Chef Lecturer/Senior Lecturer – Culinary Arts
Share your craft. Inspire future chefs. Bring professional kitchen expertise to our Bachelor of Culinary Arts, with support to grow your teaching and academic practice.
Great culinary teaching brings technique to life, helping learners understand the decisions, creativity and care behind every dish.
At Skills Institute, part of Skills Group, you’ll bring your professional kitchen experience into our Bachelor of Culinary Arts, supporting learners from foundational cookery and patisserie through to advanced culinary production.
This role combines practical teaching with responsibility for the teaching kitchen. Working alongside academic colleagues and industry practitioners, you’ll connect professional standards with contemporary gastronomy, global food traditions, and the Māori and Pasifika food knowledge that enriches culinary practice in Aotearoa.
Appointment will be at Lecturer or Senior Lecturer level, depending on your experience and achievements. The focus is on teaching and professional practice, with support to develop applied research interests.
What you’ll be doing
Deliver engaging cookery and patisserie teaching through kitchen demonstrations, practical sessions, tutorials and online learning.
Assess practical skills and provide constructive feedback that builds learners’ technique, confidence and professional judgement.
Oversee teaching kitchen operations, including purchasing, stock, budgets, equipment, hygiene and food safety compliance.
Teach production planning, food costing and contemporary culinary practice, connecting learning with commercial kitchen realities.
Support practical projects and industry placements and work with guest chefs and colleagues on tastings, showcases and specialist sessions.
Contribute to assessment design, moderation and programme development, embedding culturally responsive practice and supporting learner wellbeing.
What you’ll bring
Essential requirements:
A completed Master’s degree at NZQCF Level 9 or higher in culinary arts, gastronomy, food systems, nutrition or a related field.
A recognised professional cookery qualification, such as the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery, City & Guilds or an international equivalent.
Substantial senior commercial kitchen experience, such as head chef or sous chef, including competence in patisserie, or equivalent industry standing.
Experience leading kitchen teams and managing operations, stock and costs, alongside current knowledge of food safety, HACCP and food control plans under the Food Act 2014.
Tertiary teaching experience, or demonstrated ability to develop teaching, assessment and facilitation capability at degree level.
Experience or willingness to teach in a bicultural context consistent with Te Tiriti o Waitangi, incorporating Māori and Pasifika food knowledge and culturally responsive teaching.
By exception, candidates with exceptional professional or industry standing who are in the final stages of a relevant Level 9 or higher programme may be considered, with a documented completion timeframe agreed at appointment.
Desirable: Industry networks and recognition, applied research interests, practical project supervision, and knowledge of nutrition or sensory evaluation would be welcome. Wine or sensory qualifications, a Manager’s Certificate or willingness to obtain one, and experience with te reo Māori or Māori and Pasifika frameworks are also valued.
For Senior Lecturer appointment, you’ll also bring recognised senior professional standing, sustained professional achievement, experience leading practical or capstone teaching, demonstrated academic leadership, and experience mentoring colleagues.
The role includes kitchen preparation and close-down responsibilities, with occasional evening, weekend or off-site activities.
Why join Skills Group?
Your expertise can help learners build a future in an industry you know and care about. You’ll work alongside culinary professionals and educational specialists, with opportunities to contribute your ideas and develop your teaching and academic practice.
Our culture is grounded in Joy, Manaakitanga, Grow and Bold. We value curiosity, care and the confidence to try new approaches and we support each other to keep learning.
Benefits that back you
Health & wellbeing: Fully subsidised Southern Cross medical insurance, TELUS Health Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), and annual flu vaccinations.
Leave: Birthday leave, long service leave, and enhanced bereavement leave.
Financial benefits: 3.5% KiwiSaver contribution, 2% SuperLife contribution, and a $500 employee referral bonus.
Learning & development: Two paid learning hours each week, LinkedIn Learning access, Future Fit development opportunities, and ongoing professional growth support.
Ready to share your craft and inspire future culinary professionals?
Apply with your CV and a cover letter outlining your culinary experience, qualifications and approach to teaching. Please indicate whether you’re seeking appointment at Lecturer or Senior Lecturer level.
- Department
- Skills Institute - Degrees
- Role
- Chef Lecturer - Culinary Arts
- Location
- Skills Institute - Wiri
- Employment type
- Full-time