Leonard Aurah

International professional chef with 10+ years of progressive experience across luxury hotels, diplomatic residences, and premium restaurants. Proven track record leading kitchen brigades at 5-star properties including Fairmont The Norfolk and M-Gallery by Sofitel, and serving as private chef at the Kenya High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan. Specialist in Indian cuisine, banquet operations, and menu development with a nutrition qualification that informs health-conscious cooking.

Multilingual, English and Kiswahili and with a strong eye for food cost control and staff development.

Personal Chef - Hunger Chef Enterprise - Nairobi, Kenya

(2025-11)

• Deliver tailored weekly meal prep services designing nutrition focused menus aligned with client's preferences.
• Operate as a live-in private chef for high net-worth individuals and families managing all aspects of daily meal planning.
• Provide part-time personal chef services across multiple clients, adapting menus and scheduled to vary household requirements.
• Cater private events, intimate dinners, birthday celebrations and VIP gatherings: full menu design, misen place and service.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, HACCP compliance, kitchen hygiene and ingredient quality and stock across client engagements.

Chef De Partie - Gem Forest by M-Gallery - Nairobi, Kenya

(2024-08 - 2025-11)

• Led all operations of the Indian restaurant section, ensuring consistent quality and authentic execution of the menu.
• Supervised and mentored kitchen staff, conducting regular menu training and performance evaluations.
• Maintained full compliance with Food Safety and HACCP hygiene standards across all kitchen areas.
• Managed stock requisitions, ingredient orders, and inventory control to minimize waste and cost.
• Created duty rosters and shift schedules aligned with kitchen workflow and service demands.

Private Chef - Kenya High Commission - Islamabad, Pakistan

(2022-12 - 2024-05)

• Served as sole private chef for the High Commission, responsible for all daily meal production and diplomatic dining.
• Developed bespoke menus incorporating special dietary requirements — low-sodium, diabetic-friendly, and allergen-aware.
• Managed full banquet production and execution for official functions and state-level events.
• Oversaw procurement, quality control, and stock management in a remote international posting.

Head Chef - Green park Sundowner - Athi River, Nairobi

(2022-04 - 2022-09)

• Led and managed the full kitchen brigade, overseeing daily operations, training, and scheduling.
• Developed and executed seasonal menus with focus on recipe innovation and food-cost efficiency.
• Managed kitchen budget and supplier coordination to optimize procurement and reduce waste.
• Delivered regular menu training to the Food & Beverage team; analyzed client feedback to improve quality.

Banquets-Chef - Fairmont The Norfolk - Nairobi, Kenya

(2017-05 - 2022-03)

• Managed all buffet and banquet operations at one of Nairobi's leading 5-star luxury hotels.
• Oversaw al-carte service, stock management, and order requisitions for large-scale events.
• Implemented portion control and sanitation systems to ensure consistent standards across all banquet covers.
• Delivered staff HACCP training and led recipe development initiatives across the department.

Commis Chef - Fairmont The Norfolk - Nairobi, Kenya

(2016-04 - 2017-05)

• Supported senior chefs in buffet operations, mise en place preparation, and al-carte service.
• Participated in recipe development, menu training programmes, and staff HACCP training.
• Upheld strict food safety and hygiene practices; ensured proper storage of all products and ingredients.

Diploma - Culinary Arts - Top Chef Culinary Institute (2014 - 2016)

Diploma - Nutrition - Alison Online (2022 - 2023)