Richard Perks, Head of Operations

Richard Perks has been appointed CDS's new Head of Operations (food/housekeeping) after serving as our Executive Chef for the past five years. He was born and raised in southwest England and attended culinary school in Italy, during which time he traveled and worked throughout Italy exploring his passion for food and love for Italian cuisine. Most notably he learned to make gelato and Italian pastries with renowned chef Corrado Assenza at Caffè Sicilia a Noto and mastered the art of pasta making with the ‘Salami King of Italy,’ Massimo Spigaroli in Parma. Richard continued his formal training in the UK where he worked with one of Canada’s top chefs, Malcolm Campbell. He also trained under world-renowned, Michelin-starred chefs in Europe, and followed his passion to Hong Kong and Perth, Australia, fine-tuning his culinary talents at fine dining establishments. During his time at CDS, Richard won gold at the International Chefs' Cup in 2024 and qualified for the Canadian Chefs' Cup finals four years in a row, winning bronze in 2023 with Chef Julia Delafuente. He has also worked hard to reduce food waste within the School over the last few years, achieving a 30% reduction in waste last year, and to introduce a diverse, international menu over the past four years, working with his team to develop healthy, enjoyable favourites.