Explore the most common hospitality venue roles and understand how each position supports daily service, kitchen operations and venue management. From entry-level kitchen hand duties through to senior head chef job descriptions, hospitality venues rely on clearly defined responsibilities across front-of-house (FOH), back-of-house (BOH) and management teams.<\/p>\n
What they do: <\/strong>Kitchen hands support the daily running of a commercial kitchen by keeping prep areas organised, equipment clean and service moving efficiently during busy periods. Kitchen hand duties typically include working closely with cooks and chefs to maintain food safety standards, manage basic preparation tasks and ensure the kitchen operates smoothly before, during and after service. This role is one of the most common entry points into back-of-house hospitality work and provides hands-on exposure to how professional kitchens function.<\/p>\n Key responsibilities:<\/strong><\/p>\n Who this suits: <\/strong>You don\u2019t mind getting stuck into physical work and enjoy being busy rather than standing still. You\u2019re comfortable working behind the scenes, learning as you go and picking things up by watching others. If you\u2019re happy taking on hands-on kitchen hand duties, you won\u2019t need constant supervision and want a practical way to build kitchen experience without formal qualifications, this role is a solid starting point.<\/p>\n Salary range<\/strong>: <\/strong><\/a>$25 \u2013 $30 per hour (depending on experience and penalties)<\/p>\n What they do:<\/strong> Chefs prepare, cook and plate food in commercial kitchens, working to strict timing, quality and safety standards during service. They follow recipes and kitchen systems, coordinate with other chefs and support staff and adjust pace quickly during busy periods to keep service running smoothly. While responsibilities shift by venue and seniority, a typical chef’s job description centres on delivering consistent dishes and supporting overall kitchen performance.<\/p>\n Key responsibilities:<\/strong><\/p>\n Who this suits: <\/strong>You enjoy hands-on work and thrive in structured, high-pressure environments where timing matters. You take pride in precision, work well as part of a team and stay focused when the kitchen gets busy. If the pace, standards and expectations outlined in a chef job description align with how you like to work day to day, this role is a strong fit.<\/p>\n Salary range: <\/strong>$60,000 \u2013 $88,000+<\/p>\n What they do: <\/strong>Chef de partie roles focus on running a specific section of the kitchen, such as grill, larder or pastry. The job description of a chef de partie entails preparing dishes independently, managing prep for that section and maintaining consistency during service. Chefs in this role also support and guide junior kitchen staff while ensuring standards are met under pressure.<\/p>\n Key responsibilities:<\/strong><\/p>\n Who this suits: <\/strong>You\u2019re ready to take ownership of your work and enjoy being responsible for a defined part of the kitchen. You\u2019re confident working independently, stay organised when things get busy and like leading by example during service. If stepping into the responsibilities outlined in a chef de partie job description feels like the right next move without shifting fully into management, this role offers a strong balance.<\/p>\n Salary range: <\/strong>$70,000 \u2013 $95,000+<\/p>\n What they do: <\/strong>Sous chefs support the head chef by helping manage daily kitchen operations, service flow and staff coordination. A typical sous chef job description includes balancing hands-on cooking with leadership responsibilities, stepping in to supervise service, manage prep, handle ordering and ensure food safety standards are met. Sous chefs often act as the second-in-command in the kitchen.<\/p>\n Key responsibilities:<\/strong><\/p>\n Who this suits: <\/strong>You enjoy leading others while still staying involved in the action. You\u2019re comfortable making decisions during busy services and supporting both junior staff and senior leadership. If reading a sous chef job description sounds like the right mix of cooking, planning, organisation and people management, this role is a natural progression.<\/p>\n Salary range: <\/strong>$70,000 \u2013 $115,000+<\/p>\n What they do: <\/strong>Baristas prepare and serve coffee and other beverages, often acting as the main customer contact point in caf\u00e9s. A typical barista job description includes managing coffee workflow during peak periods, maintaining equipment, ensuring consistency in drink quality and supporting overall service operations, including taking orders and handling payments.<\/p>\n Key responsibilities:<\/strong><\/p>\n Who this suits: <\/strong>You enjoy working with people and staying active in fast-paced environments. You care about consistency and quality, like working with your hands and don\u2019t mind repetitive tasks when speed and accuracy matter. If reading a barista job description sounds like something you\u2019d enjoy in practice \u2014 customer interaction, rhythm and pace \u2014 this role is a strong fit.<\/p>\n Salary range: <\/strong>$25 \u2013 $35 per hour (including penalties)<\/p>\n What they do: <\/strong>Waitstaff and caf\u00e9 all-rounders support front-of-house service by taking orders, serving food and drinks, handling payments and maintaining service areas. They act as the link between customers, the kitchen and the bar, helping service run smoothly during busy shifts.<\/p>\n Key responsibilities:<\/strong><\/p>\n Who this suits: <\/strong>You\u2019re comfortable talking to people and enjoy being on your feet. You like variety in your work, don\u2019t mind juggling tasks and stay calm when things get busy. If you\u2019re looking for flexible hours and a people-focused role, this is a common and accessible entry point into hospitality.<\/p>\n Salary range: <\/strong>$25 \u2013 $32 per hour<\/p>\n What they do:<\/strong> Head chefs oversee the entire kitchen operation, focusing on leadership, performance and consistency rather than day-to-day cooking alone. A head chef’s job description usually covers menu planning, cost control, team leadership and maintaining kitchen standards, ensuring the kitchen operates efficiently and safely across all services.<\/p>\n Key responsibilities:<\/strong><\/p>\n Who this suits: <\/strong>You enjoy leading teams and taking responsibility for outcomes. You\u2019re comfortable making decisions, managing pressure and balancing creativity with structure. If the scope and accountability described in a head chef job description match how you like to work \u2014 owning results, mentoring others and overseeing the bigger picture \u2014 this role is a strong fit.<\/p>\n Salary range: <\/strong>$75,000 \u2013 $135,000+<\/p>\n What they do: <\/strong>Venue managers oversee the overall operation of hospitality venues, managing staff, service quality, finances and compliance. They coordinate teams across FOH and BOH, handle rostering and performance and ensure the venue runs smoothly day to day.<\/p>\n Key responsibilities:<\/strong><\/p>\n Who this suits: <\/strong>You like managing people and keeping operations organised. You\u2019re comfortable balancing customer experience with business decisions and enjoy solving problems as they arise. If you prefer leadership and oversight over hands-on service, this role offers a clear progression path.<\/p>\n Salary range: <\/strong>$70,000 \u2013 $120,000+<\/p>\n What they do: <\/strong>Kitchen porters and support staff assist with cleaning, prep and general organisation, helping kitchens operate efficiently during service. Their work supports chefs by keeping workspaces clear, equipment ready and hygiene standards in place.<\/p>\n Key responsibilities:<\/strong><\/p>\n Who this suits: <\/strong>You\u2019re happy working behind the scenes and don\u2019t mind repetitive or physical tasks. You like contributing to a team without being customer-facing and prefer roles with clear, practical responsibilities.<\/p>\n Salary range: <\/strong>$24 \u2013 $30 per hour<\/p>\n What they do: <\/strong>Food and beverage supervisors oversee service teams during shifts, ensuring staff are supported, standards are met and service runs smoothly. They handle customer issues, coordinate staff and assist venue managers with daily operations.<\/p>\n Key responsibilities:<\/strong><\/p>\n Who this suits: <\/strong>You\u2019re confident leading others and stepping in when things get busy. You enjoy supporting teams, setting standards and being the point of contact during service. If you\u2019re ready to move beyond frontline work without stepping fully into senior management, this role is a strong step.<\/p>\n Salary range: <\/strong>$65,000 \u2013 $90,000+<\/p>\n Compare hospitality venue roles, responsibilities and expectations to find positions that match your skills and career goals. CareerOne connects job seekers with hospitality<\/a> roles across caf\u00e9s, restaurants, bars, hotels and venues nationwide. We help you understand what different positions involve \u2014 from entry-level responsibilities like kitchen hand duties to more specialised and senior roles, including head chef. Access resources covering skills<\/a>, salaries<\/a> and career pathways<\/a> to support your next move.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hospitality roles explained: duties & responsibilities Explore the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1172,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[226],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hospitality"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5321"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5321\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5379,"href":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5321\/revisions\/5379"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
Chef job description<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Chef de Partie job description<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Sous Chef job description<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Barista job description<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Waitstaff \/ Caf\u00e9 All-Rounder duties<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\nManagement roles<\/h2>\n
Head Chef job description<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Venue Manager duties<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\nSupport roles<\/h2>\n
Kitchen Porter \/ Support Staff job description<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Food and Beverage Supervisor duties<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\nExplore hospitality roles with CareerOne<\/h2>\n