BRAND AMBASSADOR-FREELANCE CHEFMy career as a chef has been a 36 year journey of exploring and being challenged. In early 2017, after many years of front line cooking in restaurant kitchens, I decided it was time to go it alone.
Being a freelance chef, allows me to concentrate on kitchen setups, costings and administration issues, along with working as a brand ambassador for various companies. I have been inspired by many chefs from the likes of classic French kitchens of Robuchon and Vergé to the more ethnic grounded chefs like Mark Miller of Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe. My cooking style and flavour palette has been molded by all of these innovative chefs but regardless of the influences, my food has strong links back to my childhood and the values developed during those young and impressionable years. I like to create dishes with multiple levels of textures and flavors reinforced with a motivation to create memorable thoughts and moments that sit with the diner long after they have eaten my food. I have represented beef & Lamb New Zealand as an Ambassador for over 20 years, that has opened a multitude of opportunities. The likes of being asked to cook for Bill Clinton and all the other world leaders at the 1998 APEC Summit in Auckland, to being asked to design and cook a 'Taste New Zealand Dinner' for Tradenz brand partners in Bali. Having opened four businesses of my own and opened another five for other clients, helped pave the way for me to be able to identify and implement solutions to the varied difficulties and challenges that these kitchens offered. As a professional chef with a deep seated respect for my craft, every challenge is embraced with a passion and enthusiasm that has been recognised as my signature in every kitchen and menu I setup. |