Chris Sheldon

Background

About Chris Sheldon

Melbourne-born and London-honed, I’m a hospitality leader with 25 years of food, beverage & events experience. Fifteen of those years were spent in London kitchens run by icons such as Marco Pierre White and Sir Terence Conran, and at Bluebird where I first worked shoulder-to-shoulder with a young Curtis Stone. By 26 I’d launched my own group of three sought-after bar-restaurants in central London—an early lesson in building brands, leading diverse teams and focusing on every detail of the guest experience. In 2011 I came home to Melbourne to run Food & Beverage for Crown Resorts. Over eight years, I steered a multi-venue portfolio through rapid growth, new-build openings and major refurbishments, driving double-digit revenue gains while embedding rigorous cost and compliance disciplines. Today I’m co-founder and Managing Director of Curtis Stone Events (CSE) Australia—together with Curtis and Luke Stone. Launched in Melbourne in February 2020, CSE challenges industry norms by pairing Michelin-starred creativity with big-picture event thinking, from the Melbourne Cup Carnival and Royal Botanic Gardens to intimate weddings at our flagship venue, Grace. What drives me now is crafting moments that linger long after the last glass is poured. Whether curating a gala or designing a hyper-seasonal tasting menu, I combine entrepreneurial grit, financial acumen and a genuine love of people to deliver experiences that feel effortless—and unforgettable. Core strengths End-to-end event & venue strategy P&L, budgeting & commercial negotiations Large-scale team leadership & mentoring Brand building & partnership activation Menu innovation, supply-chain & sustainability Let’s connect if you’d like to swap ideas on elevating guest experiences, breaking new ground in food service and hospitality, or partnering on events that tell a bigger story.