Fantastic four added to culinary team

12 Jul 2016

International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) is adding 52 years of culinary expertise to its industry leading food and beverage team, with four new chefs* appointed to deliver world class cuisine across the integrated convention, exhibition and entertainment precinct.

Supporting ICC Sydney Executive Chef, Tony Panetta, is Constantin Kautz, the former Head Chef of Sydney’s InterContinental, who joins as Executive Sous Chef alongside former National Gallery of Victoria star, Jack Astin. Renowned Pastry Chef, Michael Belcher, and Chef De Cuisine, Dylan Sanding, bolster the team, which will scale to 1,000 people before ICC Sydney opens in December 2016.

Lynell Peck, ICC Sydney Director of Culinary Services, said the new hires are already creating meals and menus for the venue and will be responsible for delivering ICC Sydney’s industry first Feeding Your Performance philosophy.

“ICC Sydney’s award winning team will craft ‘smart’ menus comprising fresh, seasonal and ethically sourced ingredients, expertly combined to drive the physical and mental performance of visitors. At the heart of everything we do will be the principles of balance, quality, freshness and taste – the hallmarks of great food,” she said.

“From catering for international conventions and prestigious gala dinners, to creating bespoke menus for boutique banquets through to major events, our team will set a new culinary benchmark in the industry.”

CEO of ICC Sydney, Geoff Donaghy, said the stellar appointments reflect ICC Sydney’s commitment to working with the best and brightest, and are part of a major recruitment push ahead of a series of test events commencing in early October and the opening in December.

“ICC Sydney is in the midst of one of the city’s biggest talent drives for a decade. We are looking to fill 1,500 casual and 300 full time roles, building our performance-focussed team to deliver seamless operations across the venue, which comprises three theatres, a grand ballroom for 2,000 people plus a range of banqueting options, 35,000sqm of internal exhibition space, 8,000sqm of meeting room space and a 5,000sqm open air event deck.

“ICC Sydney will offer visitors and Sydneysiders alike the ultimate in quality, choice and flexibility. We will change the way events and entertainment are delivered in our city, so we are looking for people that can match this extraordinary vision. It’s a truly exciting time at ICC Sydney, as we prepare to make history this summer,” he said.

*The Chefs

Executive Pastry Chef, Michael Belcher, has eight years’ experience in convention centre catering and will create some of Sydney’s most Instagramable desserts. Having worked in Canada, New Zealand and Australia, Belcher has created dishes for global leaders including a British Prime Minister and a United States President through a career that has spanned leading hotels and convention centres.

Executive Sous Chef, Constantin Kautz, formerly Head Chef at InterContinental Sydney, brings 15 years of Australian and UK experience with him, having worked for the majority of his career in renowned five star hotels including The Shangri-La and London’s The Dorchester. His flair for classic French, modern European, Japanese and contemporary Australian cuisines will not fail to delight guests.

Executive Sous Chef, Jack Astin, has worked across a variety of establishments including the National Gallery of Victoria and The Botanical restaurant, giving him a unique insight into catering for an audience that is looking to enjoy food as part of a wider experience. Meanwhile his years at The Park Hyatt and Grosvenor Hotel show the talent needed to prepare food to our world class benchmark.

Chef de Cuisine, Dylan Sanding, has worked in a variety of corporate chef and hospitality roles. He was part of the AMMI Park (a Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust venue) pre-opening team, and has a strong background in catering for both small and large meetings and events.

Create an extraordinary career with ICC Sydney – visit careers.iccsydney.com.au to discover our latest roles and register for upcoming opportunities.

Back to News