MAYLANDS HOTEL | HEAD CHEF 

• Lead a high-volume kitchen at one of Adelaide’s best venues

• Build, mentor, and develop a passionate team, with real leadership impact

• Competitive salary package and excellent support

WHERE MAKING OTHERS FEEL GOOD, FEELS GREAT! ✨

Welcome to Maylands Hotel — one of Adelaide’s most iconic and beautifully renovated hospitality venues.

Blending old-world charm with a modern dining experience, the Maylands Hotel is known for exceptional food, genuine hospitality, and a buzzing atmosphere. With a busy bistro, premium functions and events, and a strong local following, this is a venue that takes pride in delivering quality at every level.

As part of Matthews Hospitality Group, we’ve proudly operated hotels across South Australia for over 80 years. We believe in empowering our people, developing talent, and creating hospitality experiences that guests genuinely remember.

We are now searching for an experienced and highly driven Head Chef to lead our kitchen team and continue elevating the Maylands food offering 🍽️🔥

ABOUT THE ROLE 👀

This is a true leadership role for a hands-on Head Chef who thrives in a high-volume, high-standard kitchen environment.

We are looking for someone who leads from the front — whether that’s running the pass during peak service, coaching junior chefs through a busy shift, improving systems and standards, or building a strong and accountable kitchen culture.

This role is not just about cooking great food. It’s about leading, mentoring, developing, and building a high-performing team that consistently delivers exceptional service and quality.

You will work closely with venue leadership and the wider Matthews Hospitality operations team to drive kitchen performance, training, consistency, and operational excellence across the venue.

Your day-to-day may include:

• Leading a busy, high-performing kitchen through fast-paced service periods

• Training, mentoring, and developing chefs and kitchen attendants

• Building kitchen capability, succession pathways, and service standards

• Leading from the pass and maintaining calm, organised service flow

• Managing ordering, stock control, food costings, and supplier relationships

• Designing and executing fresh, modern, seasonal menus

• Rostering and labour management in line with business needs

• Driving consistency, presentation, and food quality standards

• Maintaining exceptional kitchen organisation and prioritisation standards

• Ensuring compliance with food safety, HACCP, and WHS requirements

• Creating a positive, professional, and accountable kitchen culture

ABOUT YOU 💫

You are an experienced hospitality leader with a strong restaurant background and a clear understanding of what high standards genuinely look like.

You know how to lead teams under pressure, build structure in a kitchen, and develop people into better chefs and stronger hospitality professionals.

Most importantly, you are organised, proactive, commercially aware, and passionate about building a kitchen team that consistently performs at a high level.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef in a high-volume, high-standard venue

• Strong background in premium restaurant, gastro pub, or elevated dining environments

• Trade qualifications in Commercial Cookery

• Exceptional leadership, communication, and people development skills

• A genuine passion for training, mentoring, and developing kitchen teams

• Strong organisational and prioritisation abilities

• Experience managing kitchen operations, labour, food costings, and stock control

• Confidence leading fast-paced services from the pass

• Excellent understanding of food safety, compliance, and kitchen systems

• A calm, solutions-focused leadership style under pressure

• A hands-on attitude and willingness to lead by example every shift

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT HERE ❤️

• Base salary of $90,000 – $105,000 commensurate with experience

• Join one of Adelaide’s most respected and beautifully renovated hospitality venues

• Lead a strong and passionate kitchen team

• Career progression opportunities across Matthews Hospitality venues

• Work closely with experienced venue and operations leaders

• Staff discounts, meal perks, and salary sacrifice options

• Be part of a supportive family-owned hospitality group with genuine values

• Opportunity to make a real impact on kitchen culture, standards, and team development

APPLY NOW & NEXT STEPS 📩

ONLINE: Have your current resume and a tailored cover letter ready to upload and complete all application questions.
IN PERSON: Feel free to drop your resume into the hotel and introduce yourself to the team!

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for a phone interview and may be invited to complete a face-to-face interview and kitchen trial.

You must have full Australian working rights to apply.

We can’t wait to hear from you! 👨‍🍳🔥