North Indian Chef-Full Time Position in Cairns, QLD
Bisflo Solutions
- Cairns, QLD
- Permanent
- Full-time
Salary Range- AUD $67,000 $77000 + SuperannuationLocation: Punjabi Palace Cairns, QLD
Reporting To: Executive Chef / General Manager
Employer: Smart Resources Qld Pty Ltd
Head Office: Punjabi Palace Brisbane, 135 Melbourne Street, South Bank, QLD 4101About Us:Punjabi Palace Brisbane, under the parent group Smart Resources Qld, is a respected name in authentic Indian dining. With our flagship restaurant in South Bank, we are proud to expand our footprint into regional Queensland. Punjabi Palace Cairns will carry the legacy forward by hiring specialist chefs who maintain authenticity, high quality, and regional diversity in Indian cuisine. We are now hiring a North Indian Chef to bring this vision to life in our Cairns outlet.Role Purpose:To take full responsibility for designing, preparing, and delivering traditional and contemporary North Indian cuisine including tandoori, curries, biryanis, breads, and desserts, while maintaining hygiene, food safety, and kitchen efficiency.Key Responsibilities:
- Plan, prepare, and cook a wide variety of North Indian dishes (e.g., Butter Chicken, Rogan Josh, Dal Makhani, Paneer dishes, Kebabs, Parathas, Tandoori items).
- Operate and manage the tandoor oven, grill station, and curry line.
- Discuss food preparation, menu planning, and special dietary requirements with managers, kitchen staff, and, where relevant, dietitians.
- Maintain authentic flavour profiles with traditional spice blends and techniques.
- Supervise kitchen staff, monitor portion control, and reduce wastage.
- Manage daily mise-en-place, stock rotation, food labelling, and waste logs.
- Monitor food safety compliance including temperature logs and allergen declarations.
- Maintain OH&S compliance in accordance with Queensland Health standards.
- Support event and function catering for cultural events and VIP bookings.
- Contribute to menu innovation while maintaining cultural authenticity.
- Minimum 3 years experience as a North Indian Chef in a commercial kitchen.
- Proven proficiency in operating a tandoor, preparing naan, roti, and kebabs.
- Familiarity with Indian gravy bases (makhani, kadai, korma, dhaba-style, etc.).
- Certificate III or IV in Commercial Cookery (preferred but not essential).
- Strong understanding of Food Safety Standards Australia & New Zealand (FSANZ).
- Ability to manage kitchen budgets, food cost percentages, and supplier relations.
- Good English communication (IELTS 5.0 equivalent for visa purposes if applicable).
- Leadership and mentoring skills to train junior chefs and kitchen hands.
- Staff meals provided during shifts
- Ongoing training and menu development workshops
- Career growth into Executive Chef / Multi-site Head roles
- Support from Brisbane head office for admin, HR, and supplier coordination
- Multicultural team culture with long-term growth vision