Li is one of our inaugural Gaining through Training graduates.
Li is in his final year 12 at Ulladulla High School. Lee continues to work at Willinga Park with Season & Savour, and at the Altar Wine Bar, whilst fuelling his passion for creating food beyond his age.
What inspires you to pursue Hospitality as a Career Path?
To make people smile when they eat my food and to make them feel at home.
Why did you want to work in your workplace?
To gain experience and learn lots of different things.
What is your job title?
Chef in training.
Where do you want your career choice to take you in the next five years?
The opportunity to travel all of over world to learn all the different ways to prepare and cook food. Experiment with food and using different ingredients like a variety of flowers in the food preparation and producing dishes. I want to get into fishing to catch and prepare fresh fish in different ways.
What is the best part of your job?
Cooking is the best and it’s a way to express yourself without words. Good to build a relationship with all of the chefs so that you get known, learn to communicate with them, ask them for help and get their advice.
What is your least favourite part of the job?
Cleaning is the worst part for me, but it has to be done. I know that the cleaning is an essential part of the job because you are working with food.
How important is it to look the part (your personal presentation) in your job role?
Important! I know that the chefs use white uniforms to show how clean they are. The black chefs jacket is for prep and the white jacket is for service. I Don’t see many people wearing the jackets anymore. Often I find it hard to keep clean in the kitchen.
What is the most important thing you have to remember when you start your shift?
I always try to arrive 10 minutes early. Clean hands and put on my apron. It’s Important to smell good and be presentable. Making sure the kitchen is neat and tidy and all the ingredients are good and fresh.
How has the Gaining through Training experience (The Industry tours, work experience, TAFE training) helped you with your journey so far?
It has given me the opportunity to work in a lot of different restaurants, able to see how they all work. Getting the experience with Peter Kuruvita was very different to any experience I have had before. He was a lovely guy and cooked amazing food. All the chefs have been great to work for with nice personalities. Other high points include the opportunity working with Peter Doyle at the Willinga Park event in 2022. This experience has also helped me with
- Building my confidence
- Preparing for work
- Team building skills.
- Personal presentation
If I hadn't heard about the Shoalhaven food network and taken part in the Gaining through Training project, I would not be working in the kitchen instead I would most likely to be working at a local supermarket. I don’t think I would have ever become a chef. It has helped me to see a future career in this industry is a good one.
