Theo Cunningham Tickel
London
Summary
Recent university graduate with a deep, self-driven passion for cookery, developed through both hands-on experience in professional and volunteer kitchens, and extensive independent study. Focused on developing the foundational techniques of British, French, and Italian cuisine, with a particular interest in seasonality, innovation, and quality execution. Seeking an inspired application of these skills inside a kitchen team where growth and skill development are valued.
Overview
3
3
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Chef de Partie
Flaming Cactus Co
UK
06.2021 - 09.2024
- Worked the Summers running a kitchen on my own at festivals across the UK and Ireland.
- Prepared food (Pie and Mash or TexMex meals) for over 1000 people a day.
- Responsible for food; setting up and packing down the kitchens; stock levels and ordering; coordinating with health and safety regulators; being my own KP; organising front of house staff.
- Frequently shifts of 17 hours and above for 3-5 days in a row for each festival, sometimes multiple weeks in a row.
- Improved knife skills, chopping 25kg of onions a day for onion gravy or the same again of onion, tomatoes and herbs for salsas (depending on the cuisine).
- prepared large batches of both meat and veggie chillis, constantly grilling fresh chicken and preparing 25kg batches of mashed potatoes at a time by hand.
- While my technical skills improved, it was very useful for my soft skills. Learned the importance of timing, speed and organisation. being my own KP I learnt the value of keeping my kitchen clean, and importantly how to maintain these standards while being busy and potentially behind when it's just you accountable for the food.
Volunteer Cook
FoodCycle
London
05.2024 - 09.2024
- Worked out of their Dalston location between festival work.
- Served specifically new migrants and their children meals around sessions with councillors.
- Decided on meals to prepare from whatever stock was donated.
- Organised teams of volunteers with less experience and designated prep jobs while operating the stove and ovens.
Front of House
Mitchells & Butlers
London
12.2021 - 02.2022
- Coordinated with the kitchen to take and deliver orders.
- Worked at the bar also.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Computer Science and Mathematics
University of Manchester
Manchester 09.2021 - 06.2024
Skills
- Knife Skills
- Sauce and Stock Preparation
- Basic Butchery (Poultry and Fish)
- Fresh Pasta preparation
- Organisation and Timing
- Meat Preparation (roasting, braising, frying)
Affiliations
- Sport: Rock Climbing, Surfing, Boxing, Football, general fitness.
- Languages: Learning Spanish at the moment and have reached a good conversational level.
- Travelling: Have travelled most of Europe and South America with food and language as the motivators.
Timeline
Volunteer Cook
FoodCycle
05.2024 - 09.2024
Front of House
Mitchells & Butlers
12.2021 - 02.2022
Bachelor of Science - Computer Science and Mathematics
University of Manchester
09.2021 - 06.2024
Chef de Partie
Flaming Cactus Co
06.2021 - 09.2024
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