CHRIS AITKEN

I currently work at Shelly Beach Golf Club as a CDP, my role includes;

• Prepping and service in all of the sections on rotation.
• Ordering for, preparing and serving functions, creating menu specials, keeping costs and seasonal availability in mind, as well as packing away deliveries, regular deep cleaning, and keeping the kitchen tidy and clean.
• The sections I ran included the pass, fryer, grill and pans, flat top grill, and larder.
• In the absence of the Head and Sous chef, I manage the kitchen, including tasks such as ordering from suppliers, assigning staff to tasks, maintaining standards, rostering changes and liaising with Front of House staff and managers.
• My role also involved training and guidance of the apprentice chefs, showing them safe cutting and knife care techniques, discussion of cooking terminology and practices, and generally helping them wherever need be, whilst ensuring that they remained safe and that they had help at all times.

• I worked at Mockingbird Lovedale, alongside the Head Chef and an apprentice. My role includes running breakfast and lunch services in a timely manner, whilst maintaining a high quality of food and service, as well as acting as Head Chef when the need arises.
• Maintained well-organized mise en place to keep work consistent.
• Worked closely with front-of-house staff to facilitate excellent customer service.
• Participated in food tastings and taste tests.
• Oversaw grill, stove, and oven, and cleaned equipment after every shift.
• Set up and broke down kitchen for service.
• Evaluated food products to verify freshness and quality.
• Maintained high food quality standards by checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
• Prevented cross-contamination from utensils, surfaces, and pans when cooking and plating meals for food allergy sufferers.
• Responded to dietary concerns and food allergies, creating dishes to meet customer needs and palates.

My time working at Mockingbird, Lovedale came to an end when the location ceased trading in April 2023.

• Worked as Sous Chef alongside the Head Chef and other staff in a busy Tavern, most often controlling the mains section of chargrill and pans.
• Created specials on a weekly basis, ranging across entrees, mains and desserts, which were a large selling point amongst customers.
• Taught new cooking techniques to cooks and apprentices, such as sous vide, brining and confit.
• Monitored food production to verify quality and consistency.
• Set up and broke down kitchen for service.
• Planned and directed high-volume food preparation in fast-paced environment.
• Coordinated with vendors to order supplies and maintain high quality standards.
• Utilized culinary techniques to create visually appealing dishes.
• Obtained fresh, local ingredients to improve dish flavors and limit grocery costs.
• Maintained high food quality standards by checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
• Planned promotional menu additions based on seasonal pricing and product availability.
• Acted as head chef when required to maintain continuity of service and quality.
• Assisted with menu development and planning.

• I worked at Empire Diner at Bar Beach, as a chef, running the kitchen with the sous chef, then I was promoted to sous chef around 6 months in, and I worked alongside the head chef.
• My role includes menu collaboration, ordering, making use of excess stock for specials, cooking on all sections, as well as plating/pass, and front of house and dish when needed.
• Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
• Other skills include catering for functions mid-service, and liaising with the bar (separate company) in regards to functions and bookings.

• Catered to functions and for food orders for other premises, as well as ready-to-eat meals for the company itself
• My role was comprised of general food prep under the head chef's instruction, temperature logging, cryo-vaccing, sandwich and pastry construction, and cleaning.

• Started and completed my apprenticeship at Wests New Lambton, I worked in a variety of restaurants within the club, from casual fine dining in the seafood restaurant Lure, to the American-esque Chophouse, to the bistro level restaurants
• In this time I learnt to prepare and cook a variety of fish, meat preparation including smoking and curing, cooking multiple steaks on a wood-fired grill, and working in all sections of each restaurant
• Other skills I learned were making fresh pastas, stocks and sauces such as red wine jus, lobster bisque and many more.

• I cooked an all-day menu, from pancakes and waffles to steaks, salads and burgers, and after a few months I took over ordering, rotation of stock and opens/closes, dealing with sales reps from distributers such as PFD and BidFoods.

• In this role I learned to cook rotisserie chickens over a charcoal grill, in a Lebanese style, as well as the preparation of garlic sauce (Toum), fresh hommus, tabbouleh, different types of shish kebab, as well as burgers, wraps and salads.