Pat O’Sullivan
CEO
Pat has literally been ‘stirring the pot’ since the tender age of 16. At just 24 years old he was appointed to a Head Chef role, leading a team of 15 chefs.
He captained the Irish Team of World Masterchefs to compete internationally, winning the World Banqueting Championships in 1997.
In 1998 he made the bold decision to step away from the pass, spotting an opportunity to create a new kind of high-end catering company, Master Chefs was born. Over the past 24 years the company has grown to be an instantly recognisable national brand synonymous with quality, innovation & leadership.
It is this combination of food industry nous and business acumen that informs the Master Chefs’ way - uncompromising on quality and defined by a unique level of service. An early champion of native producers, seasonality and sustainability, he is a true innovator and a ‘disruptor’ of the Irish catering industry.
Leonora Quirke
Director of Operations
A driver of our brand’s ambition, Leonora joined the Master Chefs crew in 2004. A graduate of GMIT with a National Diploma in Hotel & Catering Management, she garnered a wealth of experience in 5 Star properties in Northern Ireland & Australia.
As a seasoned pro, she has played a key role in the growth and development of our business. In 2017 Leonora was (rightly) named ‘Catering Manager of the Year’ at the Irish Hospitality Institute Management Awards in recognition of her ‘outstanding personal contribution to the industry’.
Keith O’Sullivan
Director of Operations
Keith’s motivation and drive has set a high bar within the organisation. Joining us with a BA Hons degree in Business Studies with Event Management from the Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT). In 2019 his personal contribution to the hospitality industry was recognised when Keith was named the winner of the ‘Young Manager of the Year’ category at the Irish Hospitality Institute Management Awards. Now promoted to Director of Operations, Keith oversees group operations contracted to Master Chefs. In his downtime Keith likes to push his limits, summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in 2022, Africa’s highest free-standing mountain.
Ilona Jezkova
Director of Finance
Ilona, superbly suited to her role, joined Master Chefs in 2015 as an Accounts Assistant and became our Financial Controller in 2017. She has specialised in the hospitality sector since 2007 and holds a degree in Business Studies, Economics and Finance from her native Latvia. She has played a key role in the company's modernisation and streamlining of the financial and accounting processes. It comes as no surprise that Ilona enjoys monograms in her spare time with a keen head for numbers. A proud Mum of two girls, they love scenic walks together when the weather permits.
Michelle O’Donnell
GROUP EXECUTIVE CHEF
Food has been Michelle’s lifelong passion, from a young age her favourite TV show was “Simply Delicious” from one of Irelands most famous Chefs, Darina Allan. She has always wanted to be a Chef, graduating from LIT with a bachelors degree in professional cooking with years of experience in both face paced and high end restaurants throughout the south west before starting with Master Chefs in 2011. She initially just helped out on big event days but as time went on, became an integral part of the kitchen team.
She has a very hands on approach to running her Kitchen brigade and rarely misses an event. Winning “Head Chef of the Year” at the 2019 IHI Management Awards only emphasises her talent, drive and passion for all things food.
Being a Chef is more than just a job for Michelle with her spare time spent researching new recipes and using vegetables & herbs grown in her garden to cook tasty & healthy food with her children.
Nicola Frost
Commercial Director
Nicola brings a wealth of experience as Master Chefs Commercial Director with over a decade working in the bustling hospitality sector in London. Holding key roles as Sales & Events Manager for Novus Leisure she was responsible for a number of venues across the companies portfolio of 40 event spaces later joining multi-site operator The Piano Works Group as Head of Sales & Marketing.
Since joining Master Chefs, Nicola has been essential to developing the commercial division, a key driver of the company’s ambitions to grow as a nationwide hospitality caterer and ensuring that Master Chefs truly does “bring more to the table”. She loves working in hospitality, meeting new clients and working closely with them to see each event come to life.
Ciaran Cable
Business Development Manager
Ciaran graduated from TUS in 2020 with an honours degree in Marketing & Business Management and joined Master Chefs in September 2021 as a Sales & Events Coordinator. Fast forward to August 2023 when Ciaran moved into a Business Development role within the Commercial department managing key accounts and relationships. He has proven himself to be a natural in sales & events and enjoys working in such a dynamic and fast-paced environment where every day presents new opportunities and challenges.
John Randles
Marketing Manager
John is a recent addition to the Master Chefs team, joining in August 2022 from the MHL Hotel collection with over 15 years experience working in hospitality. A hotel management graduate from Munster Tech University, he found his passion in hospitality sales & marketing having previously worked in a number of well known hotels in the South West of Ireland. Master Chefs was a dream opportunity for him as an avid home cook, rugby fan & former rugby player. He is delighted to join the Master Chefs team at such a critical time in the company’s plans to further grow on a nationwide scale.