Alasdair Aitken
Revelstoke
Summary
My occupation is part of my passion and lifestyle. Being a chef allows me to express myself and has also taught me to be disciplined, organised and creative.
Being a chef has allowed me to progress in a career that I love. It gives me the drive to push to be better everyday. I love working as part of team as it gives way to the opportunities of learning new skills from other people. I love to do well at whatever it is I am doing and this is amplified when I also see other people around me succeed.
My biggest achievement in my career to date is bering promoted to head chef when working at Bighorn lodge in Revelstoke.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Head chef
Bighorn Lodge
11.2024 - 03.2025
- Creating and developing menus that catered specifically to the preferences and needs of each client
- Managing and training the team to meet high standards for food preparation, food service and cleanliness
- Budget control for all food items in the lodge
- Supporting safe work habits and environment at all times
- Supervision of staff
- Developing policies and procedures to enhance and measure quality; updating written policies and procedures to reflect techniques, equipment and terminology
Baker
Terra Vita Kitchen
03.2024 - 10.2024
- Company Overview: Terra Vita Kitchen is small independent cafe and bakery that prides itself in a farm to fork ethos and use of local suppliers and produce
- Baking sourdough breads, pastries and biscuits
- Organising prep lists and executing work to a high standard
- Maintaining cleanliness within the work space
- Terra Vita Kitchen is small independent cafe and bakery that prides itself in a farm to fork ethos and use of local suppliers and produce
Sous chef
Bighorn Lodge
11.2023 - 03.2024
- Company Overview: Bighorn Lodge is a private ski Chalet that has won several awards for its service and hospitality
- Preparing breakfast and apre menus for the guests tailored to their preferences
- Preparing a 3 course evening menu twice a week on the head chefs day off
- Working with the head chef to design themed menus including Celtic, greek, Japanese and Italian
- Being in charge of ordering and budget control for breakfast and apre menus
- Speaking with guests regarding preferences and allergies
- Bighorn Lodge is a private ski Chalet that has won several awards for its service and hospitality
Head chef / Kitchen Manager
D.I.C.E.D
02.2023 - 10.2023
- Company Overview: D.I.C.E.D is a small cafe/restaurant in the centre of the Jericho area in Vancouver
- Hiring and training staff
- Ordering in produce for the menu
- Advising the owner of any improvements in the kitchen where needed
- Organising all the sections of the kitchen with prep lists
- Prepping for service and cooking on the line
- D.I.C.E.D is a small cafe/restaurant in the centre of the Jericho area in Vancouver
Sous Chef
Springkell House
03.2022 - 11.2022
- Company Overview: Springkell is a large manor house for events and functions
- Used mainly for weddings of up to 200 people
- Preparing mise en place for all sections for wedding functions: canapés, starters, mains, desserts
- Assisting the head chef in serving and plating for the wedding functions
- Preparing and serving a BBQ for large functions
- Creating my own 3 course menus for bed and breakfast guests
- In charge of ordering produce for all aspects of the house including: breakfast, wedding functions, cleaning equipment and B&B guests dining with us
- Training other staff members such as kitchen porters and commis chef
- Creating my own menu for B&B guests to a high standard with the practicalities of being able to execute them in service on my own
- Springkell is a large manor house for events and functions
- Used mainly for weddings of up to 200 people
Chef de partie, Junior Sous chef, Sous chef, Head Chef
Six by Nico
06.2019 - 01.2022
- Company Overview: Six by Nico is a company that originates from Glasgow, the company expanded to other cities including Manchester London Dublin and Belfast
- Maintaining the well being of the team and getting the best work out of each member
- Overseeing every dish that left the kitchen and correcting mistakes where needed
- Teaching staff members the dishes and showing them how each one should be executed
- Writing the schedule every week to ensure we had enough staff on each day of the week relative to the number of guests we had booked and organising the team members holidays, days off etc
- Taking part in company meetings to give feedback on the restaurant and having input in what could be improved
- Being in charge of ordering for the whole restaurant and maintaining the gross profit, hitting my targets in order to make money for the business
- I was successful in this every week
- Being in charge of menu changes and training staff members on the new dishes
- Hiring staff
- Communicating with the front of house Management team to resolve any problems or issues with service
- Six by Nico is a company that originates from Glasgow, the company expanded to other cities including Manchester London Dublin and Belfast
Section leader
Mana
10.2018 - 05.2019
- Company Overview: Mana is a Michelin star restaurant situated in the heart of Manchester offering a 16 course tasting menu with nordic inspired cuisine
- Running a section and my own ordering for it
- Cooking complex dishes to a high standard
- Preparing staff meals when required
- Organising and labelling food products
- I also gained some front of house experience here as the chefs served the courses and explained each one to the guests
- Mana is a Michelin star restaurant situated in the heart of Manchester offering a 16 course tasting menu with nordic inspired cuisine
Senior Chef de partie
Chefs Table
02.2016 - 08.2018
- Company Overview: Chefs Table is a 2 AA Rosette restaurant that offered a very creative a la carte menu using seasonal produce and also vegetables from their own farm
- Being able to run all sections of the kitchen and also be in charge of anyone of the section with me
- Teaching new staff members how to cook the dishes and showing the correct techniques for doing so
- I was in charge of my own ordering and was also taught how to cost each dish in order for the business to make money
- In my time working here I was able to have creative input on some dishes and this helped my ability to be able to create dishes myself that were well executed and also cost effective
- Chefs Table is a 2 AA Rosette restaurant that offered a very creative a la carte menu using seasonal produce and also vegetables from their own farm
Apprentice, chef de partie
Coast
05.2012 - 01.2016
- Company Overview: Coast is a 1 AA rosette that offers an a la carte menu of seasonal produce
- Running sections such as larder section, sauce section, the pass and desserts
- I was also in charge of my own ordering and being prepared for service on the section I was designated that day
- Coast is a 1 AA rosette that offers an a la carte menu of seasonal produce
Education
Hospitality And Professional Cookery -
Argyll College UHI
Oban, Scotland04-2013
Skills
- Food safety
- Kitchen management
- Team management
- Menu development
Accomplishments
September 2024
Dose cafe supper club
I opened a one night only pop up restaurant in a local cafe in Revelstoke in which we served snacks, a three course menu and optional wine pairing.
April 2018
North West Young chef of the Year Finalist.
This was a cooking competition based in the north west of England which I made it to the finals for.
I had to create my own dishes and was awarded points for cooking techniques, use of local produce and knowledge on it and creating dishes that were cost effective.
Languages
English
Timeline
Head chef
Bighorn Lodge
11.2024 - 03.2025
Baker
Terra Vita Kitchen
03.2024 - 10.2024
Sous chef
Bighorn Lodge
11.2023 - 03.2024
Head chef / Kitchen Manager
D.I.C.E.D
02.2023 - 10.2023
Sous Chef
Springkell House
03.2022 - 11.2022
Chef de partie, Junior Sous chef, Sous chef, Head Chef
Six by Nico
06.2019 - 01.2022
Section leader
Mana
10.2018 - 05.2019
Senior Chef de partie
Chefs Table
02.2016 - 08.2018
Apprentice, chef de partie
Coast
05.2012 - 01.2016
Hospitality And Professional Cookery -
Argyll College UHI
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