Picture a 16-year-old sports nut from Cairns, Australia, who is more at home on the tennis court than in the classroom. That’s where Jane-Therese Mulry’s food-and-drink adventure kicked off – not with a grand plan, but with a nudge from her school principal dad. “I didn’t think I was smart enough for university,” she laughs. “I wanted to study human movement for sports, but Year 12? I was out the door.”

Dad’s part-time gig at TAFE gave her the push and friends convinced her to try cheffing, despite a dismal home economics report card. “I spent more time on the verandah than cooking!” she says. But that pre-vocational course sparked something. “I felt good in the kitchen and like everything else in my life, if I decided to do it, I wanted to be the best.” Apprenticeship secured, the competitive kid with a will to be the very best that she could be had found her kitchen rhythm.

Discipline was key. Mum’s ‘no-nonsense’ style had prepared her for the industry’s rigours. “I needed structure and I thrived on discipline,” she says. Travel became her motivation when her parents’ holiday snaps ignited wanderlust and a realisation that a career as a chef might pay the way. After a stint at Hyatt Hotel Sunshine Coast JT knew she wanted to be at the top of her game and Marco Pierre White was her goal. In London, her favourite cookbook White Heat in hand, she knocked on his door. “Can you cook?” “No, that’s why I’m here.” Hired.

A few years under Marco’s intensity shaped her. “He said exactly what he thought and I respected that,” she recalls. And the feeling must have been mutual, as he appointed her as his first female head chef.

Culinary director Jane-Therese Mulry

At twenty-seven-and-a-half, she opened South Africa’s first five-star airport hotel kitchen with the Intercontinental group. “How did I do that?” she marvels now. As for the male-dominated industry, she thrived. “If you’re good, you succeed. I was always confident that I could be every bit as good as anyone else in the kitchen.”

Most recently JT has enjoyed executive chef positions at The Waldorf Astoria, Seychelles along with leading roles at the Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa near Johannesburg, South Africa, The Siam Hotel, Bangkok and in Australia at Qualia, Hamilton Island, Queensland, and at Pepper Cradle Mountain Lodge, Tasmania. Now culinary director for Rosewood Kauri Cliffs, Rosewood Cape Kidnappers and Rosewood Matakauri in New Zealand, she oversees three outstanding luxury properties with distinct identities. “We let every menu revolve around where we are,” she explains: coastal-cultural at Kauri Cliffs, farm-focussed at Cape Kidnappers, art-centric at Matakauri. Her food tells the story of the unique landscapes of each, although success hasn’t softened her edge. JT encourages her teams to lean into their surroundings and bring their ideas to the table, empowering her people with passion, innovation, pride and ownership. “They need to step up and put themselves out there, while at the same time I am giving back, as so many chefs have given back to me.” Rosewood’s Rise to the Table mentorship programme is an initiative that she proudly supports, helping to empower the next generation of global female hospitality leaders. JT will join a team of Rosewood leaders and experts in Hong Kong in March 2026 for a week-long immersive experience, followed by a year of mentorship aimed at fostering career growth. “We take so much from the industry, we need to return it. It’s our time for opening up New Zealand to the world and encouraging young kids to see our hospitality industry as a world of opportunity.”

Relationships anchor her journey. Her wife Andrea’s support throughout their 24-year marriage has been crucial and JT sees this as her greatest achievement. “Behind every success is that one constant,” she acknowledges. At 50-something, JT is reflective. “It’s about legacy now,” she says and mentoring ensures the next generation thrives. Her story – from that girl on the verandah to New Zealand culinary director – proves that drive, determination and creativity will triumph in the professional kitchen. As she quips, “Put the hours in, pick your battles and learn to step away when you can. If you’ve done your job well, the place will still run. Beautifully.”

Jane-Therese Mulry isn’t just cooking; she’s shaping New Zealand’s culinary future, one disciplined, passionate chef at a time.  rosewoodhotels.com