Sous Chef- Kitchen Preparation

About Us

First Mates, Last Laugh is centrally located on Westhaven Marina, overlooking the yachts and Auckland city.

Owned and operated by renowned restauranteur Judith Tabron, we have quickly become a local's favourite, with our warm and inviting atmosphere that feels like home and a getaway all at once.  Our delicious food, eclectic cocktails and thoughtful beverage selection have been welcomed with rave reviews!

This is an exciting opportunity to join our passionate team, to support our Executive Chef and contribute to our creative culinary offerings.

Let's Eat! Let's Drink! Let's Work!

Are you passionate about food, creativity, and delivering exceptional dining experiences? We are looking for a talented and motivated Chef to join our friendly and passionate team in a fast-paced, fun, and rewarding environment.

While the primary focus of this role is preparing and delivering high-quality food that consistently exceeds guest expectations, this position offers so much more.  This is a hands-on leadership role requiring the skills, experience and judgement of a Sous Chef across all sections, including fish, sauce and garnish.

At our venue, your creativity and innovation are valued and encouraged. You'll have the opportunity to showcase your skills, contribute to menu development, and work alongside a supportive team committed to excellence.

Primary Function

Lead the early morning preparation operation for First Mates, Last Laugh, ensuring all kitchen sections are prepared to the required standard before the service team arrives.

Work autonomously without day-to-day supervision during the morning prep shift, directing the prep team, managing priorities and taking responsibility for quality, food safety and readiness for service. Work within agreed recipes, production requirements and company procedures, escalating matters requiring senior management decisions.

WORKING HOURS

Approximately 30–40 hours per week, with early morning starts generally around 6am. Start and finish times and rostered days are flexible by agreement. As this is a new role, the workload, scope and hours will be reviewed with the Executive Chef as operational requirements become clearer.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Prep Planning and Team Leadership

Consolidate prep requirements from all sections into a daily production plan, using bookings, events, stock on hand, agreed par levels and service deadlines.

Allocate tasks to the prep team according to skill and priority, monitor progress and adjust the workload to ensure all sections are ready on time.

Complete skilled preparation personally while coaching staff in safe methods, recipes, portioning and efficient working practices.

Preparation and Quality Control

Oversee and carry out preparation across all sections, including fish preparation, stocks and sauces, vegetables and garnishes, and other menu components as required.

Follow approved recipes, specifications, portions and yields. Check the quality, seasoning, consistency and labelling of completed preparation before handover.

Plan batch sizes carefully, minimise waste and record preparation quantities and yields to improve future production planning.

Incoming Goods and Stock Management

Oversee receiving of deliveries and the checking of goods against orders and delivery documentation for quantity, quality, freshness, packaging condition and dates.

Oversee the recording of delivery temperatures into our Food Safety Program, Chomp, where required by company food safety procedures. Isolate unsuitable goods, arrange rejection or return within delegated authority, and report discrepancies promptly.

Oversee the timely loading of deliveries into appropriate storage areas, maintain traceability and rotate stock by expiry date. Keep fridges, freezers and dry stores tidy and organised.

Monitor stock and par levels, identify shortages early and advise the Executive Chef or designated ordering person of replenishment needs.

Food Safety and Safe Kitchen Opening

Complete opening checks, including refrigeration and freezer temperatures, cleanliness and equipment condition. Record findings and corrective action in the required logs.

Follow the business food safety procedures for preparation, cooking, cooling, reheating and storage, completing required temperature checks and records.

Maintain separation of raw and ready-to-eat foods, manage allergen risks and ensure all prepared items are correctly labelled, dated and stored.

Supervise hygiene, cleaning and sanitising throughout the shift. Ensure staff use knives, machinery and chemicals safely and follow early access and lone working procedures where applicable.

Act promptly on unsafe food, equipment faults or hazards, stop affected work where necessary and notify the designated manager.

Service Handover and Communication

Provide a clear handover to the service chefs covering completed prep, quantities, storage locations, outstanding jobs, shortages and any quality or food safety concerns.

Alert the Executive Chef and office team promptly if staffing or workload could affect readiness for service, so support can be arranged in time.

Leave workstations, equipment and storage areas clean, organised and ready for the service team.

Continuous Improvement and Accountability

Maintain accurate prep lists and records, and review completion times, wastage and staffing needs with the Executive Chef as the role develops.

Recommend practical improvements to prep systems, task allocation, storage and production methods while maintaining company quality standards.

Attend relevant kitchen meetings, maintain constructive relationships with other teams and complete other reasonable duties consistent with the role.

PREFERRED COMPETENCIES

TECHNICAL

Demonstrated experience as a Sous Chef, or equivalent senior kitchen experience with responsibility for leading staff and coordinating production across multiple sections.

New Zealand Certificate in Cookery at Level 3 or 4, or equivalent qualification or substantial relevant professional experience.

Strong practical skills across fish, sauce, garnish and other kitchen sections, with the ability to work accurately from recipes and production specifications.

Proven ability to plan and deliver high-volume preparation to deadlines while maintaining quality, portion control and efficient use of ingredients.

Sound knowledge of food safety, allergen management, temperature monitoring, stock rotation, delivery checks and kitchen health and safety.

Relevant food safety training and the ability to maintain accurate records and coach staff in the business food safety procedures. Experience with Chomp Food Safety Program is preferable.

INTERPERSONAL AND PERSONAL SKILLS

Reliable and punctual, with availability for regular early morning starts.

Confident working autonomously, taking ownership of the morning operation and exercising sound judgement about when to escalate concerns.

Strong leadership, delegation and time management skills, with a calm and practical approach to changing priorities.

Clear written and verbal communication.

High standards of organisation, cleanliness, consistency and attention to detail.

Positive, respectful and supportive of the prep team and the wider kitchen operation.

Reliable and flexible to change.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in New Zealand and be able to provide evidence of their work eligibility upon request.