Head Chef | THE ALBIE
Albert Town, Wānaka | Full-time | Kitchen leadership role
About the role
We're after an experienced, hands-on Sous Chef to take ownership of our kitchen — great food, high standards, effective ordering and a tight knit team. You'll work closely with our owners and front-of-house leaders to keep the kitchen consistent, well-run, and a great place to work.
This is a role for someone who genuinely loves running a kitchen — you cook well, lead well, and treat a full house on a Saturday night as a chance to show what a well-run pass looks like, all while having a good laugh with the team.
What you'll be doing
Cooking and overseeing dishes to recipe and presentation standard, with regular checks to keep portions and plating consistent
Planning menus across our Sports Bar, Restaurant and Takeaway offerings that balance great food with sensible food costs
Reviewing customer feedback and acting on it to keep standards moving forward
Managing food safety and hygiene in line with our Food Safety Plan
Monitoring stock levels and managing ordering, inventory, and supplier relationships
Keeping the kitchen clean, organised, and safe
Leading, training, and rostering the kitchen team, and setting the tone for how we work under pressure
Minimising food waste through smart portion control and stock management
Working hands-on alongside the team during service, especially at peak times
What we're looking for
Proven experience as a Sous Chef ready to grow
Solid food safety and hygiene knowledge, with relevant certification
Confidence with stock control, ordering, and managing suppliers
A natural leader who can train, motivate, and get the best out of a kitchen team
Strong organisational skills — able to run prep, ordering, rostering, and service without dropping the ball
A genuine cook who cares about quality, presentation, and consistency
A calm head under pressure, and a team player at heart
What's on offer
A competitive salary, based on experience. Between $30 and $40 per hour
A genuine leadership role in a busy, community-loved local
The chance to shape the menu and kitchen culture at The Albie
A supportive ownership team and a close-knit crew
Living and working in Albert Town, right on Wānaka's doorstep — trails, lake, and mountains at your back door
About us
The Albie is Albert Town's local pub. A proper local, where tradies and adventurers alike debrief at the end of a long day, families grab a decent feed without driving into Wānaka, where our community gathers for games and events, and where visitors get a genuine taste of what makes this part of the world magic.
Under one roof we run three spaces — Sports Bar, Restaurant Bar, and Takeaway Shop — all fed from the one big kitchen. We’re open seven days. 2pm - 10pm Monday to Thursday and midday - 10pm Friday - Sunday. It's a busy, honest pub kitchen: burgers, pizza, steak, schnitzel, salads and locally sourced specials. All done well and priced fairly. We're not trying to be everything to everyone — we're trying to be exactly the right thing for the people who live here and love it here, and our kitchen is a big part of that.
How to apply
Click apply now and send us your CV, along with a short note about why you're the right fit for The Albie kitchen. We'd love to hear from you.