Residential Chef

Mō mātou | About us

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children has a commitment to putting tamariki and rangatahi at the heart of what we do. In our work, we aim to demonstrate these values:

• We put Tamariki first
• We believe Aroha is vital
• We respect the Mana of people
• We are Tika and Pono
• We value Whakapapa
• We recognise that Oranga is a journey

Our vision is to ensure New Zealand is the best place in the world to be a child. We are also committed to ensuring Oranga Tamariki partners with hapū, iwi and Māori organisations to find appropriate solutions for tamariki in need.

Te Puna Wai Youth Justice Residence is a 24/7 secured residential facility that houses young people aged 13-17 years, who have been put into our care through the Youth Court. Our ultimate goal is to help every tamaiti we work with to realise their potential.

Mō te tūnga | About the role

The Residential Chef is responsible for the management of catering services within the Residence, including the provision of meals for young people and staff, within an allocated budget, and catering for other groups and special events as required.

The core responsibilities include menu planning and creation; ensuring food quality and consistency; managing kitchen inventory and supplies; delegating meal prep and kitchen tasks and ensuring health and safety standards are maintained to the highest level.

At times, this can be a fast paced and a high-pressure environment, where the successful candidate will need to be able to pivot and change priorities as and when needed. This is not a standard Monday to Friday role, where you will be working every 3 rd weekend.

Ngā pūmanawatanga ōu | What you will bring

• A current Food Hygiene Certificate and a Level 4 Certification in food preparation (or working towards this)
• 3-5 years catering experience, or relevant experience in food and beverage services
• Experience in building creative and nutritious menu’s
• Proven experience with cost control and inventory management
• Attention to detail balanced with the ability to work quickly
• Strong relationship building skills and the ability to build rapport with people from all backgrounds
• Confidence in training, leading, and supervising a team under pressure whilst also being a team player
• The right to work in New Zealand
• A full New Zealand drivers licence
• Able to meet the safety checking and police vetting requirements required under the Children's Act, please note that the Clean Slate does not apply to police vetting for this role

Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you

Competitive salary starting from $62.500 to $68.781, depending on experience + KiwiSaver.

We offer a vibrant and supportive team and a genuine commitment to wellbeing. We welcome diversity and are committed to working in an inclusive and respectful way. This is your opportunity to apply your skills and experience to contribute to the wellbeing of our rangatahi.

To see all the benefits of working for Oranga Tamariki, please visit

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to Apply

Applications close ……………..! Candidates may be contacted prior to the advertisement closing, so please don't hesitate to apply.

Apply online with your CV and Covering Letter. If you are an Oranga Tamariki employee already, please ensure you apply with a log in using your Oranga Tamariki email address.

If you are interested in any of our vacancies, please ensure that you make yourself familiar with our code of conduct as it sets out our expectations for our kaimahi and requires you to present at work free from the influences of both drugs and alcohol.