Ben Hutchinson has been involved in the food and cookery industry for his entire career and has lived experience in all realms of the work involved.
Ben started as a cook and kitchen hand at The Erskineville Hotel in Australia. The Erskineville Hotel is best known for its friendly and cozy sports café specialising in a variety of well prized Australian pub cuisine ranging from breakfasts, to lunchtime salads, and all day burgers and steaks. The sports café is located on the busy King Street in Newtown, Sydney.
In those early years, Ben was responsible for the not so glamorous world of food preparation; stock rotation, dating and storage; washing dishes and kitchen utensils; and, cleaning food preparation equipment, floors and other kitchen tools or work areas. Ben aspired for much more and is now adept at everything from kitchen design to the development, implementation and assessment of quality standards and legislative requirements.
Today, Ben translates his many years of international restaurant experience, working at all levels from kitchen hand to executive chef, into providing specialist consulting services to all manner of restaurants having trouble with specific aspects of their business or striving to be bigger and better than their current market position. As a Restaurant Consultant, Ben assesses the restaurant situation carefully, devises plans, connects local businesses with local produce suppliers, creates restaurant menu selections and price points, brings restaurants up to health codes, organises training and supports management and staff to execute the improvement plan.
Ben's experience includes:
→ Bringing Stock & Ladle in Fremantle, Western Australia, up to compliance with the relevant restaurant health codes whilst maximising the productivity of the kitchen staff, maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene, as well as high work and safety standards in the workplace.
→ Creating restaurant menu selections for Snowline Hotel Harriet Ville, Victoria Australia, including developing and testing recipes; purchasing of supplies and inventory control; and, cost control.
→ Managing the development of the Berliner8 kitchen in Bali, Indonesia, including leading the recruitment, selection and training of kitchen staff; overseeing the daily operations of the kitchen; ensuring that quality dishes are served on schedule; and, ensuring that any problems that arise are rectified quickly and efficiently;
→ Overseeing the kitchen - be it butchery, fish, sauces, vegetables etc., all food preparation, breakfast and dinner shifts; ensuring that high standards of food safety and sanitation are followed as Chef de Partie for Restaurant Worst in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, an intimate wine café with a focus on quality wine in combination with Worst and everything that has to do with charcuterie.
→ Working as part of the kitchen team, as Pans Chef, in the preparation of food to the highest possible standard; as well as, running a busy pans section for both breakfast and lunch service for The Wild Fig in Scarborough, Australia, a beachfront café with a buzzing atmosphere, serving health and tasty food accompanied by local wines, art and laid back live music.
→ Directing a team of staff and overseeing the operations of the kitchen, as Head Chef, at Jimmy Deans Diner in Perth, Australia, an American style rock and roll themed diner set on the beach with amazing views specialising in spare ribs, steaks and burgers in a fun and vibrant environment.
Ben has held many roles throughout his career, including:
→ Outside Consultant
→ Kitchen Designer
→ Chef de Partie
→ Pans Chef
→ Head Chef
→ Sous Chef
→ Cook
→ Kitchen Hand
Ben's breadth of experience makes him a valuable asset to any restaurant looking for an edge over their competition.