Igna Du Plessis

I am a self-directed and self-motivated person who has the ability to communicate confidently at all levels. I work well individually and as part of a team and has the ability to adapt easily to new environments, proven during my tenure in the UK and America. I understand the importance of meeting deadlines, and learned good prioritisation and organisational skills in the demanding environment of an upper-class British restaurant group and 5 star Cruise liner.

I have learnt how to manage a kitchen and IR issues during my time at Fedics where I have been a executive sous chef (Head Chef) and a Chef Patron for more than 3 years now, running my own kitchen where closing of books, stock take, meeting budgets are all my responsibility. During my studying I have proven myself by staying at the top 10 in the class, and I have also won a

National South African Chef competition (Mushroom festival rising star competition 2008) and came second place recently in a junior chef competition. I see myself as an energetic, openminded person who welcomes new challenges.

FOOD DELIVERY (January 2006 – January 2007) 

Debonairs (South Africa)

(A leading pizza restaurant in Africa.)

1. assisting kitchen staff in preparing food;
2. preparation and packaging of client orders;
3. delivering food;
4. balancing of cash and sales;
5. promotion of the company;
6. distribution of promotional material;

WAITER (March 2007 – May 2007) 

Inn the park (Peyton & Byrne, London)

(Inn the Park is a contemporary British Restaurant and Café located inside the beautiful Royal St James' park, open year round, seven days a week for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.)

1. preparing tables for meals;
2. taking customer orders;
3. serving drinks and food;
4. Cleaning up before, after and during servings.

I also obtained first-hand experience on how to handle and deal with customers and their demands.

COMMIS CHEF (May 2007 – November 2007) 

Inn the park (Peyton & Byrne, London)

1. prepare, cook and plate and deserts;
2. plan and make new dishes for the menu, including costing thereof;
3. prepare, cook and plate hot food for the grab and go section;
4. prepare stocks, soups and sauces,
5. cut fruit and make salads for the grab and go section;
6. serve customers at the grab and go section;
7. assist colleagues to prepare starters and main course meals for the restaurant;
8. help to prepare and cook Sunday roast meals.

I also had the privilege of being introduced to the Mise-en-Place concept, kitchen equipment, tools/knifes and machinery as well as food safety and hygiene.

PLACES I HAVE WORK DURING MY (2 YEARS) TRAINING

2008-2009

SHERATON HOTEL (PRETORIA)

Worked at the Sheraton for 10 weeks

LOMBARDI BOUTIQUE HOTEL (PRETORIA)

Worked at Lombardi for 10 weeks

SANDTON SUN HOTEL (JOHANNESBURG)

Worked at Sandton Sun Hotel for 10 weeks

SAXON BOUTIQUE HOTEL (JOHANNESBURG)

Worked at Saxon for 10 weeks

CHEF DE PARTIE (December 2009 – Jul 2010)

Simon’s restaurant on Groot Constantia wine farm (Kirstenson’s Cape Town)

1. Responsible for ordering and checking orders.
2. Responsible for new specials on the menu.
3. Responsible for making sure all plates leave the kitchen at the same standard.
4. Responsible for giving other staff tasks to perform.
5. Working in the grill and fish station.
   1. Responsible for running the kitchen if the Sous chef and Head chef is off and able to close and open a restaurant kitchen on my own.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANAGER (July 2010 – February 2011)

Internex Driving range and academy

1. Responsible for opening the kitchen (getting equipment and staff)
2. Responsible for designing the menu
3. Reason for opening the kitchen is for a small tea garden, and functions over weekends (did functions where I had to BBQ, do buffet set ups, make platters and sweet platters)
4. Responsible for getting orders and to keep the food standard high.
5. Responsible for advertising, and marketing of the Kitchen and getting functions

CHEF DE PARTIE (March 2011 – June 2012)

Royal Elephant Hotel and Conference Centre * (Pretoria)

1. Responsible for running the larder section in the kitchen
2. Responsible for giving tasks to the commi chefs in the kitchen
3. Responsible for doing a la carte prep and preparing for functions over 200 pax
4. Responsible for creating new dishes and recipes for functions and a la carte menu
5. Responsible for ensuring dishes and plates go out perfect and the same way all the time

2nd COOK (June 2012 – Desember 2013)

Princess cruises (America)

1. Responsible for preparing breakfast for over 2500 passengers
2. Responsible for preparing lunch and dinner for 3200 passengers
3. Responsible for giving tasks to the assistant cook and 3rd cook
4. Responsible for meeting high demands and strict deadlines

Executive Sous Chef/ Head chef (March 2014 – April 2016)

Fedics ABSA Auckland Park

1. Responsible for ordering
2. Responsible for Qpro
3. Responsible for running and managing the kitchen
4. Responsible for par levels
5. Responsible for functions
6. Responsible for organizing functions
7. I reported directly to the catering manager, there was no head chef, I was the main chef.

Chef Patron/Catering Manager (April 2016 – November 2017)

Fedics SAICA Café

1. Responsible for ordering
2. Responsible for Qpro
3. Responsible for running and managing the contract
4. Responsible for par levels
5. Responsible for functions
6. Responsible for staff relations
7. Responsible for debtors, client invoicing, reaching monthly targets.
8. Responsible for closing books, client monthly meetings, training of staff, running promotions.
9. Responsible for giving the head chef menu’s and functions to do.

Catering Manager (December 2017 - Current)

TsAfrica Aurecon

• Responsible for ordering
• Responsible for 23 staff and HR issues.
• Responsible for FCS
• Responsible for running and managing the contract.
• Responsible for par levels.
• Responsible for functions.
• Responsible for staff relations.
• Responsible for debtors, client invoicing, reaching monthly targets.
• Responsible for closing books, client monthly meetings, training of staff, running promotions.
• Responsible for giving the head chef menu’s and functions to do.

2021-2022 (Completed)

Siyakanda Business development Program level 3 (Business Management)

2016

First Aid training

2016

Book keeper training (menutec)

2016

Q pro training

2017

OHS act Training

2017

Industrial relations training

2008-2009 (2 year course)

Studying at HTA school of culinary arts

Diploma in Food Preparation and Culinary Art (City and Guilds Diploma)

2007

Food safety in catering, level 2 (London)

Door supervision, level 2 (London)

2006

Grade 12 (matric passed with exemption)