Andrew Briese – A Chef on a Mission, Now Championing Profitability Across the Industry
Andrew Briese began his journey as a classically trained chef before completing a Bachelor of Business in Catering and Hotel Management. Over a 35-year career in hospitality, Andrew saw firsthand the gap between kitchen creativity and financial control—and made it his mission to close it.
What started as a personal struggle with food costing turned into a powerful career pivot. Drawing on his deep kitchen experience, Andrew became a business innovator and tech entrepreneur, founding Cooking the Books (CTB), a chef-focused platform designed to simplify financial management in commercial kitchens. Under his leadership, CTB grew to become the leading kitchen management solution in Australasia, expanding across hospitality, healthcare, and retail.
Following the successful sale of Cooking the Books in 2024, Andrew now focuses on sharing his expertise with a broader audience. With deep experience across finance, operations, and hospitality, he excels at translating complex costing systems into clear, actionable strategies. From menu engineering and recipe costing to system design and financial literacy, Andrew helps hospitality professionals take control of their numbers and boost long-term profitability.
Today, Andrew works alongside hospitality teams, tech partners, and industry groups as an advisor, speaker, and educator. His practical, no-nonsense approach is rooted in decades of lived experience—both on the pass and in the boardroom. He’s available for consulting, workshops, and speaking engagements across Australia and internationally.