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Sydney Brooks commenced his career
as an apprentice at a leading hotel in central
London, England.
He concentrated his efforts in the pastry section
of the kitchen, as well as attending Westminster
Technical College on a day release program. Sydney
excelled in his chosen profession and soon became
a well-respected member of the hotels brigade.
Soon after completing his apprenticeship, the
government declared World War 2 and Sydney
received his orders to sign up in the British
army. Given his excellent technical cookery
knowledge, Sydney was drafted into the army
catering division where he was responsible for
directing the operation of the officer's mess, as
well as the NCOs and the other ranks mess at
several large army bases, in England and overseas.
At the end of the war, Sydney returned to London
and resumed his civil career in the West-end. He
worked in several of the leading hotels and
restaurants as a specialist pastry chef and won
several awards at the Hotel Olympia Culinary
Competitions.
In 1955, Sydney responded to a call from Australia
House in London for qualified chefs to work in
Melbourne at the 1956 Olympic games. Australia
House representatives eagerly accepted his
application.
So in 1956 he set sail for Australia with his wife
Silvia and four young children to a whole new
adventure in a vast new continent, Australia. The
initial contract was for three months with an
option to return to England or be given the right
to become a permanent resident of Australia.
Sydney and his family chose to stay in Australia.
His contribution to the catering fraternity has
been immense.
After working at the Olympic Village in Heidelberg
until the end of the Olympic games, Sydney
obtained a position at the Royal Melbourne
Children's Hospital where he remained until he
retired twenty years later at the age of 65.During
this time, Sydney was actively involved in helping
to establish the first Guild of Cooks in Australia
in 1960. This was a division of the Catering
Institute of Australia. In 1972 Sydney was
instrumental with Cyril Butler and Ael Bailey in
sending Australia's' very first National Culinary
Olympic Team to Germany (Pioneer Frank de Koning
was in that team with Harry Khan, Pioneer Claudio
Magris, Les Smith and Cyril Butler).
Sydney's proudest moment was in 2000 when he was
recognized by the Les Toques Blanches Victoria and
presented with Pioneer status, Silvia his loving
wife told how he cried when he received the
Pioneer Medallion and Award. |
