As the General Manager of Key Accounts at Aquanas, I lead strategic initiatives to drive growth, enhance client satisfaction, and foster long-term partnerships within the hospitality industry. I specialise in managing high-profile accounts in Melbourne, ensuring seamless service delivery, and implementing tailored solutions that align with our clients' unique needs and goals.With a strong background in hospitality, client relations, team leadership, and business development, I work closely with our partners to understand their evolving demands and deliver value through effective, results-driven strategies. My role involves overseeing tender submissions, updating pricing structures, and maintaining compliance to exceed client expectations and sustain a competitive edge in the market.I am passionate about building meaningful client relationships and driving collaborative solutions that contribute to Aquanas' reputation for quality and reliability in the hospitality service industry.

During my time as Head of Food and Beverage at Zoos Australia (Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary), I was focused on enhancing the overall guest experience through innovative food and beverage offerings. I foster strategic partnerships with external vendors and suppliers to enhance the quality and diversity of offerings while driving revenue optimisation strategies to maximise profitability. Additionally, I lead continuous improvement initiatives in food service operations, leveraging data-driven insights and guest feedback to elevate service standards.

RACV Club from 2009 to 2019, I managed and innovated culinary operations across multiple venues, including The Bistro, Blue Tree Fine Dining, Conference and Events, Sports Bar, and Members Premium Lounge. Each outlet had its unique offerings, such as The Bistro’s use of the finest local Yarra Valley produce for up to 120 a la carte and 150 buffet meals, and Blue Tree’s premium dining experience featuring locally sourced steaks, poultry, and seafood paired with regional wines.I was responsible for coordinating around 500 corporate events and weddings annually, ensuring top-notch service and cuisine. The Sports Bar catered to golf and fitness club members with quick, healthy options, while the Members Premium Lounge was popular for afternoon teas and our signature Yarra Valley grazing board.My contributions included being part of the opening team for the RACV Yarra Valley Country Club and implementing new menu concepts across all outlets. I developed the 'Awaken' breakfast concept and the 'mymenu' system, creating a consistent quality standard. I also introduced an in-house produce line featuring items like granola and house-grown honey.I led a team of 26 chefs and kitchen staff, managing all aspects of daily kitchen operations, including staff scheduling, payroll, stock control, and menu costing. I was accountable for budgeting, P&L management, forecasting, HACCP compliance, and food safety. My role required constant innovation and revenue generation through new culinary concepts and marketing strategies. In FY18, I managed a food revenue budget of $4.6 million, maintaining food costs at 31.5% and labor costs at 34.7%, demonstrating efficient cost management while delivering exceptional culinary experiences.

Dunk Island Resort from November 2007 to June 2008, I played a crucial role in rebuilding the resort's infrastructure following a cyclone. I was responsible for recruiting, training, and preparing all kitchen staff, purchasing equipment, designing kitchen layouts, and updating menus. Despite shifting priorities and seasonal challenges, the resorts reopened and exceeded operational expectations.For Dunk Island, we reopened after a $33 million refurbishment post-Cyclone Ingrid. I re-engineered all menus, reducing the food cost budget from 33.5% to 28% YTD. I hired and trained all kitchen staff to meet high standards, elevating the cuisine to 5-star quality. Key achievements included consolidating suppliers to increase buying power, implementing concept cuisine to reduce labor costs, and updating outdated ordering practices to improve food profit margins. I also enhanced the food stocktaking regime by introducing new tools and processes.Position Snapshot:Reporting Line: Resort General ManagerStaff: Managed a team of 38, including Executive Sous Chefs, Sous Chefs, Chef de Parties, Demi Chefs, Commis Chefs, Stewards, Restaurant Managers, Supervisors, and Food & Beverage Attendants.Budgeted Revenues: $8.4MFood Cost Budget: 30%Labor Budget: 36%Daily Responsibilities included overseeing daily kitchen operations, menu engineering and implementation, budget management, HACCP implementation, staff training and motivation, project work, revenue generation, and the development of new culinary concepts.

Responsible for overseeing six award-winning restaurants and outlets throughout Australia, including Mecca South Bank Melbourne (2 hats), Mecca Bah Docklands Melbourne, Live Bait Docklands Melbourne, Bar Bosh Knox Melbourne, Mecca Bah Canberra, Mecca Bah Brisbane, and The Wine and Cheese Provedore Melbourne. My role involved managing supplier controls by reviewing current supplier pricing and relationships, promoting strong partnerships, and ensuring consistency in product quality and freshness through national and local supplier deals. I implemented strategic purchasing practices, such as bulk buying and price locking, and maintained market awareness for seasonality.Financially, I developed and monitored food cost plans, implemented a comprehensive food stocktaking regime, and continuously analyzed labor costs against budgets. This included reviewing kitchen teams for efficiency in preparation and purchasing, and monitoring consumables across the entire business. I ensured that all staff adhered to internal processes and procedures, including time and attendance management and compliance with company policies.Operationally, I maintained high standards in venue presentation both front and back of house, ensuring that all products and dishes met agreed-upon standards. I supervised staff to guarantee consistency in product presentation and quality, and ensured that recipes and methods were followed accurately. My leadership focused on delivering exceptional dining experiences through meticulous attention to detail in culinary execution and strategic management.

In this role, I oversaw the food operations for six Northern Territory Intercontinental Hotels, including Crowne Plaza Darwin (5-star), Crowne Plaza Alice Springs, Holiday Inn Darwin, Holiday Inn Esplanade Darwin, Gagudju Crocodile Hotel, and Gagudju Cooinda Lodge. I led the implementation of the new Mediterranean à la carte dining concept "Sirocco," which was rolled out across Australia, including Melbourne, Sydney, Surfers Paradise, and Perth. Additionally, I launched the "Take Inn" room service concept at Holiday Inn Esplanade and Holiday Inn Darwin, enhancing in-room dining experiences.I spearheaded supplier consolidation and group purchasing initiatives, resulting in increased food revenue profit margins. My efforts also focused on elevating the culinary standards across all properties, aligning with modern 5-star cuisine expectations. To enhance guest satisfaction, I introduced a guest feedback survey system in all restaurants, complementing the existing GSTS monthly surveys, enabling proactive improvements based on guest feedback.One of my key achievements was reengineering the menus to improve food cost budgeting, successfully reducing the food cost to 28.9%, outperforming the budgeted 31.5% year-to-date. My leadership in this role emphasized innovation, quality enhancement, and operational efficiency in the culinary operations across these prestigious properties.

As the Corporate Group Executive Chef, I was responsible for overseeing all food operations across Ayers Rock Resorts culinary opertions, including Sails in the Desert (5-star hotel), Longitude 131 (6-star luxury hotel), Desert Gardens Hotel, and Outback Pioneer Hotel. Promoted from Executive Chef at Sails in the Desert, my goal was to replicate its success throughout the entire resort.I re-engineered all menus and food concepts to align with each hotel's branding, consolidated supplier relationships to enhance purchasing power, and re-costed menus and conference kits to maximize profitability. My focus on elevating cuisine quality and guest satisfaction scores involved setting more aggressive targets.A key initiative was the creation and implementation of a "commissary kitchen" concept, which improved food profitability and consistency while reducing freight and food costs. I also introduced a chef rotation program to enhance skill diversity and efficiency during high occupancy periods.In collaboration with the training and OHS managers, I developed comprehensive food safety plans and training programs for chefs. Reporting directly to the Resort General Manager of Hotels, I led a team of 116 staff members, including three Executive Chefs and various other culinary professionals. I managed budgeted revenues of $25M, with a food cost budget of 25% and a labor budget of 22%. My daily responsibilities included seasonal menu writing and costing, budget control and forecasting, project management, kitchen staff recruitment and training, and overall operational management.

In this role, I revitalized kitchen operations and updated uninspiring menus in collaboration with the to introduce a modern-style cuisine. The successful transformation led to my involvement in designing and planning upmarket banquet kits for the 2000 Australian Open, tailored for corporate clients. I managed catering for various events at Olympic Park, including concerts, corporate functions, and sporting events. Notable clients included the Melbourne Storm rugby team, Carlton Soccer team, Melbourne Tigers, IBM, AMP, ANZ corporate dining, and the Titans basketball team. I also played a key role in stock rotation to minimize wastage.Position Snapshot:Managed a team of 180 staff during special events, and 21 daily. The position had a food cost budget of 32% and a labor budget of 24%. My daily responsibilities included overseeing operations, menu planning, ordering, stock control, and rostering.This role demanded meticulous attention to detail in operations, innovative menu planning, and efficient resource management to deliver high-quality service to a diverse range of clients.

In my role as Chef de Cuisine, I reported to the Executive Sous Chef of Hotels and directly managed a team of 37 culinary professionals. I oversaw food revenues totaling $7.8M, with a food cost budget of 32% and a labor cost budget of 22%. This dynamic workplace, equipped with cutting-edge operations, staff, and equipment, provided an exceptional environment for developing and honing my management expertise.Over a 5-year period, I consistently earned promotions, culminating in a senior staff position. I was also selected to be part of the opening team for the South Bank Casino complex, a prestigious opportunity where I competed alongside 380 of Australia's top chefs. This experience solidified my skills in high-pressure environments and underscored my commitment to culinary excellence.