Chasing a culinary career

THE Gordon’s Ben Herbert has gone from working as a casual in a pizza shop to a promising culinary career, highlighting the power of pursuing a passion.

As an apprentice chef, Mr Herbert is balancing training at TAFE with hands-on kitchen experience, showing his true dedication and commitment.

He was unexpectedly thrown into the role of head chef while working in his pizza job and said he realised he was enjoying cooking more than his studies at university.

“Being head chef was stressful, however it showed me independent thinking and leadership in a kitchen. It also gave me the belief I could become a great chef,” he said.

Mr Herbert started his cooking journey at The Gordon after trading his uni books and studies in conservation, land management and IT for the kitchen.

“The training I receive at The Gordon is beyond what I had expected,” he said.

“It has laid a foundation for a lot of my work life.

“I have applied for units of communication training to help train new staff at work where I clearly explain a task, perform it for them and then supervising the trainee performing the task.”

Experiences and French cooking techniques shared by teacher Will Manning have significantly shaped his aspirations to specialise in fine dining.

“Every time I attend class I can feel improvement in my skills. My teacher is extremely inspiring and keeps fuelling me to learn more,” Mr Herbert said.

The TAFE program has allowed him to access industry connections, knowledge and the award-winning Culinary School, leading to his success at the AUS-TAFE Culinary Competition State Final last year, in which he cooked up a pork and celeriac dish.

“After researching my potential dish, typing up a workflow plan, and practising my dish, I was able to cook without any setbacks and achieved the silver medal,” he said.

Mr Herbert is presently working at Songbird, with the aim of refining his skills in flavour palettes and advanced techniques and travelling the world as a chef before opening his own restaurant.

Earlier this year, Mr Herbert won The Gordon’s Cookery Apprentice Excellence Award for his dedication and commitment.

To apply to study The Gordon’s free TAFE cookery program in 2025, head to thegordon.edu.au

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