Cook (Indian Cuisine) Full Time NEW

Position: Cook (Indian Cuisine)

Position Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Salary: $79,500 to $80,500 plus superannuation per annum

Location: Laverton VIC 3028

Our client Superior Indian Food Pty Ltd is seeking a Cook to join their team located in Laverton, Victoria.

As a Cook (Indian Cuisine) you will be responsible for the day-to-day preparation, cooking and presentation of authentic Indian dishes in accordance with the business standard recipes, portion controls, food safety obligations and customer expectations. The role plays a central part in maintaining the businesses reputation for authentic, high-quality Indian food, and contributes to menu development, kitchen efficiency, food cost control, and the training and supervision of junior kitchen staff.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Food Preparation and Cookery

• Prepare, season, cook, portion and present a wide range of authentic Indian dishes including but not limited to curries (vegetarian and non-vegetarian), tandoori items, biryanis, rice preparations, dals, snacks (chaat, samosas, pakoras, kachoris), Indian breads (naan, roti, kulcha, paratha, puri) and traditional Indian sweets (mithai such as gulab jamun, rasmalai, barfi, jalebi, ladoo, peda and halwa).
• Operate and tend specialised Indian cooking equipment including the tandoor (clay oven), bhatti, kadai, tawa and steam-jacketed vessels, applying correct temperatures, timing and technique to achieve authentic results.
• Blend, grind, roast and balance whole and ground Indian spices and prepare spice mixes (masalas) from scratch, including but not limited to garam masala, chaat masala, sambhar powder and regional curry pastes.
• Prepare base gravies, marinades, chutneys, raitas, pickles and accompaniments in line with established recipes and quality standards.
• Examine, test and taste prepared food during cooking to ensure correct flavour, texture, appearance, temperature and authenticity before service.
• Plate, garnish and present food in accordance with the business presentation standards.

Menu Planning and Recipe Management

• Contribute to the planning of menus, daily specials, festival menus (e.g. Diwali, Holi, Eid, Vaisakhi) and catering menus, including estimating food and labour requirements.
• Develop, refine and document new dishes and regional specialities, and adapt existing recipes to suit dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, Jain, gluten-free, halal) without compromising authenticity.
• Standardise recipes, portion sizes and plating to ensure consistency across all shifts and venues.

Kitchen Operations and Supervision

• Plan, organise and coordinate daily kitchen production schedules to meet anticipated service demand, including dine-in, takeaway, online and catering orders.
• Supervise, instruct and check the work of kitchen hands, apprentices and junior cooks, including allocating tasks and providing on-the-job training in Indian cooking techniques.
• Monitor portion control, plate costings and waste, and recommend improvements to reduce wastage and improve gross margin.
• Coordinate kitchen workflow during peak service to ensure timely delivery of orders without compromise to quality.

Stock, Purchasing and Cost Control

• Receive, inspect and store food deliveries, including verifying quantity, quality, temperature and use-by dates against purchase orders.
• Maintain accurate stock rotation (FIFO), inventory records and par-stock levels for spices, perishables, dairy, meats and dry goods.
• Identify and order specialty Indian ingredients (e.g. asafoetida, kasoori methi, paneer, ghee, atta, basmati rice, specialty dals) from approved suppliers and recommend alternatives where supply is constrained.
• Assist in monitoring food cost percentages and report variances to the Head Chef / Manager.

Food Safety, Hygiene and Compliance

• Adhere to and enforce all Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Food Safety Standards (including Standard 3.2.2 and 3.2.2A), the Food Act 1984 (Vic), and the businesss Food Safety Programme.
• Maintain personal hygiene, correct uniform, hair restraints and PPE in accordance with kitchen policy.
• Maintain clean, sanitised and orderly food preparation areas, equipment, refrigeration units and storage areas; record cleaning and temperature checks as required.
• Identify and control food safety hazards (HACCP), including cross-contamination risks between vegetarian, non-vegetarian, halal and allergen-containing ingredients.
• Comply with the businesss obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic), including safe handling of knives, gas burners, tandoor, hot oil, deep fryers and chemicals.

Requirements:

Essential Qualifications

• A formal qualification in Cookery, Commercial Cookery or equivalent that is assessed as comparable to AQF Certificate III and IV; OR
• In lieu of formal qualifications, at least three (3) years of relevant, full-time, post-qualification work experience as a cook specialising in Indian cuisine, sufficient to satisfy the skill level requirements of ANZSCO 351411 and Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) where applicable.

Essential Experience

• A minimum of 12 months relevant experience
• Demonstrated experience preparing authentic North Indian, Punjabi and pan-Indian dishes in a commercial restaurant, hotel or catering environment.
• Proficiency in tandoor cookery, including marination, skewering, temperature management and traditional cooking of breads and meats.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare traditional Indian sweets (mithai) using techniques such as khoya/mawa preparation, sugar syrup work (chashni) and ghee-based confectionery.
• Experience supervising or mentoring junior kitchen staff.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

• Comprehensive knowledge of Indian regional cuisines, ingredients, spices and traditional cooking methods.
• Sound knowledge of food safety, hygiene and HACCP principles applicable to Australian commercial kitchens.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills in English sufficient to receive instructions, follow recipes, label food, and communicate with team members, suppliers and supervisors.
• Ability to work efficiently under pressure during peak service while maintaining accuracy, quality and safety.
• Strong attention to detail, time management and organisational skills.

Desirable

• Current Food Safety Supervisor certificate recognised in Victoria.
• Experience in preparing menus for large-scale Indian weddings, religious functions and catering events.
• Familiarity with Australian point-of-sale and kitchen management systems.
• Working knowledge of Hindi, Punjabi or another Indian language to communicate effectively with kitchen team members.