Chef Joel

Take us back to where it all began – when was the moment you realised you wanted to be a chef?
I always wanted to be a chef. I know that’s a cliche, but I watched my mum cooking, and I wanted to help more and more. I started my apprenticeship at 14 in a patisserie in Normandy and from the first day, I loved what I was doing. Even cleaning the dishes at the end of the day. It was a connection. I said to myself, that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life.

How would you best describe your personal philosophy on food?
Food is everything to me because I use food to build, to design, to create. It’s not easy because sometimes I don’t have the tools, so I need to create something different, but I still create and push myself. As a French pastry chef, expectation is always there. And that’s okay, that’s why I’m a pastry chef. In every hotel I’ve worked in I’ve always said “I’ll see what I can do”.

You’ve recently stepped out from the kitchen, what did you enjoy most about your role as executive pastry chef at Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach? Is there anything exciting in store for your next chapter?
It’s more than just being a pastry chef. It’s a family in the kitchen. Not many people have relationships like that with people. Because we’re together for eight to ten hours a day, face to face, we talk about life, personal things, everything. Some feel more comfortable talking to me than to their parents. As to what’s next, I have two granddaughters, two years and three months, and I plan to teach them to cook. If I show them when they’re young, maybe they will love it too. So I will continue cooking with their legacy.

What were some of your favourite creations at Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach?
I was looking on Instagram on what I’ve done here in one and a half years, and I’ve done a lot. I’ve done so much. We’ve made a Gold Coast 3D landscape, made entirely of chocolate. But last Christmas was beautiful. We constructed a gingerbread house at the front of the grand ballroom, where you walk inside. And I created a ballerina, made of chocolate, standing floor-to-ceiling.

What tips do you have for home cooks looking to expand their skills in French cuisine?
Just experiment. Everybody can cook French food. Start with something simple and keep going. But don’t forget – food should always be a celebration. In the old days, there was grandma who cooked all day, but was so proud to bring the food to the table. So be proud of what you cook.

Chef Shane

What are some of your fondest food-related memories you have from your childhood?
Being the only kid sitting around in the kitchen at Chinese New Year watching my grandma make zongzi, which are little triangles of sticky rice and fillings wrapped in bamboo leaf. And then eating as many of them as I could before all my cousins came in from playing video games. Also, my mum’s handmade dumplings were pretty great. Nothing is better than dumplings made from freshly made dough.

What initially ignited your passion and desire to become a chef?
The first chef I worked for, Gregory Devine at Peppers Airlie Beach. I took a dishwasher job there on a whim but he started training me to do very basic prep. He used to tell me to “be like water,” and he would pull out a timer every time I did a job so that I could do it one minute faster than last time.

Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach is known for its French zest, what can we expect to see from you and your team in your culinary creations moving forward?
I haven’t been to France since I was around 14 years old and I haven’t had a lot of exposure to French cooking, either in my home country of Taiwan or here in Australia, so I’m not going to claim to be offering authentic French cuisine. We do have some great cheese dishes though – a cold strawberry burrata and a hot baked cheese dish. As for the zest part, we’re definitely offering an interesting menu and we’ve received a lot of great feedback about the flavour and quality. Guests particularly seem to like our pork belly, brick chicken and duck.

Where do you draw inspiration from when creating a menu?
From all the chefs I have worked with before, who come from all over the world, I’ve learned new dishes and ingredients from all of them but particularly chef Rodolfo Malinverni and the other Italian chefs I worked with at the former Palazzo Versace. He was brilliant at incorporating Italian ingredients into his menu and coming up with something really special. I want to do the same with Asian ingredients. Also Chef Yang, the new head chef at Sofitel, who I’ve worked with for a long time now. His dishes are really accessible and I’ve learned so much from him over the years.

What is your go-to comfort meal for yourself on a night off at home?
I love making a Korean doenjang soup (kind of like Japanese miso) with a chicken or pork broth, a few veggies and some simple hand-pulled noodles made from flour and water. For dessert, I can’t go past David Chang’s pan-fried Krispy Kreme donuts with vanilla ice-cream and biscotti. I’m pretty obsessed with it at the moment.

Reflecting on your experience, what are you planning to bring to the hotel and how are you going to elevate the guests’ culinary experience?
Hospitality. I really love interacting with guests and I want to create a warm and heartfelt atmosphere, like when you welcome old friends you haven’t seen for a long time into your home. I want to help guests celebrate their special occasions and make good memories.