John Estares

Private Chef / Al Fardan Palace | Doha, Qatar
April 6, 2025 – Present

Design and execute personalized, seasonal menus with a focus on health, flavor, and variety, reflecting the family's dietary needs (e.g., halal, organic, gluten-free, dairy-free).

Prepare daily meals and cater for special occasions, private events, and high-profile functions.

Source premium ingredients, maintaining strong supplier relationships to ensure quality.

Provide in-flight and yacht-friendly meal options when required for travel.

Manage kitchen inventory, procurement, and budgeting with precision.

Maintain hygiene and food safety standards at the highest level.

Respond to spontaneous meal requests and last-minute events with flexibility and creativity.

Coordinate with household staff for seamless dining experiences.

Uphold complete discretion and confidentiality regarding the family's preferences and routines.

Chef de Cuisine

Four Points by Sheraton Palawan (Marriott International) | Palawan, Philippines
September 6, 2023 – February 22, 2025

Led and developed a team of 40 across six outlets, ensuring excellence in food quality and consistency.

Oversaw À la carte, all-day dining, banquets, and catering operations.

Designed and costed menus, creating detailed plating guides using seasonal and local ingredients.

Ensured compliance with Marriott’s global brand and kitchen standards.

Collaborated with internal departments to align kitchen operations with hotel-wide initiatives.

Championed food safety and hygiene through regular training and system audits.

Sous Chef / Waldorf Astoria Lusail | Doha, Qatar
August 15, 2022 – February 6, 2023

Managed sourcing and quality control of meats, seafood, and specialty proteins.

Conducted yield testing and cost analysis to optimize kitchen profitability.

Led HACCP and food safety training sessions for culinary staff.

Specialized in charcuterie, curing, and smoking, elevating menu sophistication.

Handled scheduling, payroll, inventory, and procurement to support kitchen operations.

Head Chef | Asado Kitchen | Doha Qatar

January 2021 – June 2022

• In-charge of the direction, supervision, performance, training, and evaluation of all positions within the kitchen department.
• Implementation of new procedures and food standards to reduce the food cost and to achieve the desired food cost
• Weekly stock counting and labor controlling
• Maintaining and implementing high hygiene standards
• Ongoing supplier negotiations to maintain quality standards and reduce wastage.
• Specialize in Smoking of Meat and Poultry, BBQ and Brining of Meat and Poultry
• Organize daily package meal for 10-100 pax

Sous Chef | Table 10 Coffee Shop and Bakery Artisan | Doha Qatar

January 2020 – January 2021

• Responsible for transforming and managing kitchen services with clear alignment to front of house services
• Administration lead with duties including cost reviews, invoice management, spend analysis
• Seasonal Menu development and Menu creation that is align with the trends in the market and with the desired food cost
• Organize Banquet and Catering events for meetings and gatherings

Sous Chef| Fromage Restaurant by Al Rabia Investment |Doha Qatar

August 2018 – January 2020

• Administered daily prep task to ensure production deadlines were being met
• Assisted executive in interviewing employees and created training documents for new hires
• Created new and customized menus that focused client’s specific vision
• My job responsibility included day to day activities, operational aspects and hygiene standards, store requisitions and gathering customer feedback and judging patterns trends.
• Organize Banquet and Catering events for School gatherings, in-house events, and meetings covering 50 – 1000 pax.

Head Butcher / Sous Chef| Oryx Rotana |Doha Qatar

January 2014 – August 2018

• Ordering of all required meat, sea food, poultry, and specialty proteins for Restaurants
• Communicate and provide required protein cuts for new menu presentations
• Yield testing and documentation of proteins
• Price analysis and comparison of product from various supplier
• Conduct training sessions for culinary team
• Weekly duty schedule follows up and daily duty allocation for the operation
• HACCP presentation for kitchen staff and hygiene training, basic food safety training
• Specialize in charcuteries, Smoking and curing techniques
• Conduct food sample testing
• Administrative job, payroll, maintaining inventory, purchase order
• Organize All Day Dinning, Banquet Events and Catering for 700 – 1000 pax

Commis 1| Miramar Al Aqah Beach and Resort | Fujairah UAE

OCTober 2011– january 2014

Associate in Hotel and Restaurant Management | University of Perpetual Help Laguna | Philippines

October 2002 - March 2003

Culinary Arts (NC1) Hot Kitchen Cook | Technical Skills and Development Authority |Philippines

VOCATIONAL