Open to opportunities

mia barnard

@miabarnard

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Culinary professional focused on safe, organized kitchen operations and confident team support.

South Africa

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a kitchen role where I can use my organization and communication strengths, deliver safe and consistent service, and keep learning. I want a team that welcomes new challenges and lets me grow into stronger kitchen leadership.

I’m Mia, a hard-working, loyal, committed team player who enjoys helping out to ensure we all reach our daily goal. I’m driven by the belief that to get the best results, I need to step out of my comfort zone and take on new challenges.

In my experience, I’ve learned that strong organization and good communication are crucial. As a Chef Admin (+27) role, I supervised complete admin processes for 5 branches, created food recipes and calculated costings, and generated monthly reports through a point of sales system for the director.

In the kitchen, I’ve worked in roles like Chef de Partie, and I’ve supported day-to-day operations with supervision of kitchen staff and admin. I also bring hands-on capabilities from my training and certifications, including health and safety, stock control, and kitchen management preparation.

I take safety seriously—supporting training and safety supervision activities, and applying what I learned in areas like elementary first aid and fire prevention/fire fighting. I’m also comfortable with production and presentation work, from cake decorating and plating to sushi making and chocolate making, and I bring that same care to every function I handle.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Chef Admin

Lekker Spys

Jan 2021 - Apr 2025 (4 years 3 months)

Supervised complete admin processes for five branches and supported restaurant operations with food recipe creation, cost calculations, and monthly sales and stock reporting via a point-of-sale system.

Operations & Administration Multi Branch Supervision Costing Point of Sale Sales Reporting Stock Control

Chef de Partie

Grounded Container

Feb 2020 - Jul 2020 (5 months)

Worked as a Chef de Partie at Grounded Container.

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Buffalo Grill Family Restaurant

Security Awareness Training, Security and Safety

2019 -

Activities and societies: Stock control; Personal survival techniques; Elementary First Aid; Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting; supervision of kitchen staff and admin

Completed security-focused training including stock control and personal survival techniques, with first aid and fire prevention/firefighting content and kitchen staff supervision experience.

Oh My Cake

International Chef Certificate Qualification, Culinary Arts and Food Preparation

2019 -

Activities and societies: Level 1–2 Food Preparation and Cooking; Level 1 Health and Safety; cake/cupcake/macaron decorating; sales and custom orders

Completed food preparation/cooking and health-and-safety training, including cake decoration and handling sales and custom orders.

De Hoek Country Lodge 5*

Level 4 Food Preparation and Cookery (External Placement), Food Preparation and Cookery

2018 -

Activities and societies: Patisserie chef student external placements; cookery supervision

Completed external placement training in food preparation/cookery, including higher-level supervision-related learning.

Casa Bella 4*

Culinary Training (Sushi Making), Sushi Making

2017 -

Completed sushi-making training as part of hospitality/culinary experience.

Hedgehogs Nest Culinary Institute

Culinary Training (Chocolate Making), Culinary Arts

2016 -

Activities and societies: Chocolate making; taking charge of functions; food preparation, plating and presentation; flower arrangements

Completed culinary training including chocolate making and taking charge of functions, with involvement in food preparation, plating, and presentation.