Rebecca Hewawitharana

I currently work as a Demi Chef at Crowne Plaza Sydney Macquarie Park, a 4-star hotel specializing in modern Australian cuisine. My responsibilities include:

• Conducting pre-opening inspections of dining areas to verify preparation and compliance with requirements.
• Facilitating team communication on menu updates and special customer requests.
• Tracking inventory levels of foods and supplies used in daily production.
• Ensuring awareness of potential allergens in all recipes and menu offerings.
• Taking initiative in suggesting new menu items or updating existing ones based on customer feedback.
• Providing guidance to junior members of the kitchen staff in their duties.
• Operated standard commercial kitchen equipment adhering to safety protocols.
• Managed food stock rotation by prioritizing older items in inventory.
• Coordinated food deliveries efficiently.
• Sanitized kitchen tools, equipment, and surfaces to maintain hygiene standards.
• Observing food safety and sanitation protocols to reduce germ spread.
• Collaborated with wait staff to address patron dietary restrictions and food allergies.
• Monitoring temperatures of prepared food and cold-storage areas.
• Supervising junior staff members when necessary.
• Checking temperatures of freezers and refrigerators regularly.
• Working closely with other chefs to create innovative dishes.
• Notifying professionals in advance of supply needs to prevent inventory shortages.
• Training and supervising line cooks to develop new skills and improve team performance.
• Conducting research into new recipes or menu items, as requested by management.
• Assisting in the daily preparation of meals according to recipes.
• Ensured swift resolution of issues pertaining to food quality and dining experience.
• Ensured proper storage conditions were maintained throughout the kitchen area.
• Set up workstations with needed ingredients, utensils and cooking equipment.
• Ensured that all food items were prepared in a timely manner.
• Observed food safety and sanitation protocols to reduce germ spread.
• Communicated effectively with wait staff regarding patron food allergies and dietary restrictions.
• Documented processes related to production operations such as recipe changes or new menu items.

My role as a Commis Chef Included:

• Executed meal preparation for both breakfast buffet and lunch a la carte menu with attention to detail.
• Applying fundamental knife proficiency in the slicing, dicing, and mincing of vegetables.
• Contributed to assembling and executing sophisticated dish preparations.
• Managed resource consumption effectively to ensure reduced waste.
• Followed established standards for product presentations, flavor profiles, and plate design set by Head Chef.
• Collaborated with chefs and kitchen team during service to maintain operational efficiency.

I have worked at the Warehouse of Device Technologies as a pick/packer and carrying out functions which include Confirming and Consigning orders using SAP systems and SmartFreight platform. My responsibilities include:

• Picking products from designated locations using various tools and transferred to appropriate areas for further processing.
• Picking up heavy objects using proper lifting techniques to avoid personal injuries.
• Select products and items from shelves and pallets for customer orders.
• Promote workplace safety and smooth production by keeping workspaces clean, organized and free of hazards.
• Working additional hours and shifts to meet tight deadlines during peak periods.
• Marking and labeling containers with accurate shipping information to prevent delays.
• Reviewing packing slips and other documentation to properly box requested items for shipment.
• Labeling boxes and placed in outbound collection areas.
• Limiting damage to products and orders by using care when choosing items.
• Packaging fragile items with protective padding to prevent damages during shipments.
• Cleaning and organizing aisles, work stations and floors to promote operational productivity.
• Completing shipping paperwork, attached appropriate labels and scanned barcodes for tracking.
• Using handheld scanners to key in data for packages.
• Confirming items picked for orders by keying codes into system.
• Training new employees regarding warehouse procedures and standards.

• Upon the successful completion of a 10 week work placement, I have worked for +1 year as a Commis Chef at Novotel Brighton-Le-Sands which is a 4.5 star hotel that serves modern Australian cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As part of my main responsibilities working as a Cook, I have cover below tasks:
• Rotated food stock, using up older items first and rejecting expired goods.
• Plated food according to restaurant artistic guidelines to promote attractive presentation.
• Assessed inventory levels and placed orders to replenish goods before supplies depleted.
• Checked food portioning for optimal presentation and cost control.
• Used proper cleaning supplies and methods to disinfect counters where raw meat, poultry, fish and eggs had been prepared.
• Chopped and diced vegetables and fruits to stock fridge ahead of busy periods.
• Plated dishes using tasty garnishes and sauces to appeal to and delight patrons.
• Communicated effectively with wait staff regarding patron food allergies and dietary restrictions.
• Placed frequently used ingredients in proper storage containers and placed perishable items in refrigerator.
• Mise en place for breakfast, lunch and dinner shifts.
• Cooking at action stations at the breakfast buffet and the seafood dinner buffet.
• Preparation of dishes for special occasions and functions held at the hotel.
• Plating, preparation and cooking elements of the seafood tower for the weekend set menu.
• Plating and preparation of desserts for the weekend set menu and the A la carte menu.
• Plating, preparation and cooking dishes in the A la carte menu.
• Maintaining the hygiene in the Kitchen to meet WHS standards

I have worked as an Volunteer at The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society in Sri Lanka for 7 months prior to my arrival in Sydney Australia.

My work responsibilities included the following areas:

· Data Entry

· Housekeeping

· Laundry Services

In 2018, a Special Convention was held in Sri Lanka which had delegates from United States, Italy, United Kingdom, India and Thailand. I was working in a special project team who manage the delegates website which was updated around the clock from January 2018 to July 2018.

• Coordinating and working as a Secretary to the project team.
• Managed email correspondence with the foreign delegates on their travel and hotel arrangements.
• Worked with the media team to update the “whats New” page.
• Worked with the media & photography team to cover special moments of the 3 day convention which was published on the convention website.
• Organized volunteer schedules and duties to maximize productivity.
• Generated visual content for organization's social media platforms.
• Maintained ongoing email lists and excel spreadsheets to send information to volunteers.