Jay Byrne

Experience

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  Icon & Noci Ristorante

  Nov 2006 - Jul 2013

  Executive Chef

  • Mixed purpose venue featuring 120 seat full-service ala carte All day dining serving a modern Australian menu.• Awarded by QLD Restauranteurs Association in our first year in the best new opening category.• Central Bar with casual dining and 80 alfresco seats. Function room Seating 80 or 150 standing casual.• Provided hands-on expertise in areas that included menu planning, cost control and analysis, staffing, budgeting, and marketing.• I managed the entire restaurant staff of 32 and controlled food and operating expenses while enhancing food and service quality whilst improving kitchen techniques.• Increased food revenue in Icon from $156,000pa to $960,000pa in 16 months through an integrated assault on Brand Offering and most importantly changing company culture to a collaborative and inclusive environment.• Led consistent growth over 5 quarters enabling natural progression into a second venue Noci Ristorante serving modern Italian cuisine.• Developed new revenue streams across both venues including Off-site catering, Labour hire, and Culinary education. Show less

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  Pinnacle People Australia

  Jul 2013 - Mar 2015

  Chef

  • Labour hire contracts across Resource, Stadium and Resort sectors. • Catering up to 2500 daily covers in remote locations.• Working on sites from 250 2000 man for companies such as* Cater Care, Spotless, Transfield Services, ESS over regional Australia and overseas. • I also worked several months with DNC in the Tourism sector on the Great Barrier Reef at Heron Island Resort.

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  Spotless Group

  Apr 2015 - Mar 2018

  Head Chef

  • Remote mine site catering with 16 back of house staff, over two 10hr shifts per day. • Providing plated breakfast and dinner as well as full crib services for a camp with 1065 beds.• Oversaw and directed kitchen staff of 24 and individual position assignments. • Trained and managed all kitchen staff, including employee development, issuing disciplinary action, and conducting performance reviews.• Monitored linework processes to ensure consistency in quality, quantity, and presentation.• Maintained inventories of food, ingredient, and supply stock to prepare and plan vendor orders.• Collaborated with the Catering Manager in the production or modification of menus and selections.• Ensured personnel safety, kitchen sanitation and proper food handling or storage.• Instructed new staff in proper food preparation, food storage, use of kitchen equipment and utensils, sanitation, and safety issues.• Actively involved in cost control, sanitation, menu development, training, recruitment, private dining, and catering. Show less

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  Doug & Pearl

  Mar 2017 - Sept 2019

  Owner, Head Chef

  • 60 seat full-service á la carte Restaurant with 12 seat private dining, offering a rolling menu and beverage list showcasing limited release Australian wines.• Averaging total restaurant covers 350-400 per week, 3-4 off-site catering events per month generating $1,500.000 in annual turnover maintaining 23% cost of sales and 28% labour cost.• Doug and Pearl had a medium-sized menu with new features every week. We were able to gain supplemental revenue streams every month through offsite catering, private degustation and special functions.• High quality of food service was maintained with adherence to food safety legislation.• Strong focus on our Social Media Presence and corporate image continuity across all platforms. Maintaining 4-5 stars on trip advisor and consistently being rated certificate of excellence and Travellers choice.• Actively involved in cost control, sanitation, menu development, training, recruitment, private dining, and catering. Show less

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  Caprice Holdings Ltd. Scott's Restaurant

  Sept 2019 - Jun 2020

  Sous Chef

  • Overseeing daily operations of Scott’s private dining rooms, with an annual turnover above £2M "The Private Room" and " Platinum Arrowana Room" catered for intimate dining experiences of 6 - 30 seated or standing cocktail events of 50.• Guest lists at Scott's consistently included HNWI as well as A-list celebrities and sporting professionals.• Weekly meetings collaborating with the PDR Team, Maître d’ & reception, and Sommelier teams.• Responsible directly for all pre-event production and procurement working within strict labour and food cost guidelines, including pre-event meetings with the events team and functions sheet preparation.• Working directly with Executive and Head Chef on menu development including production of all dishes for bi-weekly tastings.• Solely responsible for event scheduling and pre-event training for junior chefs involved in service. Show less

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  Rubys

  Jun 2020 - Dec 2020

  Head Chef

  • Solely responsible for all aspects of catering operations for a 50 seat Café, 120 Seat formal dining and 50 seat Private Dining room, trading all day in the heart of Soho.• Pre-opening recruitment and ongoing management of 10 kitchen staff including training, supervision, salary determination, scheduling and overall team.• Created, produced, and costed all function, a la carte and casual dining menus, inclusive of front and back of house specification and allergen sheets.• Utilise expertise and networking in procurement to consistently control costs and maintain premium supply for this £2M restaurant operation.• Total ownership of P&L maintaining cost of sales at 25% and Labour cost at 28%.• Uber Eats and Deliveroo menus were developed and launched in anticipation of the 2021 lockdown.• COVID-19 workflow systems and risk assessments were developed to ensure paddock to plate safety for staff and diners. I also worked collaboratively with the Westminster council and NCASS to ensure the restaurant and kitchen were compliant with all food safety standards. Show less

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  Flank London Ltd

  May 2021 - Jun 2022

  Group Head Chef

  - Working with Chef, Tom Griffiths across Between the Bridges and Market Halls Victoria with Flank London. As well as Latitude Festival, Wilderness and Meatopia Festivals with Burning Embers.- Implemented up to date Food Safety Policies for Flank London and Burning Embers.- Managed the production of food for 40,000 attendees at Latitude Festival in July 2021 and managed the 4 day operation of the pop up in Beccles, Suffolk.- Oversaw the production of food for the Fire Feast and our two pop up operations of Flank and GoodBirds at Wilderness Festival. I managed a team of 45 employees across the three operations, as well as supporting the 3 guest chefs Budgie Montoya, Jay Morjaria and Selim Kaizim at the fire feast over the 4 day event in Oxfordshire. We plated 4410 meals at the fire feast over 6 services, and catered to the 25,000 festival goers.- Assisted Tom at the Stella Artois 'Serving up London' on the 17th of August where he collaborated with James Cochran in a live event at Covent Garden.- Meatopia is one of Londons best known food festivals with thousands of visitors across 3 days of fire and smoke at Tobacco Docks in Shadwell. I managed the production of food for the event as well as the logistical requirements for the fire pit. Show less

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  LondonKru

  Feb 2022 - now

  Consultant Chef

  Working at some of London’s top restaurants • High quality of food service was maintained with adherence to food safety legislation• Providing training to junior chefs to increase their knowledge of classic cooking techniques• Developing optimum workflow of kitchen operations with senior management.• Increased overall food production by working efficiently with chefs of all levels• Built team sites to centralise training for chefs to supports their career progression by outlining key areas ofdevelopment into their next role• Improved document management by creating online forms for all kitchen compliance tasks.• Improved Onboarding systems with the introduction of a mentorship program to develop a more collaborative and inclusive kitchen environment. Reducing attrition rate and increasing team morale. Show less

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  Cater Care

  May 2023 - Dec 2024

  Senior Chef

  1. **Food Preparation and Presentation:** Proficient in preparing a diverse range of dishes with attention to detail. Skilled in culinary techniques to ensure optimal flavor, texture, and appearance.2. **Adherence to Dietary Requirements:** Extensive experience in catering to various dietary needs, including allergies, intolerances, and lifestyle choices. Able to modify recipes and menus accordingly without compromising taste or quality.3. **Stock Ordering, Rotation, and Stocktaking:** Extensive experience in food handling, procurement and stock management. Capable of conducting thorough stocktaking to ensure accuracy and prevent discrepancies.4. **Maintain a Clean Kitchen, Equipment, and Utensils:** Committed to upholding the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitation in the kitchen environment. Diligently follow cleaning schedules to ensure all equipment, utensils, and surfaces are sanitized and free from contamination, complying with health and safety regulations.5. **Adherence to Legislated Food Hygiene and General Safety Practices:** Thorough understanding of food safety regulations and protocols to maintain a safe and hygienic kitchen environment. Strict adherence to health and safety guidelines.6. **Fast, Effective Service Provided with a Smile:** Known for delivering prompt and efficient service with a positive attitude. Skilled in multitasking and working under pressure to meet high-volume demands while maintaining a friendly and professional demeanor, contributing to a welcoming and enjoyable dining atmosphere.7. **Assisting the Broader Team as Required:** Collaborative team player willing to support colleagues and contribute to the overall success of the establishment. Flexible and adaptable to varying tasks and responsibilities, whether it's assisting with food preparation, serving customers, or addressing operational needs, ensuring smooth operations and customer satisfaction. Show less

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  Australian Catering Services

  Dec 2024 - now

  Head Chef - Nissan Arena & QSAC