Who is John Wood?
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After spending several years running kitchens and an international consultancy business, Kitchen CUT founder John Wood identified that the financial and man-management skills required to run a successful hospitality business were not extensively covered in a chef’s training and career development. Consequently, chefs would often find themselves in a situation where they needed to learn very quickly on-the-job and had no obvious place or person to turn to for sound practical advice.
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Identifying a need
Extensive research also showed John that nothing like Kitchen CUT existed on-line, only a handful of websites which had limited benefits for a time-poor chef and some of which were very expensive. Kitchen CUT is the first site to offer a set of management tools in an-easy-to-access format. The tools have been developed by John himself, who, as a chef, not only previously held a Michelin star, but also has unsurpassed worldwide experience resulting from his work in such prestigious establishments as The Savoy, The Dorchester, Cliveden, Shangri-La Hong Kong, the Burj al Arab in Dubai and The Grove hotel in Herts – to name just a few.
Giving back
John feels passionately about giving back to the industry he has been a part of for over 25 years and is also undertaking a series of other initiatives, including working with catering colleges to develop mentoring workshops and offering advice and guidance to up-and-coming chefs.
“I want to give back to an industry that has given me so much” says John.
To fully understand the experience and skills John has to offer, it is important to outline his diverse and extensive career. John has worked both nationally and internationally at some of the best establishments in the world and has a proven track record of running and being an integral part of some very successful and innovative kitchens and restaurants. In his last full time role, John expanded his knowledge to cover the front of house areas, as F&B Director and Executive Chef at the Grove Hotel, Hertfordshire, which has given him a greater understanding of the service side of an operation.
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International experience
John’s career has taken him to Europe, Asia, South Africa and Dubai, working only in 5* establishments including the Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg, the Mount Nelson, Cape Town, and the Island Shangri-la, Hong Kong. He also worked extensively in the UK at the prestigious Savoy, The Dorchester and the Cliveden hotels. The latter at which John gained a Michelin star in Waldo’s restaurant.
After many years in large operations, John’s desire to prove himself in a standalone restaurant operation led him to take the position of Executive Chef at the highly successful Chapter One on the outskirts of London. He also set up and opened a second operation during his time there, Chapter Two in Blackheath. The lure of the world famous 7 star Burj-al-Arab hotel in Dubai was enough to tempt him back into hotels for his final executive chef position.
Achievements and accolades
John has achieved a Michelin star, 4 AA Rosettes and 8 out of 10 in the good food guide, all of which prove his outstanding ability in a kitchen brigade, whilst always remaining focused on the financial success of a business. John has managed international teams from 10 to 500 chefs in award winning multi outlet operations with large banqueting operations, catering up to 5000 covers. After working as a chef for over 25 years in the hospitality industry, John Wood set up his own consultancy business in 2007 and launched Kitchen CUT in 2012.
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