The Short family (operating as W. Short Hospitality) have been at the heart of the Australian hospitality industry since the 1970s and are committed to operating businesses that reflect the values of the communities they are in.

W. Short Hospitality proudly owns and operates The Royal Leichhardt and The Australian Heritage Hotel, located in The Rocks.

The Royal Leichhardt is seeking a passionate, hands-on and produce-driven Head Chef to lead our kitchen and help shape an elevated pub dining experience for our community. Reporting directly to the General Manager, you'll oversee all culinary operations with a commitment to flavor, consistency, and ingredient respect.

Current Australian work authorization is required at the time of application.

• Championing quality, flavor and consistency across all dishes

• Developing seasonal menus that showcase great produce, thoughtful technique, and value

• Knowing your product, suppliers, and seasonality – and training your team to do the same

• Managing COGs, portion control and food cost % without compromising quality

• Maintaining strong relationships with local suppliers & producers

• Leading and mentoring a motivated BOH team with pride and professionalism

• Managing and developing a kitchen team of 6-10 staff members

• Ensuring exceptional kitchen standards, cleanliness and organization at all times

• Overseeing stock management and ordering with accuracy and accountability

• Running productive BOH meetings and cross-department coordination

• Driving continuous improvement in execution, prep systems and service flow

• Maintaining WHS, food safety and compliance standards at the highest level

• Designing and delivering food offerings for major events and activations

• The Requirements

  You'll thrive in this role if you have:

  • 2+ years experience as a Head Chef in a high-volume venue

  • A minimum of 3-4 years of head chef or senior kitchen leadership experience

  • Deep knowledge of produce, seasonality, and cooking technique

  • Strong food costing and menu engineering capability

  • The ability to lead by example and inspire pride in the kitchen

  • Exceptional communication and organization skills

  • A collaborative spirit and passion for hospitality

  • Experience mentoring junior chefs and apprentices

  • Ability to work autonomously and take accountability

  • Valid Food Safety Supervisor certification (or willingness to attain)

  • 3-5 years of experience in pub or bistro kitchen environments

  A love for honest, hearty, flavor-forward fare is highly valued.

About You

You're someone who takes pride in their kitchen, their ingredients and their craft.

You believe in:

• cooking with confidence and care

• respecting produce

• elevating classics

• consistency over chaos

• leading from the front

You're ready to guide a team, shape a dining identity and create food people genuinely want to come back for.