Sven Ullrich: Hyatt Regency Sydney head chef loses licence for drink-driving

A top chef at one of Sydney’s fanciest hotels has been busted drink-driving after police spotted his Porsche speeding home from some post-work pints.

Sven Ullrich, the executive chef at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Sydney, who was convicted of mid-range drink driving by Manly Local Court on Thursday. Picture; Facebook (Hyatt)

The head chef at one of Sydney’s fanciest hotels has been caught drink-driving while on his way home after some post-work pints.

Sven Ullrich, the executive chef at the five-star Hyatt Regency Sydney, was stopped by police at Roseville after his “high-performance” vehicle was caught on radar doing more than 25km/h over the speed limit.

Ullrich, who had just knocked off work at the CBD hotel, next to Darling Harbour, was clocked doing between 105 and 114km/h in the 80km/h on the Roseville Bridge at 11.08pm on August 8.

Sven Ullrich, the executive chef at the Hyatt Regency in Sydney, leaves court on Thursday. Picture: Manly Daily

The 52-year-old pleaded guilty to mid-range drink-driving after blowing 0.105, Manly Local Court heard on Thursday.

German-born Ullrich, who has worked in senior chef positions in a number of Hyatt hotels, including in Hawaii, Tokyo and Hong Kong, told North Shore Highway Patrol officers at Frenchs Forest Police Station that he had beers after work.

Sven Ullrich outside court in Manly. Picture: Manly Daily

He said he downed two pints of Stone and Wood between 10pm and 10.15pm before driving towards his home at Elanora Heights.

When magistrate Lisa Stapleton asked about his job, Ullrich replied “I’m a chef” and said he worked “quite late hours”.

“I made the wrong call,” he told the court.

Ms Stapleton replied: “You didn’t make the wrong call, you committed a criminal offence.”

The magistrate, who described his Porsche as a “high-performance vehicle” said the fact he was driving well over the speed limit “suggests you were impaired”.

Sven Ullrich was disqualified from driving for three months. Picture: Supplied

She said he had a “good driving record” prior to this offence.

Ullrich told Ms Stapleton that he accepted that he would be without his licence for a period of time.

“I made a wrong decision so have to pay the price for it.”

Ullrich was convicted and disqualified from driving for three months.

He was also placed on a conditional release order, which requires him to be of good behaviour for 16 months.