Jack Astin

Short bio

Jack Astin is a Sydney private chef with more than 20 years in the kitchen, from the Michelin-starred Arkle at The Chester Grosvenor in England to major Sydney venues — today Head Chef of Production Kitchens at Merivale Stadiums. He cooks generous, fire-driven food that pairs classical French technique with relaxed, shared-table hospitality.

Bio

Jack Astin’s path to cooking started young and from a deeply personal place. After losing his mum at six, he and his family learned to fend for themselves early — and somewhere between his dad’s more experimental dinners and his own curiosity, he realised he needed to learn to cook. He left school at fifteen, began his first hospitality apprenticeship, and knew almost immediately he’d found his path.

He trained as a pastry chef, then earned a place at The Arkle, the Michelin-starred restaurant inside The Chester Grosvenor. It was an education in the highest standards — precision, discipline and consistency, every single day — and it set the technical foundation he still cooks from.

At twenty-one he left England for Australia, and the move changed everything. He helped open The Botanical in Melbourne with Paul Wilson — a defining career moment — which led to a role at Radii Restaurant & Bar and years building his craft in premium hospitality.

In 2016 Jack moved to Sydney and joined the opening of the International Convention Centre from the building-site stage, then helped bring the new Sydney Football Stadium to life. Today he is Head Chef of Production Kitchens at Merivale Stadiums, overseeing large-scale culinary operations across the SCG and Allianz Stadium — proof he can deliver polished food at almost any scale.

In a private setting, that pedigree turns personal. Jack’s food marries classical French technique with fire and generosity — think restaurant-grade BBQ and hibachi-grilled sharing feasts — which makes him a natural fit for anyone after BBQ catering in Sydney with genuine fine-dining polish. He loves tailoring a menu to the occasion and making a considered, high-end experience feel completely effortless for guests.

Working as a private chef across Sydney, Jack brings that warmth into private homes for birthdays, celebrations and long, relaxed dinners with friends. After years in the busiest kitchens, the reason he still loves it hasn’t changed: great food brings people together, creates memories, and makes everyone at the table feel properly looked after.