Head Chef

JobsCloseBy Editorial Insights

Drifter is opening a Wellington property in December 2026 and seeks a Head Chef to join pre-opening, build your team, and set culture and standards from day one. You will lead all food, service and operations, safeguard quality and presentation, manage stock and costs, and collaborate with leadership to deliver a memorable guest experience. The ideal candidate is a hands-on kitchen leader with proven management and development skills, capable of driving menu execution in a dynamic setting. To apply, submit a CV and a cover letter answering what excites you about Drifter, why this role, and what kind of leader you are, with concrete examples of team-building and improvements; visa support for exceptional candidates.

Drifter is built for curious travellers, free spirits, and people who care about great spaces and great experiences. We run hostels and hybrid stays across Australia and New Zealand, alongside food and beverage venues that bring people together and give our properties their edge. The kind of places people remember, not just pass through.

We're opening our newest property in Wellington in December 2026, and we're building the entire leadership team from the ground up.

We're looking for a Head Chef to join that team and help bring the property to life. This is a rare chance to join before opening, shape how the kitchen operation comes together, build your own team, and help create the culture, standards and ways of working from day one. 

The opportunity

Great food has a way of bringing people together. Whether it's guests staying with us, locals dropping in for dinner, or travellers swapping stories over a long lunch, the kitchen will play a huge role in creating the atmosphere and experience that makes this place memorable.

You'll lead the kitchen operation, overseeing food quality, service, team performance, stock management and day-to-day operations. You'll be responsible for creating a high-performing kitchen culture, maintaining standards, and delivering a food offering that people come back for.

You'll also be a key member of the leadership team, working closely with the General Manager and other Heads of Department to make sure the whole operation runs smoothly.

Starting in early November 2026, you'll have the opportunity to come in before opening, build your team, and work alongside the Director of Hospitality to bring our menu offering to life ahead of launch. The foundations are already being developed, but you'll play a key role in refining, implementing and delivering the final guest experience.

What it looks like day to day:

• Leading, coaching and supporting the kitchen team  
• Creating a positive, high-performing kitchen culture  
• Overseeing all food preparation, service and kitchen operations  
• Working alongside the Director of Hospitality to implement and refine the menu offering  
• Maintaining exceptional food quality, presentation and consistency  
• Managing stock, ordering, supplier relationships and inventory  
• Monitoring food costs, labour and kitchen performance  
• Training and developing team members  
• Driving food safety, hygiene and compliance standards  
• Collaborating closely with front-of-house teams to deliver a seamless guest experience  
• Looking for ways to improve quality, efficiency and operational performance  
• Helping establish kitchen systems, standards and ways of working as part of the pre-opening journey 

You’ll be a good fit if… 

You're a strong kitchen leader who cares as much about building a great team as you do about delivering great food.

You know how to create a positive kitchen culture while maintaining high standards. You're calm under pressure, commercially minded, and understand how to balance creativity, consistency and operational realities.

Whether you're already leading a kitchen or you're a strong Sous Chef ready for your first Head Chef opportunity, you'll have the support and autonomy to make the role your own.

You’ll likely bring:

• Experience leading a kitchen operation within a restaurant, hotel, hospitality venue or similar fast-paced environment  
• Strong leadership skills, including recruitment, coaching and performance management  
• Experience managing food costs, labour and stock control  
• A strong understanding of menu execution, kitchen operations and service delivery  
• Experience maintaining food safety and compliance standards  
• A practical, hands-on leadership style  
• The ability to build a positive kitchen culture while maintaining accountability and high standards  
• A genuine passion for food, hospitality and creating memorable guest experiences 

What you can expect at Drifter

You'll be part of a team that cares about doing good work without overcomplicating things. We back our people, give you space to lead, and make sure there's support where it counts.

Alongside that, you’ll have:

• Discounted stays across Drifter properties for you, your family and your travel crew  
• Discounts on brands you actually use, including JB Hi-Fi, Uber Eats and more  
• Access to online learning and development opportunities  
• Paid birthday leave for permanent team members  
• A paid volunteering day each year to support a cause that matters to you  
• Enhanced parental leave  
• Free counselling and wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Program  
• Annual flu vaccinations covered  
• Visa support available for exceptional people looking to build a long-term career with Drifter 
• Opportunities to grow with the business as we continue to expand across Australia and New Zealand 

Drifter is collaborative, practical and values-led. Professional but not stuffy, we're a welcoming and inclusive workplace and proudly welcome team members from all races, places, gender expressions and beliefs.

If the idea of opening a brand new venue, building your own kitchen team and helping shape a food offering from day one sounds like your kind of challenge, we'd love to hear from you. 

One last thing… 

When you apply, include a cover letter and tell us a bit about yourself. What excites you about Drifter? What drew you to this role? What kind of leader are you?

We're not looking for a summary of your work history. We'll get that from your CV. Skills and experience matter, but we're also building a team of people who genuinely connect with our brand, our guests and each other. What we'd really love to understand is who you are as a person, what you value, and what you'd bring to the team. 

Any questions? Email us directly at [email protected]