Chef: What is the cost of hiring?
2025-10-0136000.0072564.48110000.00YEARLY
Chef: What is the cost of hiring?
As of April 2022, the average number of job seekers per chef job in Australia is 7.5.
a chef: What is the cost of hiring?
As of April 2022, the average number of job seekers per chef job in Australia is 7.5.
Why hire a chef?
Whether their kitchen is in a food truck, café or fine dining restaurant, chefs specialise in creating food experiences that will leave customers wanting more. Chefs have a wide range of responsibilities, which include preparing dishes to the highest standard, training other chefs and overseeing the operations of the kitchen or the entire business.
Contributions of a great chef:
- Plan menus according to a set budget and the availability of seasonal ingredients
- Ensure the kitchen operates efficiently and smoothly by delegating tasks and giving clear instructions
- Liaise and maintain positive relationships with suppliers
Deciding between a full-time vs freelance chef
Before you start your search for a chef, carefully consider whether your business needs a full-time, part-time, casual or temporary chef and, of course, what your budget allows.
Hiring a casual chef is a good idea if you want to hire quickly and need flexibility with your rostering. You might want to engage permanent, full-time chefs for managerial positions if you need them to be available every day to oversee the daily operations of the business and liaise with suppliers. Hiring a freelance or temp chef could be a good option if you need to cover a shift, for example, when several of your chefs get sick, or to help out in busy periods such as peak tourist season. There are numerous
recruitment
agencies that specialise in providing temporary or contract chefs.
What are the different types of chef?
Hiring the right chef is crucial for the success of a busy restaurant or café. To keep kitchens running smoothly and efficiently, roles are clearly defined and hierarchically structured according to the kitchen brigade system or ‘brigade de cuisine’. Here are the common chef ranks from the highest to lowest level:
- Executive chef: This is a managerial role usually found in large establishments and multi-restaurant businesses. The executive chef oversees the overall operations of the business, including developing
marketing
strategies, managing employees, creating menus and managing the restaurant’s budget.
- Head chef: In restaurants that don’t have an executive chef, the head chef has similar responsibilities. Duties include overseeing the kitchen and staff, creating menus, managing the restaurant’s budget and acting as the contact point between the restaurant and suppliers.
- Sous chef: The sous chef is the second-in-command after the head chef and is in charge of the day-to-day running of a kitchen when the head chef is busy focusing on the administrative side of the business.
- Chef de partie: Also known as a line chef or station chef, a chef de partie is responsible for a particular section of a kitchen, called a station. At the station, this chef focuses on only one specific element of a meal, such as meat, vegetables, sauces or pastries, or a specific method of cooking.
- Commis chef: Assists one of the line chefs during busier service times. Commis chefs are usually in the process of completing their culinary training or have recently graduated and are training for higher-level positions.
Where to find a chef
Competition for qualified chef candidates in Australia is strong. To find the right chef for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:
- Hire from within: If you’re hiring for a higher-level position, you could speak with one of your lower-level chefs about whether they would be interested in progressing their career and taking on a role with more
responsibility
.
- Ask for referrals: Ask your current employees if they can recommend anyone for the position. They may know someone who they worked with in another restaurant or who they trained with.
- Use social media: Not only is social media a great way to promote your business, you can also use it to announce that you are currently hiring and connect with people who like your culinary creations and might want to join your business.
- Put up a help wanted sign in your window: This tried-and-tested method is still an effective way of getting the word out that you’re looking for staff.
Post your job online: Try posting your chef job on Indeed to find and attract quality chef candidates.
Skills to look for in a great chef
A great chef candidate will have the following skills and attributes as well as work experience that reflects:
- Certificate III and IV in Commercial Cookery and Diploma of Hospitality Management
- creativity and attention to detail
- culinary expertise such as knife skills
- awareness of food safety
- ability to coordinate multiple tasks at once
- ability to work under pressure and make quick decisions
Writing a chef job description
A thoughtful description is important for finding qualified chef candidates. A chef job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position.
When writing your job description for a chef, consider including some or all of the following keywords to strengthen the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on chef jobs, according to Indeed data:
- chef
- chef cook
- cook
- cook chef
- chef with visa sponsorship
- chef sponsorship
- kitchen
- cafe
- apprentice chef
Interviewing chef candidates
Strong candidates for chef positions will be confident answering questions regarding:
- previous culinary experience
- creating a menu
- teamwork and working under pressure
- pairing wine and food
- food safety and hygiene standards
Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of chef interview questions for examples (with sample answers).
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
