Employment

To provoke stirring reactions through great theatre experiences that question and celebrate our humanity.

This company is

Māiatanga - Courageous

Manaakitanga - Welcoming

Whānaungatanga - Belonging

Kotahitanga - One Team

Role: Head Pizza Chef 
Hours: Full time 40 hours+ per week
Days of Work: Tuesday – Saturday (with some flexibility required)
Pay: Hourly based on experience 
Reports to: Food and Beverage Manager
Direct Reports: Casual Pizza Staff
Team: Venue and Facilities Team
Start Date: Early - Mid March

MAIN ROLE SCOPE AND PURPOSE:

The Court Theatre is embarking on an exciting new chapter! As we move from Addington to our stunning new central city home, we’re bringing food services in-house for the very first time. At the heart of our offering? Classic Neapolitan-style pizza—honouring our long-standing tradition, now crafted in our own kitchen in a brand-new gas/wood hybrid pizza oven. To start, we’re keeping things simple yet elegant, focusing on high-quality, beautifully executed pizzas alongside a refined snack menu. But here’s the exciting part: we have a fully equipped commercial kitchen, and for the right person, the sky’s the limit. This is an incredible opportunity for a skilled and ambitious chef to take ownership of our food offering, develop new ideas, and shape the future of in-house dining at The Court. With the unique nature of our theatre service, the pre-show rush is intense—think 60-90 pizzas an hour—but for someone with vision and drive, the opportunity for growth is immense.

Our ideal candidate is a reliable and consistent professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and can work flexible hours, including weekends. You’ll have experience working with wood-fired ovens, but familiarity with a hybrid gas/wood oven is a definite advantage. With service peaking in the two hours before a show, you’ll need to handle high-volume production while maintaining impeccable health, safety, and hygiene standards. This role isn’t just about making great pizza—it’s about leading a high-performing team that works with precision, speed, and cohesion under pressure. You’ll be responsible for training and developing your team to deliver consistently excellent results while keeping the kitchen running smoothly. If you’re passionate about food, teamwork, and taking ownership of a kitchen with huge potential, this is your chance to make your mark at The Court.

For more information or to apply for this role, please see here. 

We are currently not accepting applications for baristas or bar staff.

Please check back in the coming months, as we will be hiring again as we prepare to open our new theatre in the heart of Christchurch CBD in May 2025. 

We would love to hear from experienced theatre practitioners and educators who are interested in running classes and/or workshops in our Education and Outreach Programme. Opportunities include both regular classes and short-term teaching with the Youth Companies.

To express your interest, please send a cover letter and C.V. to ben.limmer@courttheatre.org.nz, providing your training and experience and an indication of what you would like to teach. We are looking for skilled and motivated practitioners. Experience in education is valuable, but not essential. You must have a strong commitment to fostering the future talent of New Zealand theatre.

The Court Theatre is committed to strengthening diversity, equity, and inclusion, and individuals who identify with under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Court Theatre seeks casual staff for occasional work at the theatre.

The Court is looking to increase its pool of contacts of:

• Metalworkers
• Mechanists
• Costume makers

If you have these skills, live in Christchurch and are interested in working with one of New Zealand’s leading arts organisations, please send your brief CV as well as any relevant qualifications/accreditations to production@courttheatre.org.nz

Please note that this is not a permanent/fixed hour role, but an opportunity to be added to The Court’s database of workers. People expressing interest may be contacted show by show/as needed; rates and hours by mutual agreement.

Whether you're a designer, artist, creator or maker, we want to hear from you!

To send your expression of interest to work at The Court, email production@courttheatre.org.nz with your name, contact information and portfolio and/or website link. 

We can't wait to hear from you!