Craig Penglase |
Field Consultant (Cost Control/Kitchen Operations)
Craig always loved food
and enrolled in an apprenticeship in Yarrawonga, which was succeeded by a move
to Melbourne and a position in one of the city’s premiere Italian restaurants,
Marchetti’s Latin.
It was at Marchetti’s that
Craig established a friendship with Tony Eldred who was the principal business
consultant to the owner at the time. It was Tony’s mentoring and work philosophy
that enabled Craig to advance in his career. Under Tony’s direction he
then relocated to Sydney to open Marchetti’s Primadonna Restaurant.
After a chance meeting
with Tom Rutherford, Craig moved to a senior position with the Truffle Group,
where he spent three years managing events ranging from intimate marriage
proposals on Sydney Harbour to sit down dinners for 4000, It was a position that
lived and breathed the company philosophy of ‘Two to too Many!’
With a young family, the
lure of Melbourne called and Craig returned to Victoria, initially working with
Tony Sassi at Sassi’s @ Crown – then moving to running the kitchen at
Wildflower, Canterbury for the next three years.
A connection with the Van
Haandel Group resulted in an appointment for Head Chef at the Deck @ Circa and
subsequent move into the main kitchen at Circa, where he worked alongside
Michael Lambie —.a position he held for 4 years.
He then moved to part
ownership of the family focused restaurant Nova Vista, which he successfully
built up to 200 covers per service over 2 years.
The connection with the
Van Haandel Group once again beckoned and Craig was appointed as Kitchen Manager
of the Prince Hospitality Group, a management position that evolved over 5
years, into him overseeing a team of 168 chefs and a cluster of
kitchens including those at Circa, Stokehouse, Comme, Mr Tulk, Longrain ,
Food and Desire and the Byron Bay Beach Hotel.
A passion to work
regionally and to establish an deep connection with real food, real people,
producers and artisan makers resulted in Craig moving
back to North East Victoria. The position of Executive Chef for the Jones Hotel
Group’s Wangaratta hotel was the perfect ‘tree change’.
With Family commitments
and the lure of training and mentoring in advanced management procedures, Craig,
returned to Melbourne and to take-up a position of Field Consultant with Eldred
Hospitality — It’s like” coming home”.
In his spare time Craig is
an avid outdoors lover — can be found camping with partner Josie and the
extended family , training for downhill mountain bike racing, being beaten by
his 12 year old daughter Isabella ( BMX racing ), cruising the country roads on
his pride and joy Ducati or spending time at Dance classes and Cello practice
with daughter Gemma.
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