Sanjula Abeywickrama
Mount Waverley,VIC
Summary
Dynamic culinary professional with over three years of experience thriving in fast-paced kitchen environments while maintaining composure and productivity under pressure. Recognized for exceptional organizational skills and a positive attitude, adept at managing multiple priorities and driving team objectives forward. Proven ability to oversee kitchen operations in the absence of the head chef, complemented by hands-on experience crafting signature dishes such as Butter Chicken and Wagyu Burgers. Eager to secure an entry-level chef position that fosters growth opportunities, leveraging strong interpersonal skills, time management, and problem-solving abilities to contribute effectively to a collaborative culinary team.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Sous Chef
The Macedon Village Hotel
05.2025 - Current
- Managed food preparation tasks during high-volume service periods, ensuring all orders were executed in a timely manner without sacrificing quality or presentation standards.
- Trained kitchen staff to perform various preparation tasks under pressure.
- Planned and directed high-volume food preparation in fast-paced environment.
- Managed inventory levels effectively, resulting in reduced food waste and cost savings for the establishment.
- Increased kitchen productivity by optimizing workflow processes and delegating tasks appropriately within the team.
- Plated every dish with attractive flair to meet strict restaurant standards and maintain stellar business reputation.
- Served as an integral part of the hiring process for new kitchen staff members, contributing valuable insights into candidate selection based on experience and skill set compatibility with existing team dynamics.
- Collaborated with the head chef to develop innovative menu items and assisted in the 'pass' section when needed.
Chef
The Grove
05.2024 - 05.2025
- Modern Australian kitchen open for lunch and dinner service covering around 1000-1200 pax weekly.
- Working on rotation over looking many stations such as fryer, larder and prep during busy periods to support all the chefs present.
- Over looked and supported function menus while creating platters and stepping up in the absence of the Head Chef.
- Oversaw grill, stove, and oven, and cleaned equipment after every shift.
- Checked freezer and refrigerator prior to each shift to verify correct temperatures.
Chef De Partie
The Healesville Hotel
09.2023 - 05.2024
- Faced paced Italian kitchen with at least 5-6 chefs in at most times covering lunch and dinner.
- Pastas, sauces, pizza, bread and many other dishes are made from scratch.
- Over looked and supported event menus while creating platters, cheese boards, charcuterie, etc.
- Provided support in all areas of the kitchen as needed, demonstrating versatility and adaptability under pressure.
- Trained kitchen staff to perform various preparation tasks under pressure.
- Maintained well-organized mise en place to keep work consistent.
Chef
The Urban Hype Cafe
10.2023 - 02.2024
- Solo chef managing a faced paced café on weekdays which focuses on a large variety of breakfast and lunch dishes.
- Created both sweet and savory dishes along side baking and making soup specials.
- Within a short span of time, incorporated my own dishes on to the café menu increasing customer satisfaction and overall business revenue.
- Placed orders to restock items before supplies ran out.
- Handled and stored food to eliminate illness and prevent cross-contamination.
Chef
The Creekside Hotel
08.2022 - 07.2023
- Oversaw larder, pans, fryers and pass cleaning, checked freezer/ refrigerator to verify correct temperatures, placed orders to restock, handled/stored food to eliminate illness and prevent cross contamination.
- Prepared meals from scratch using authentic ingredients, responded to dietary concerns/food allergies, creating dishes to meet customer needs maintaining well-organized kitchen to keep work consistent.
- Worked closely with front-of-house staff to facilitate excellent customer service training kitchen staff to perform various preparation tasks under pressure.
- Optimized food preparation processes, implementing time-saving techniques without compromising quality.
Chef
Johno’s Diner
01.2022 - 08.2022
- Cooking on grill, deep fryer, pizza oven, making coffees, lunch specials, fresh slices, mousses, sauces and salads.
- Maintained stock rotating/creating new recipes building strong relationships with customers, partnering with owners to identify sales trends increasing revenue growth.
- Coached team members in customer service techniques, providing feedback and encouragement toward reaching sales goals. Trained kitchen staff to perform under pressure.
- Modernized work processes to reduce guest wait times and boost daily output.
- Reduced food waste with strategic menu planning and inventory control techniques.
Education
Diploma - Hospitality Management
Victorian Academy of Commerce & Technology
Melbourne, VIC03.2022
Certificate IV - Commercial Cookery
Victorian Academy of Commerce & Technology
Melbourne, VIC01.2022
Certificate III - Commercial Cookery
Victorian Academy of Commerce & Technology
Melbourne, VIC01.2022
Skills
- Effective in equipment use and cost control
- Artistic food plating
- Skilled in maintaining hygiene standards and waste control
- Led new hire training initiatives
- Customer-focused innovation
- Concise verbal skills
- Exhibited strong project management skills
- Committed team contributor
- Proficient in IT and MS Office
- Kitchen leadership
- Food safety
- Inventory management
- Allergen awareness
- Supervising food prep
- Safe food handling
- Food presentation
- Detail-oriented
- Butchery techniques
LANGUAGES
English (Full advance proficiency)
Sinhala (Advance proficiency)
Timeline
Sous Chef
The Macedon Village Hotel
05.2025 - Current
Chef
The Grove
05.2024 - 05.2025
Chef
The Urban Hype Cafe
10.2023 - 02.2024
Chef De Partie
The Healesville Hotel
09.2023 - 05.2024
Chef
The Creekside Hotel
08.2022 - 07.2023
Chef
Johno’s Diner
01.2022 - 08.2022
Diploma - Hospitality Management
Victorian Academy of Commerce & Technology
Certificate IV - Commercial Cookery
Victorian Academy of Commerce & Technology
Certificate III - Commercial Cookery
Victorian Academy of Commerce & Technology
SPORTS ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2022 – Present: Seddon Cricket Club
- 2019 – 2021: Donald Cricket Club
- 2019 – 2017: Lankans Cricket Club – First Class
- 2017 – 2016: Captain of Isipathana College
- 2015: Represented Sri Lanka Under 19 Squad
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