17 July 2021
Commercial cookery graduate Chris Malone’s amazing cooking career has taken him under the sea after the young chef commenced a new role as head chef at Ossiano in Dubai restaurant last month.
Still just 25, Chris began his role at the breathtaking restaurant situated underwater after working at the world-renowned three Michelin star Eleven Madison Park in New York and most recently at the Michelin star Davies and Brook in London.
Chris began his career with a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery at our Joondalup campus where his talent was immediately recognisable.
Under the wing of his mentor Patrick O'Brien, North Metropolitan TAFE's Director of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, Chris went on to win a host of Australian and international cooking competitions including being crowned Australian Chef of the Year in 2017 at the age of 21 after completing his study and apprenticeship.
Chris said it had been an amazing journey so far and he looked forward to what the future years would bring.
"I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by many chefs, friends and mentors along the way like Patrick O’Brien to push me in the right direction," he said.
"North Metropolitan TAFE has the facilities and lecturers that are second to none, and I would highly recommend any aspiring young chefs and students to have a look into their programs."
Patrick O'Brien said it was a fantastic achievement for Chris who he described as having a strong dedication to becoming the best he could be since the age of 16 when he started his apprenticeship at TAFE.
"He has always been self-motivated and hardworking; he is one of these people who could have been anything he put his mind to, if he wanted to be a rocket scientist he could have," Patrick said.
“He could have gone to university but he knew he wanted to be a chef, he is an amazing young chef and a credit to his mum who raised him.”
Patrick said Chris still kept in contact for advice and was an inspiration to the other budding cookery students.
If anyone is interested in a career in cookery, we have a range of courses currently open for expression of interest applications on our commercial cookery page.