Rowan Connolly
Senior Sous Chef | Kitchen Operations & Contemporary Irish Cuisine
Dublin
Professional Summary
Dedicated culinary professional with extensive background leading high-volume brigade kitchens in contemporary Dublin restaurants. Skilled in menu development, food safety compliance, and team mentoring, with a strong focus on seasonal Irish ingredients and rigorous margin control.
Culinary Experience
The Copper Thistle Brasserie
Dublin, Ireland
Senior Sous Chef
Mar 2021 – Present
- Direct daily kitchen operations and service execution for a 110-cover contemporary Irish dining room, maintaining consistent plate presentation and ticket times under 16 minutes.
- Lead kitchen brigade of 10 chefs de partie and commis, conducting practical station training and weekly safety briefings.
- Collaborate with the Head Chef to design seasonal à la carte offerings, integrating local Leinster farm produce to achieve a 27% average food cost margin.
- Oversee end-to-end HACCP protocols, cold-chain monitoring, and kitchen cleanliness audits, securing top-tier scores on routine municipal inspections.
Barrow & Bramble Dining Room
Dublin, Ireland
Sous Chef
Aug 2016 – Feb 2021
- Managed meat and sauce stations during peak evening and weekend services with 140 daily covers.
- Standardised prep sheets and portion controls across 4 kitchen stations, lowering weekly ingredient wastage by 12%.
- Covered Head Chef responsibilities during seasonal leave, overseeing supplier purchasing and daily staff scheduling.
Kilnamanagh Hearth Restaurant
Dublin, Ireland
Junior Sous Chef
May 2012 – Jul 2016
- Prepared stocks, braises, and butchery prep according to traditional French and Irish bistro recipes.
- Supervised two junior apprentices on the larder and pastry sections, teaching knife work and sanitation routines.
- Assisted in inventory intake, temperature logging, and dry-store management in compliance with health guidelines.
Education
Dublin Institute of Technology, Cathal Brugha Street
Higher Certificate in Arts in Culinary Arts · Culinary Arts · Dublin, Ireland · Merit Grade 1 · Sept 1986 – Jun 1988
Completed core training in classical kitchen techniques, menu costing, food hygiene, and volume culinary production.
Culinary Projects
Kitchen Standard Operating Procedures Manual
Apr 2023 – Nov 2023
- Created an internal digital recipe specification binder featuring accurate ingredient yields, allergen tags, and plating photography for 35 signature menu items.
- Reduced prep onboarding time for new kitchen staff from two weeks to four days.
Core Skills
Kitchen brigade leadership
HACCP compliance & food safety
Menu development
Food cost control & yield management
Supplier procurement
Inventory management
Classical sauce work & butchery
Allergen management
High-volume line cooking
Staff mentoring & training
Languages
English
C2
Irish
B1
Certifications
Management of Food Safety and HACCP Level 3
Food Safety Authority of Ireland · May 2023
First Aid Response (FAR) Certification
Order of Malta Ambulance Corps Ireland · Sept 2024
Community Involvement
Liffey Community Meal Initiative
Dublin, Ireland · Jan 2020 – Present
- Volunteer Kitchen Lead
- Prepare and serve hot weekend dinners for 80 community members in an inner-city Dublin kitchen, coordinating kitchen volunteers and food distribution.