Head Chef | Astrolabe

Lead the kitchen. Bring the energy. Be part of a Mount Maunganui institution.

Astrolabe Brew Bar is looking for an energetic and passionate Head Chef to take the lead in our kitchen and drive an exciting food offering at one of Mount Maunganui's best-known local venues.

A true community favourite, Astrolabe is known for its welcoming atmosphere, great food, extensive beer garden and lively late-night trade. From fresh, delicious pizzas and crowd favourites to busy service periods and big nights featuring international DJs, there's always something happening at The Lab.

We're looking for a Head Chef who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys leading a young team and knows how to create a positive, energetic kitchen culture. Someone who leads from the front, brings people together and isn't afraid to get hands-on when the pressure is on.

What you'll be doing

• Leading, developing and motivating a young kitchen team
• Overseeing daily kitchen operations across a busy food offering
• Maintaining consistently high food quality, presentation and kitchen standards
• Driving efficient service across high-volume periods and late-night trade
• Managing food costs, labour, ordering, stock control and kitchen budgets
• Bringing fresh ideas to the menu while delivering food that keeps the local community coming back
• Building a positive, accountable and high-performing kitchen culture

What we're looking for

• Previous experience as a Head Chef or an established Sous Chef ready to step up
• Experience working in a busy pub, bar or high-volume hospitality environment
• A strong understanding of kitchen operations, food costs and labour management
• A natural leader who enjoys developing and mentoring a younger team
• Someone passionate about food, people and creating a great kitchen environment
• An energiser who leads by example, takes initiative and gets things done

Why join Astrolabe?

• Competitive salary + annual bonus of up to $20K paid quarterly
• Staff discounts across 250+ venues in NZ & Australia
• Take the reins of a well-established and much-loved Mount Maunganui venue
• Lead a great kitchen team in a fun, energetic environment
• Be part of a venue with an incredible beer garden, strong food offering and exciting late-night atmosphere
• Work in a busy venue with plenty of variety and opportunities to make your mark
• Enjoy the backing, career opportunities and benefits of New Zealand Venue Co

If you're a passionate chef, natural leader and someone who loves bringing energy to a team, we'd love to hear from you.