Work with us.

Hospitality jobs Christchurch

We’re looking for:

Front of house
Chef’s
Underwater porcelain technicians
Supervisors
Duty Managers

If you’re interested in joining our team, and being a part of something new, reach out to us: team@pastapasta.co.nz

Our Team

The leader of our squad.

At the centre of Hannah’s approach is a belief that great food should be technically considered without ever feeling overworked. Her cooking combines European foundations with contemporary ideas, unexpected flavour combinations and a willingness to rethink familiar dishes, resulting in food that is inventive while remaining generous and approachable.

Throughout her career, Hannah has been drawn to culinary ideas and dining styles more often associated with major international food cities, translating them into menus that feel relevant to Christchurch rather than simply imported from elsewhere. This ability to interpret broader food movements through a local lens has become an important part of her culinary identity.

Her influence extends well beyond individual dishes. Hannah has played a central role in defining the food direction of restaurant, private dining, catering and events concepts, developing menus and kitchen cultures where creativity is supported by discipline, consistency and strong execution.

For Hannah, innovation is not about unnecessary complexity. It is about understanding tradition well enough to know when to respect it, when to reinterpret it and when to create something entirely new.

Her work continues to explore where modern European food can go next, while contributing to a more ambitious and diverse dining culture in Christchurch.

Hannah has a passion for all things food. Pasta and otherwise. The co-owner & executive chef of our hospitality group.

Hannah Cooper-Grieve

Ryan’s work is driven by a fascination with what makes hospitality businesses resonate — from the initial idea and market positioning through to branding, customer experience, marketing and growth. Rather than approaching a restaurant simply as a place to eat, Ryan looks at the entire proposition: why it exists, who it is for, how it should feel and what will make people talk about it.

Across businesses including The Monday Room, Pasta Pasta and Central Park Catering, Ryan has been closely involved in shaping brands with strong identities and clear points of difference. His approach often challenges conventional hospitality thinking, favouring ideas that are accessible, culturally relevant and designed to stand out in a crowded market.

With a strong commercial instinct and a detailed understanding of consumer behaviour, Ryan brings together hospitality, branding and strategy in a way that allows concepts to evolve beyond individual venues and into recognisable brands.

He remains actively involved in the development of new hospitality projects in Christchurch, with a focus on creating businesses that feel contemporary, memorable and built for long-term relevance.

Ryan Simonsen

Joel is a Christchurch restaurateur with a reputation for turning hospitality ideas into well-run, enduring businesses.

Where many operators specialise in either the creative or commercial side of restaurants, Joel’s strength lies in execution. He has built his career around the systems, people and operational discipline required to take a hospitality concept from an idea on paper to a business that performs consistently every day.

Joel has been involved in the ownership, development and evolution of multiple Christchurch hospitality ventures, with responsibilities spanning restaurant operations, staffing, financial performance, service culture and venue strategy.

His leadership style is practical and highly engaged. He places particular emphasis on building strong teams, establishing clear standards and creating the operational structure that allows both the kitchen and front of house to perform at a high level.

That operational mindset is balanced by a strong understanding of the guest. Joel believes successful restaurants are ultimately built on thousands of small moments — how a guest is greeted, how a room feels, how consistently a dish arrives and whether the entire experience delivers on the promise of the brand.

His focus remains on building hospitality businesses that can grow, adapt and remain relevant, while maintaining the standards and personality that made them successful in the first place.