At the helm of what is effectively Sydney’s biggest restaurant, George Mullen served prime ministers, royalty, a pope and a US president.
He started in the kitchen as a favour to a friend and now 28 years and 10 million meals later, executive chef George Mullen will hang up the apron at the Australian Turf Club for the last time.
In his time at the helm of what is effectively Sydney’s biggest restaurant — serving about 800 guests between Royal Randwick’s Grandview and Chairman’s Club on race days — the award-winning chef has served some seriously high-profile people.
Among them are prime ministers, royalty, a pope and a US president.
“We had opened up a pavilion big enough to hold 1300 people, which at the time was very big, and we had Bill Clinton here for that,” Mr Mullen said.
“It was in 2001 and quite a funky menu, I remember.
“That was one of the highlights but they all stand out in their own way.”
Cooking has been a lifelong love for Mr Mullen, who has been in the industry about 50 years.
“My father dabbled in cooking so it must have rubbed off,” he said.
“I started in a little hotel back in Scotland at 15 before going on to bigger and better things.”
Since being elevated to executive chef in 2000, Mr Mullen and his team at Royal Randwick have collected dozens of awards, including the prestigious NSW Restaurant and Catering National Caterer of the Year title multiple times.
And as the team has changed over the years — so has the food.
“We have evolved from club food to being as good as any restaurant in town,” Mr Mullen said.
“We like to think we are up there with the best food in Sydney.”
Mr Mullen will officially retire on February 3 — his 65th birthday.
He and his wife Diane will head off on a long-planned and highly-anticipated caravan trip around Australia, visiting their ever-growing list of destinations.
Until then, Mr Mullen will continue plating up for punters returning to the track after almost two years lost to Covid lockdowns.
“We are going gangbusters at the moment with more functions than you could even hope to have,” he said.
“By the time we get to February I might actually be ready to go.”
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