdrock Bar & Grill, breakfast, conferences, weddings, functions and in-room dining

Develop menus and seasonal specials that reflect Birdrock’s premium coastal positioning and the hotel’s broader market

Maintain outstanding standards of food quality, presentation and consistency

Work collaboratively with the restaurant, functions and hotel teams to deliver memorable guest experiences

Contribute to promotions, packages and events that increase revenue while protecting guest value and profitability

People and culture

Recruit, train, mentor and develop a skilled and diverse kitchen team

Create a positive, professional and accountable kitchen culture

Establish clear standards and build capability through coaching, communication and performance management

Lead from the front while developing a team that can perform consistently across multiple service periods

Commercial performance

Take ownership of food cost, labour cost, gross profit and other key kitchen performance measures

Prepare effective rosters based on forecasts, bookings and business demand

Manage ordering, portion control, waste, stock rotation and supplier relationships

Complete accurate stocktakes and maintain reliable inventory and cost reporting

Maintain recipe cards, purchasing, stock control and invoice records through Cooking the Books

Provide commercial input into menu pricing, specials and promotional offers

Operations and compliance

Ensure full compliance with food safety, HACCP and workplace health and safety requirements

Maintain a clean, organised and efficient kitchen operation

Coordinate preventative maintenance, equipment repairs and replacement requirements

Continually identify opportunities to improve kitchen efficiency, service delivery and profitability

What you’ll bring

Proven experience as a Head Chef or senior culinary leader in a hotel, high-volume restaurant or premium hospitality venue

Strong commercial acumen and demonstrated success managing food costs, labour and kitchen profitability

Experience delivering across multiple food and beverage channels, ideally including restaurant dining, breakfast and events

A proven ability to recruit, lead and develop a high-performing kitchen team

A calm, positive and accountable leadership style

Excellent planning, organisational and communication skills

Strong knowledge of food safety legislation and industry best practice

Relevant trade and culinary qualifications

Full, unrestricted Australian working rights

Experience using Cooking the Books or a comparable stock and recipe-management platform will be highly regarded

What we offer

Competitive salary package based on experience

A five-day working week and a genuine commitment to sustainable work-life balance

Creative input into menus and the future direction of the hotel’s food offering

Autonomy to lead the culinary operation, supported by an experienced management team

Flower Hotels staff benefits

Accor Heartist accommodation rates and employee discounts worldwide

Professional development and career opportunities across both Flower Hotels and Accor

The opportunity to live and work in the heart of Port Macquarie

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to lead more than a restaurant kitchen. You’ll take ownership of the complete culinary operation of Mercure Centro Port Macquarie and help shape the next phase of Birdrock Bar & Grill, our functions business and the wider hotel food offering.

If you’re an accomplished chef who combines culinary passion with strong leadership and commercial discipline, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now with your résumé and a brief cover letter outlining your leadership experience and approach to running a successful kitchen.