Head Kitchen Role At Awastone

We're on the lookout for an experienced, reliable chef to lead our kitchen at Awastone - a riverside campground, licensed café and adventure hub on the Rangitikei River, right on SH1 between Wellington and Taupo.

This is a hands-on kitchen role. You'll be the one running the pass and setting the pace through our busy periods - not a Michelin-star chef, just a genuinely good cook who knows their way around a busy commercial kitchen, cooks kiwi kai with aroha, and doesn't take themselves too seriously while doing it!


What you'll be doing:

• Leading the kitchen - running service, keeping things consistent and on track, especially through our busiest periods
• Cooking & service - our "classic kiwi café style" menu and cabinet food, plus catering for groups and schools
• Menu input - helping shape the summer menu and cabinet food, bringing your own ideas to the table, we welcome your creativity!
• Food safety - supporting our Food Control Plan and keeping on top of the basics
• Ordering & stock - helping manage kitchen ordering, and working with our front of house team to keep supplies stocked
• Rostering support - a hand in shaping the kitchen roster where needed
• Team consistency - making sure the kitchen runs the same way whether you're on shift or not, and bringing the rest of the team up with you

What we're looking for:

• Commercial kitchen experience - we need someone who's already comfortable leading a kitchen through a busy service, not learning on the job
• Calm under pressure, good with people, and happy to roll with the ups and downs of a small, seasonal kitchen
• An eye for detail and cleanliness - we take pride in what we serve
• Someone who genuinely enjoys good, honest food and isn't precious about it
• Available October through to April/May - a long term role could be discussed based on skills etc, as well as job sharing with others in the area.

What you'll get:

• A cool workplace and lifestyle next to the river with plenty of activities around
• Affordable onsite accommodation - solo, couples or friends
• Food & drink discounts, plus access to rafting/kayaking trips - maybe learn to kayak?!
• A chill, family-run environment where your ideas are welcome and your effort is noticed

Sound like you? Get in touch with a bit about your experience and availability - we look forward to hearing from you!