Cookatoo Recruitment logo
1 day ago
Full-time
On-site
Dunsborough, Western Australia, Australia
$8,000,090,000 - $8,000,090,000 USD yearly

Job description

🚀 Join the Culinary Excellence at Occy’s Brewing Co.

Company: Occy’s Brewing Co.

Location: Dunsborough

Position: Full-time Sous Chef leading into Head Chef Position

Salary: $80,000–$90,000 depending on experience

Hours: Full-Time 38–40 hours/week with reasonable overtime (typically up to 45hrs, reflected in salary positioning)

Website:

Instagram: occysdunsborough

Application Deadline: ASAP preferred, flexible for the right person

🌊 About Occy’s

Tucked in the heart of Dunsborough’s main street, Occy’s Brewing Co. is one of the South West’s most beloved local institutions. Family-owned and fiercely independent, we brew 18 craft beers on-site from our working solar-powered farm (using rainwater exclusively), distil our own white rum, gin and tequila, and serve Australian-only seafood alongside seasonal local produce — with full table service, which is a genuine rarity in this part of the world. We’re dog-friendly, kid-friendly, and half indoors, half outdoors with a main street vista that makes it one of the best seats in the South West. Our philosophy is simple: military discipline behind the scenes enables a genuinely relaxed, memorable experience for every guest who walks through our doors. We don’t chase volume. We chase connection — educating customers, expanding palates, and building a loyal community one conversation at a time.

🎯The Role

  • After an extended search, we’re looking for a Sous Chef Leading into a Head Chef role who genuinely gets it — someone with the technical skills and the speed to run a professional kitchen, but also the maturity, empathy and systems mindset to build a team that actually stays.
  • This is not a role for someone who leads through intimidation. We’ve seen that approach cycle through seven people in this position. We’re done with it.
  • The right person will take ownership of a creative, well-resourced kitchen with complete freedom on specials, genuine input into the core menu, and a venue owner (Jason) who wants a collaborator — not a subordinate.

    • 🥗 What You’ll Actually Do

    Kitchen Leadership

  • Manage all kitchen operations in conjunction with the General Manager — scheduling, prep planning, timing and service flow across larder/prep, fries and grill sections
  • Ensure consistent, high-quality output regardless of team strength on any given shift
  • Train, develop and mentor kitchen staff using encouragement and empathy rather that pressure
  • Bridge the gap between front-of-house and kitchen — at Occy’s, we’re one team, not two

    • Menu & Creativity

  • Design and maintain a core printed menu built for efficiency: simple, streamlined, executable by any skill level without compromising quality
  • Run a rotating specials program with full creative freedom — propose what you want, we’ll cost it together and adjust GP targets if needed (our beer margins give us flexibility most kitchens don’t have)
  • Align menus with seasonal produce availability and local market trends
  • Think about food as a storytelling vehicle — our table service model means every dish gets explained, and we want a chef who cares about that

    • Operations & Systems

  • Manage stock ordering, receiving, checking, storage and waste control in collaboration with the GM
  • Work within (and help improve) our systems — we’re moving to Square for integrated back-of-house management post-Easter, and we want a chef who embraces that rather than resists it
  • Maintain all health, hygiene and food safety standards to council requirements
  • Minimise waste in a small-venue environment where every decision matters

    • 💪 What We’re Looking For

    Essential

  • Proven experience running a professional kitchen — speed, composure under pressure and genuine cooking ability are non-negotiable
  • Menu design and costing experience; understanding of GP management
  • A leadership style built on empathy, communication and team development — not hierarchy
  • Systems-oriented: you think in processes, not just plates
  • Maturity and life experience to manage diverse skill sets, personalities and situations with calm and clarity
  • Ability to design a core menu that functions with any team composition, while using specials as your creative outlet

    • Highly Regarded

  • Experience with seasonal businesses and regional/tourist clientele
  • Knowledge of sustainable sourcing and local produce networks
  • Existing relationships or networks in the South West region
  • Background in venues with a strong beverage program (brewery, distillery or wine)

    • Formal qualifications are not required

  • We care about what you can do, not what’s on paper.

    • 🎉 The Offer

    Salary: $80,000–$90,000 depending on experience

    Hours: 38–40 hours/week with reasonable overtime (typically up to 45hrs, reflected in salary positioning)

    Schedule: Tuesday–Sunday · Service 12pm–8pm · Flexible shift structure agreed with GM

    Days off: We actively roster for 3-day weekends for all permanent staff

    Staff meals: Free meals during every shift

    Staff discount: 50% off all food and drinks when off-duty

    Accommodation: Potential assistance available for the right candidate relocating to the region

    Bonus: Ad hoc bonus structure in development — exceptional performance has always been recognised

    Super: 12.5%

    Start date: ASAP preferred, flexible for the right person

    🌟 The Recruitment Process

    1. Initial conversation with Cookatoo Recruitment

    2. Interview (45 minutes) with Jason at the venue

    3. Paid trial shift — 10am–2pm, covering prep and lunch service

    4. Offer made to successful candidate

    5. Check-ins at 4 weeks and 12 weeks post-placement

    A Note on Culture

    We’ve had chefs who could cook. What we haven’t had is a chef who could lead — who understands that the kitchen is only as strong as its least experienced member on a given day, and designs around that reality rather than fighting it. If you’ve spent years in kitchens that ran on fear and ego, and you’re ready to do it differently — this is the role. If you want complete creative control on specials, a venue that trusts you, an owner who’ll listen, and a team that’s being built to last — this is the role. If you want to be part of something genuinely special in one of Australia’s best regions — this is the role.

    Placed exclusively by Cookatoo Recruitment — WA’s permanent hospitality placement specialists.

    Enquiries: enquiries@cookatoo.com.au