Senior Sous Chef - Alameda Wine Bar

Senior Sous Chef – Alameda

New Spanish-Inspired Restaurant | Albert Park
$75,000–$85,000 + Super | Full-Time

Valarc Group is looking for an experienced Senior Sous Chef to join the opening team at Alameda, our new Spanish-inspired restaurant opening in the heart of Albert Park in late November.

Alameda will be a busy, energetic neighbourhood restaurant trading lunch and dinner, seven days a week, bringing together Spanish and broader European influences with great produce, thoughtful cooking and a relaxed but sophisticated approach to hospitality.

We’re looking for a strong, experienced chef who thrives in a busy kitchen, enjoys leading a team and wants to play an important role in establishing a new restaurant from the ground up.

The Role

Working closely with the Head Chef, the Senior Sous Chef will be a key member of Alameda's kitchen leadership team and will take an active role in both service and the day-to-day management of the kitchen.

Responsibilities will include:

• Leading kitchen services alongside the Head Chef

• Taking responsibility for the kitchen in the Head Chef's absence

• Maintaining consistency, presentation and quality across all dishes

• Training, developing and supporting junior chefs

• Assisting with recruitment and building a strong opening kitchen team

• Managing prep, sections and daily kitchen organisation

• Maintaining appropriate food and labour costs

• Stock management, ordering, stocktakes and waste control

• Maintaining food safety, cleanliness and compliance standards

• Assisting with menu development and seasonal changes

• Working closely with the FOH management team to deliver smooth, efficient services

• Contributing to a positive, professional and energetic kitchen culture

• Working alongside the broader Valarc Group culinary and operations teams

About You

We're looking for someone who is organised, calm under pressure and confident leading from the front.

Ideally, you'll bring experience from busy European, Mediterranean or casual fine-dining restaurants. Experience with Spanish cuisine and cooking techniques is highly regarded, but isn't essential for the right chef with a strong European food background.

You will have:

• Strong experience as a Sous Chef or Senior Sous Chef in a quality restaurant environment

• Experience working in busy, high-volume kitchens

• A background in casual fine dining or quality European-style restaurants

• Strong leadership and communication skills

• Experience training and developing junior chefs

• Good understanding of food costs, labour costs and kitchen financials

• Experience with ordering, stock control, stocktakes and waste management

• Strong food safety and kitchen compliance knowledge

• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail

• The ability to maintain standards during demanding services

• A collaborative approach to working with both BOH and FOH teams

• Availability to work weekends

Above all, we're looking for someone who loves restaurants and enjoys being part of a busy, energetic kitchen.

What We Offer

$75,000–$85,000 + superannuation, depending on experience.

This is an opportunity to join a new restaurant from the beginning and have genuine input into how the kitchen operates, while benefiting from the support and infrastructure of the wider Valarc Group.

You'll work alongside an experienced Head Chef, restaurant management team and broader group operations team, with opportunities for continued development and progression as the group grows.

If you're a strong Sous Chef ready to take the next step, or an experienced Senior Sous looking for an exciting new opening, we'd love to hear from you.