Head Chef

Novotel Queenstown Lakeside is looking for an experienced and inspiring Head Chef to lead the kitchen team at Elements Restaurant & Lounge.

Located in the heart of Queenstown on Lake Whakatipu, Elements Restaurant & Lounge is Novotel’s principal dining operation, offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, lounge, functions and events, with a focus on contemporary seasonal cuisine showcasing produce from Central Otago and the wider South Island.

This is an opportunity for a proven hands – on senior chef to lead the culinary direction of Novotel Queenstown bringing fresh ideas, strong local connections and a genuine sense of Queenstown to the food offering. We’re particularly interested in candidates established in Queenstown or with strong regional connections and knowledge of local producers, suppliers and the seasonal opportunities across Queenstown and Central Otago. We are ideally looking for someone who is available to start immediately, or at short notice.

- Lead and inspire the kitchen team across breakfast, lunch, dinner, lounge, room service and events.

- Set and maintain high standards of food quality, consistency and presentation.

- Develop seasonal menus that showcase the best of Queenstown, Central Otago and the wider South Island.

- Build and maintain strong relationships with local producers, growers, farmers, fishermen and suppliers.

- Bring a strong understanding of what Queenstown as a region can offer from a culinary perspective.

- Ensure the kitchen operates efficiently and commercially, with strong control of food costs, labour, purchasing, stock and waste.

- Lead menu costing, recipe development and food margin management.

- Manage kitchen rostering, recruitment, training, performance and development.

- Ensure the operation remains fully compliant with food safety, hygiene and regulatory requirements.

- Maintain a high level of preparedness for food safety inspections, audits and compliance requirements.

- Work closely with the hotel's leadership, Food & Beverage and Events teams to deliver a seamless guest experience.

- Attend and actively participate in meetings, contributing proactively to health & safety, revenue management, cost control, and operational performance.

- Champion sustainability, seasonality and responsible sourcing wherever possible.

- Continue to evolve Novotel Queenstown’s culinary identity and position it as a genuine expression of the Queenstown region.

We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates who bring proven senior leadership experience and strong connections to the Queenstown food community.

You will ideally have

- Proven experience as a Head Chef, Executive Chef or senior kitchen leader.

- A demonstrated history of leading, developing and inspiring high-performing kitchen teams.

- Strong commercial understanding, including food and labour cost management.

- Excellent knowledge of food safety systems, FCP and audit/inspection requirements.

- Experience operating in a hotel, high-volume restaurant or multi-outlet environment.

- Strong menu development and costing capability.

- Established knowledge of Queenstown and the surrounding region, including its food scene, producers and suppliers.

- An understanding of the exceptional produce available across Central Otago and the wider South Island.

- Existing relationships with local suppliers, or the credibility and network to build those relationships quickly.

- A genuine passion for seasonal, locally sourced produce.

- Poses strong communication and organisation skills

- A hands-on, visible leadership style.

- The ability to balance culinary creativity with operational and commercial discipline.

- Availability to work rostered shifts, including weekends and public holidays, as required by the business.