1. Curriculum Vitae
John Thurgood
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2. Personal Details
Address Sydney
Australia
Phone 011+61+2 98200924 – Home
011+61+408 776 043 – Mobile
Email johnthurgood@hotmail.com
Nationality Australian
Health Excellent
Qualifications Qualified Chef
Trade Certificate with Honors
Diploma in Food and Beverage – Cornell University
Train the Trainer – Training Small Groups
HACCP Standards
Public Health Certificate
STCW 95 Certificate
You can also View me on Linkedin
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3. Career Highlights & Achievements
I pride myself in driving my team towards a common goal, incorporating a
clear vision for success and efficiently meeting deadlines.
I strategically navigate myself and my team through ever changing
corporate demands using proven systems and techniques.
I specialize in talent development, business adaptability and executive
management of luxury standards
• Extensive experience working in 5 star hotels throughout Australia
• “Best Deluxe Hotel” AHA, 1997 – Kitchen Operations
• Special Mention – “Salon Culinaire” Cairns International Hotel, for
outstanding food product, quality & service
• Managed menu criteria for the Australian Olympic Committee,
International Paralympic Committee and sponsors
• Chefs Hat Award for Apprentices of the Year – 2002
• Celebrity Television Chef – “Anne’s International Kitchen”
• Successfully tendered and implemented Cruising Yacht Club contract
• Sofitel Opening – Moulin Rouge, Paris, Formal Dinner
• Extensive experience managing large Kitchen teams of up to 65 people at
a time
• Sound background of Banqueting & Conventions
• Extensive pre opening hotel experience & revamping of restaurants
• Selected to work alongside Celebrity Chefs, including Neil Perry, Maggie
Beer, Bill Granger and Christine Mansfield
Education & Qualifications
• Train the Trainer – Training Small Groups & One to One
• Cost Effective Rostering - Rydges
• Performance Management – “Improving your People” - Rydges
• Recruitment & Selection – Rydges Hotels
• Time Management – Accor Hotels
• Implementing & Driving Change – Accor Hotels
• Management by Motivation – Accor Hotels
• Developing Kitchen Policies & Procedures – Accor
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4. • Leading & Driving Change Management - Accor
Employment History
08-07-2008 - 01-10-2016
Norwegian Cruise Line
Executive Sous Chef
September 07/2008 till January10/2016
 Implementing Menus /Main galley/Alternative Speciality Restaurants
Including French Bistro, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Italian, Teppanyaki ‘
Sushi bar and Brazilian Style Steakhouse
 Haccp Training
 On the job training
 Food Cost management
 Teaching cookery skills
 Maintaining SOP standards as per company policy and Gal scores
 Cooking Demonstration
 Guest relations
Jan 2006 -
After the Wentworth I bought a Restaurant. Sold it Then I went to Asia for a
holiday.
August 1995 – December 2005
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5. Executive Chef – The Wentworth Hotel, Sydney Australia
The Wentworth is a 5 Star CBD Hotel, with 431 Rooms including 4 Restaurants
(Tuchetti’s Café Ristorante - Italian, GCR Restaurant & Bar - Modern Australian,
Club Grill & Bar ,Café Noir - European style sidewalk cafe), and 3 bars.
Extensive Conferencing and Banqueting facilities cater from 800 - 1000 banquet
style with 5 other breakout rooms. Average annual occupancy of 92%.
Duties & Responsibilities:
 Initiate the re launch of the Wentworth Hotel kitchen Food & Beverage
operations from Sheraton to Rydges and from Rydges to Sofitel
 Development and management of Food & Beverage operations
Manage the food cost and labour cost against productivity
 Training & Implementation of HACCP standards
 Performance Management of kitchen brigade, 42 full time personnel,
including succession planning for all sections of the Kitchen Operations
and Stewarding.
 Implemented full kitchen operations manual, including training for all
kitchen brigade. Conducted on average 2 training sessions a week.
 Recruitment and Selection
 Initiated training program where all chefs had to cross train as Food
& Beverage Attendants.
Employment History Cont
February 1988 – July 1995
Executive Chef the Cairns International Hotel, Cairns, Australia
The Cairns International is a 5 Star, 321 Room Hotel including 4 Restaurants
(Brasserie, Japanese, Modern Australian, and fine dining), two bars, 10
Conference rooms and banqueting facilities catering from 400-600.
Duties & Responsibilities:
 Employed as part of the pre-opening team
 Set up Kitchen operations, including main Kitchen, three satellite Kitchens,
Pastry and Butcher section.
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6. Manage the food cost, labor cost to productivity
 Recruitment & Selection of Kitchen brigade, 60 in total.
 Conducted training & development for all chefs.
 Specialised training conducted for several chefs participating in Salon
Culinaire competitions.
 Conducted monthly “Chef Table” dinners, receiving international
recognition for food quality and presentation of kitchen.
 Responsible for Stewarding Department of 23.
Kitchen Career Pathway
Employer: The Sydney Boulevard Hotel
Sydney Australia
Date: May 1985 to December 1987
Position: Executive Sous Chef / Executive Chef
Employer: The Regent Hotel
Sydney Australia
Date: May 1983 to May 1985
Position: Junior Sous Chef / Main Kitchen Sous Chef
Employer: The Sheraton Wentworth Hotel
Sydney Australia
Date: March 1981 to February 1982
Position: Sous Chef Tournant
Employer: Prime Minister’s Lodge
Canberra Australia
Date: 1975 to 1981
Position: Relieved Head Chef over 7 years
Employer: Lakeside International Hotel
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7. Canberra Australia
Date: 1972 to 1981
Position: Apprentice Chef, Banquet Chef, and Second Chef
Professional Referees
David Seargeant
Managing Director
Amalgamated Holdings
T|011+61 2 9261 3199
Clive Scott
General Manager
Sofitel Melbourne
P ++61 396530000
Steve Kirkpatrick
General Manager
KOI Resort and Spa Hoi An
E kirkpatrick.steve@gmail.com
M +84(0)909298695
Tony Shepherd
General Manager
Almanity Hotel and Spa Hoi An Vietnam
Email tony_shepherd@hotmail.com
P ++84 1223873969
Iam Philmore
Executive Chef
Catering in London
Email:iamphilmore@gmail.com
P +447437203874
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