Tihoi Venture School (the residential outdoor campus of St Paul’s Collegiate School, Hamilton), is located on the western side of Lake Taupo, nestled on the edge of the Pureora Forest. It provides a unique and extended outdoor programme designed specifically for our Year 10 students.
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Chef to join our team working from our Tihoi Venture School campus. In this hands-on role you will be supported by our Head of Catering (based at our Hamilton campus), working together to ensure that the Tihoi kitchen provides high-quality, nutritious food, catering, and education.
As Tihoi Head Chef, you will not only prepare nourishing cooked lunches and at least one cooked dinner each week for approximately 90 people, you’ll also be involved in co-constructing the menu for all meals (onsite, student-prepared meals, and outdoor activity rotations), liaising with local suppliers, arranging deliveries or the collection of produce, coordinating ration boxes for students, maintaining food rotation and stock control within budget, ensuring compliance with health, safety and hygiene standards as well as overseeing a small team of Catering Assistants.
This is not your ‘usual’ Head Chef role. You will play a part in developing the culinary skills in adolescent boys and soon adolescent girls (from 2027 we will be welcoming our first intake of year 10 girls), assisting with the Tihoi philosophy of growing our young students into well-rounded, independent young people. At least twice a week you’ll spend time with our students who make some of their own meals using wood-burning stoves or slow cookers, mentoring them and teaching the basics of cooking.
We are looking for someone who has relevant cooking qualifications and/or previous experience in a chef position. You will be someone that leads by example, is a great communicator, and has an interest in imparting your knowledge and skills with our students.
An attractive remuneration package is on offer, including a competitive hourly rate ($30-$35 per hour) plus additional benefits including petrol allowance if you live outside of the Tihoi region. As we are a school, we have regular term breaks (including a close down over Christmas / New Year), which makes for an enviable work/life balance in the chefing industry. The potential for further work, training, and professional development via our Hamilton campus is also available.
The hours for this role will usually range between 40–50 hours per week, across 5 or 6 days. Shift times and daily hours will vary depending on the day and programme requirements. Further details about the roster and how our small team operates will be provided during the interview process.
For a confidential discussion about the role, please contact Kathryn Conaghan, Head of HR on work@stpauls.school.nz or 07 957 8861.
Applications close Thursday 27 February, and should be sent to work@stpauls.school.nz
CLICK HERE for more information about Tihoi Venture School
