Our People
Quay is a fine example of the sum of it’s parts being greater than the whole. Our team has experience that far surpasses their individual job requirements and such passion for food and wine that the end result is an experience of food, wine and service that is simply, award winning.
John Fink - General Manager
Fink Group General Manager John Fink is a third generation restaurateur. John spent his formative years working in kitchens and watching father Leon working closely with grandfather and Polish immigrant Jack Fink. Leon and Jack owned and operated the Southern Cross Hotel chain in Sydney and Melbourne. John now continues the family tradition, working closely with his father Leon in the day to day business of running two of Australia's most acclaimed restaurants.
Peter Gilmore – Executive Chef
In October 2010, Peter Gilmore released his first much anticipated cookbook Quay: food inspired by Nature. The book’s stunning design and photography perfectly echoes Peter’s nature-based philosophy and the organic presentation of his stunning cuisine at Quay. Australian Gourmet Traveller features editor, Pat Nourse described it as “quite possibly the most sumptuous cookbook to have come from an Australian restaurant”.
Peter is a 43 year old Australian, born and bred in Sydney. He was inspired to cook at a young age and started his apprenticeship at 16. At 19, Peter left Sydney to gain overseas experience working in Country House Hotels in the UK and Premium Hotels in London. Returning to Sydney in 1990, Peter spent the next decade working in smaller establishments around Sydney and in the Blue Mountains, developing his own style. Critical recognition came in 2000 when Peter was the Head Chef at De Beers Restaurant at Whale Beach and Terry Durack, food reviewer for The Sydney Morning Herald, wrote “De Beers houses a young chef with a real talent for sending out beautifully structured food with innate simplicity”.
Peter describes his cuisine as “food inspired by nature” and his philosophy is steeped in the exploration of the texture of food and harmony of flavours. A passionate gardener himself, Peter works closely with farmers and food producers to source exceptional ingredients and create food that is a celebration of nature’s beauty and diversity. He has developed, in recent years, a ground-breaking collaboration with a Blue Mountains providore, with whom he cultivates rare, archival seedlings and designs menus “from the soil up”.
Peter continues to refine his food, bringing new and exciting dining experiences to the table, with picture perfect dishes that celebrate nature’s beauty. He is a chef in his prime, whose combination of extraordinary talent and rare humility has won him not just the highest accolades in the food world, but the respect and admiration of his peers.
In the 2011 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, Terry Durack wrote “This is a restaurant that just keeps getting better and better. And better.”
Kylie Ball - Operations Manager
Kylie has always had a passion for hospitality. After finishing school she enrolled in a Hospitality Mangement Degree at University, but after a year and a half, realised she craved the real life experience of working in a restaurant. She then started her working career in hospitality at Mezzaluna Ristorante as the Administration Assistant in 1996. During her time at Mezzaluna, she was promoted through the ranks to Administration Manager involving herself with all aspects of running a successful restaurant.
Kylie then started at Quay in 2000 in accounting, but once again found herself craving the action of the restaurant. In 2002 she moved into the role of Functions Manager, a position she held until 2005.
Kylie then moved to the UK for 2 ½ years where she travelled extensively and assumed roles primarily in Human Resources. Kylie’s return happily coincided with the leave of the Operations Manager who left to have a baby. She assumed this role and has enjoyed it ever since and has added to her education with accountancy, food and beverage and wine courses and is also the licensee of Quay.
Kylie’s passion is traveling, preferably coupled with good doses of exceptional food and wine and tries to have one big holiday a year. One of her favourite trips was visiting the Champagne region in France and Barolo in Italy.
Email: operations@quay.com.au
Ashley Scott - Restaurant Manager
Ashley is the Restaurant Manager at Quay and leads a fine and experienced team. His main passions in life revolve around Food and Wine so it’s not difficult to understand his quick professional progression. Before working at Quay he was a part of the waitstaff team at Grossi Florentino’s in Melbourne, while completing his degree in Business Management.
In 2004 he began working at Quay as a waiter and quickly moved through to functions supervisor, then assistant restaurant manager and is today the Restaurant Manager. Ashley’s continued relationship to Quay over the past 5 years and his intricate knowledge of Peter Gilmore’s philosophy ensure the diner’s experience is exceptional.
Email: manager@quay.com.au