Posted on March 26, 2024
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Introducing Leo Campos
Leo Campos is the new head chef at Cliftons Brisbane, recently relocating to the Sunshine State after 13 years of living in New Zealand. Seven of those years were spent working as the head chef at Cliftons Auckland, where Leo was an integral part of the team.
When Leo expressed his desire to seek a change of scene and new challenges in Queensland, we were thrilled that an opportunity came up for him to continue in our business at Cliftons Brisbane. With locations across Australia and New Zealand, offering career mobility, when possible, is important to Cliftons and we were delighted to help support Leo in his move.
A passion for the power of food
As a born traveller, Leo brings his experience from visiting over 35 countries to create a diverse and ever-changing menu that can include dishes that take inspiration from Italy, France, Thailand, Brazil, Israel and so much more. At Cliftons Auckland, he frequently catered ‘international day’ menus, with thematic buffets including Indian, Spanish, Chinese, Mexican and Middle Eastern options. “After many courses and working in numerous kitchens, my data bank for food is extensive, always changing and full of history,” says Leo.
Leo is a big believer that food is not only about feeding the body but creating an experience and forming connections, saying, “Around food and tables, we can make peace, bring enemies together, and reunite families. We search for understanding, share stories, and make history. In business, we negotiate, close deals, and change strategies. Catering is one of the special touches that can help to win the minds and hearts of clients.”
Each day, Leo works closely with our event production teams to ensure food is enhancing the event experience. This can mean creating tailored menus that map to an event theme, or just ensuring that the best and freshest produce is used to nourish and delight our guests.
Leo's Typical Day at Cliftons
“My day usually starts with preparing morning tea, which is usually around five options. Then I move on to getting lunch ready, which is usually a buffet with a mix of hot items, as well as sandwiches and salads. We frequently prepare this around a theme, like Indian, Thai, French or any other number of cuisines. This may be discussed with our event holders, or if they don’t have a preference, we’ll drive our choices based on whatever produce is best that day. No matter what the menu is, there’s always enough variety to satisfy everyone and meet any dietary requirements. After lunch, we move on to providing a selection of slices and cakes for afternoon tea,” says Leo.
Each afternoon, Leo designs the menu for the following day’s events, and places any necessary orders. “We pride ourselves on cooking fresh each day, and make sure we’re working with the best ingredients.” In the past, Leo worked at the Sydney Fish Market and is especially looking forward to the opportunity to work with Queensland seafood, as well as the amazing fruits and vegetables on offer.
Embracing the opportunities of a new city
Away from his role ensuring Cliftons Brisbane delivers the best possible food and beverage experience to our guests, Leo is kept busy as a dad to a 7 year old daughter. Together, they are looking forward to exploring more of what Brisbane and Queensland have to offer.
“We’ve only been here for a month and have been busy settling in, but we’re looking forward to exploring South Bank and walking along the river at sunset. I’m also keen to get to the Eat Street night markets,” says Leo.
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