Damian Russell

My culinary qualifications and work paths have taken me on an interesting journey through the cities and towns of South Africa, working in various types of eating establishments. These include fine dining, hotel (buffet) and country inns. Along the way I have developed a specific focus in the cold kitchen where I am able to utilise and combine local ingredients in order to create food that will both elevate my skills and produce elegant dishes which are unique and memorable to the diner.  I am also flexible and enjoy combining this passion with other sections in the kitchen.

In my kitchen experience I have become accustomed to a clean and organised work station, effectively achieving minimal wastage whilst also using the allocated time to achieve maximum results in a shift. In a busy kitchen, garnishes and other little components are frequently overlooked, but plating is particularly significant to me since I believe it should not only make a meal attractive but also contribute to and enhance the flavour of the primary ingredient. 

As a lifelong learner, my ambition is to continue my work as a chef abroad in order to expand my unique and creative South African food profile.  I look forward to enticing new flavours out of fusion cuisines in new settings and I am highly motivated by the prospect of pairing the local produce to create flavours which are perhaps unexpected yet still form a well-balanced dish.

My culinary qualifications and work paths have taken me on an interesting journey through the cities and towns of South Africa, working in various types of eating establishments. These include fine dining, hotel (buffet) and country inns. Along the way I have developed a specific focus in the cold kitchen where I am able to utilise and combine local ingredients in order to create food that will both elevate my skills and produce elegant dishes which are unique and memorable to the diner.  I am also flexible and enjoy combining this passion with other sections in the kitchen.

In my kitchen experience I have become accustomed to a clean and organised work station, effectively achieving minimal wastage whilst also using the allocated time to achieve maximum results in a shift. In a busy kitchen, garnishes and other little components are frequently overlooked, but plating is particularly significant to me since I believe it should not only make a meal attractive but also contribute to and enhance the flavour of the primary ingredient. 

As a lifelong learner, my ambition is to continue my work as a chef abroad in order to expand my unique and creative South African food profile.  I look forward to enticing new flavours out of fusion cuisines in new settings and I am highly motivated by the prospect of pairing the local produce to create flavours which are perhaps unexpected yet still form a well-balanced dish.

Chef Diploma 

City and Guilds