If you’ll allow me to hash out the old cliche, if you find a career doing what you’ll love, you’ll never work a day in your life. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love food? But we often pigeonhole the types of food jobs you can get that revolve around the hospitality industry.
In fact, why just stick with one? Tom Walton certainly didn’t. Based in Sydney but working across Australia, he’s a chef, restaurant owner and restaurant consultant. He’s the owner of some pretty dang famous restaurants I might add, from The Bucket List, to Harpoon Harry’s to Nudefish. Plus all the restaurants he consults with.
“What I love about what I get to do every day is the diversity of it,” explains Tom, “Now what I enjoy as much as the food is setting up places and the whole concept behind it, from the back end straight through to the customer experience.”
How did he find his way into his dream career? He credits the “fundamental skills” he learned at TAFE NSW which “every chef needs“. Skills like commercial cookery and menu costing, all the way through to business management and customer service. All of which are essential if you’re wanting to work as a chef or even own your own restaurant.
Gotta walk before you can fly, right guys? And of course, Tom says, be open to opportunities.
“My advice to younger people, or people trying to get into the industry or who are in the industry and are trying to open their own business is to have expectations, but allow them to be fluid.”
Does making a career out of your Foodie habits sound like a dream? Discover everything you need to know about with the range of professional cookery and wine courses available at TAFE NSW.
