Born in Queensland, Clinton began his cooking career at the very young age of 16. He completed his apprenticeship in Brisbane before moving to Melbourne in 2009.

For four years he worked at Vue de Monde all the way to an Executive Sous Chef position, before deciding to embark on his own solo venture in 2016. His energy and passion to learn and develop didn’t stop during this time however, with his ambition to grow and experience new things saw, and still sees Clinton travelling internationally and domestically to partake in stages at several world-renowned restaurants in Spain, Brazil and the Netherlands.

Prior to opening Amaru, Clinton had spent several months on various trips through Europe and South America where he worked in several of the world’s 50 best restaurants, and he continues to pursue new inspiration and experience on constant annual trips overseas to work and collaborate with international talent.​

The concept of Amaru has always been to grow organically with like-minded people who love food and wine. Amaru has become a reputable restaurant within the Melbourne fine dining scene. He wants to continue to grow and continue to invest in his own ideas and people who are committed to the industry so that he can bring to life what he envisions dining to be in various innovations.
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In 2021, the next step in Clinton’s vision has come to reality with his second venue, Auterra Wine Bar, is the new neighbourhood addition to Armadale. Aiming to deliver the same level of quality as Amaru, but in a more casual and relaxed environment.
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Ahead of his times, Clinton was considered part of the new generation of young talented chefs who decided to be brave enough and take the initiative to create the Progression Hospitality Group.