Originally from New Caledonia, I draw upon my French culture and background to design and create menus. Food has always held a special space in my heart and in the household growing up. My mom has always been an amazing cook and I knew early on sharing a meal around the table creates a special memory.
I moved to the gold coast in 2008 to complete a bachelors and masters in corporate communications at Bond University, before moving to San Diego in California. During my time in California, I had roles which covered recruiting, sales and marketing which was a great experience to enter the workforce.
Returning to the GC several years later, I then started my culinary journey and quickly realized this was what I was passionate about. Focusing on the sweet skills at the start learning about all things pastry and baking, before homing in on the savoury and experiencing with all kinds of new ingredients and flavours.
Working with very passionate chefs early on in my career highlighted the importance you can have on shaping someone’s journey thru sharing passion and skills. This was a turning point for me and where I am today, currently Chef de cuisine at the Star Gold coast curating menus and experiences for our VIP guest at the Darling hotel and restaurant.
Being able to have a platform to work with young chefs and apprentices and sharing the same lessons and skills that I was though has been such a rewarding part of my journey. Giving back your time and knowledge to the next generation is an important part of being a chef.
Australia is renowned for its high-quality produce, particularly its seafood and meat which are a prize both domestically and internationally. Having access to outstanding ingredients and understanding the significance of their origin and traceability as well as understanding the importance of sustainability is essential for the industry and chefs. Handling ingredients with respect while having a range of culinary techniques to use as resources is an amazing skill to have as a chef and so important in my opinion and what makes great chefs.
Travel is vital for a chef in my opinion as it broadens culinary knowledge, sparks creativity and deepens cultural understanding. Exploring different regions and countries exposes chefs to diverse ingredients and techniques which I draw upon as inspiration in the kitchen. It has allowed me to learn from other chefs and experience authentic flavours as well as understand the cultural context behind each cuisine.
It also plays an important role in networking with the culinary community, adding stories behind each dishes making them even more memorable.
My culinary journey is ever-evolving, while I remain dedicated to constantly expanding and learning as a chef myself, I understand the importance my voice can have as a female leader in the hospitality industry which is always facing new challenges.
My passion for food goes beyond the plate, food brings people together and every dish tells a story.
