Paul Hickey is an international chef and a teacher at TAFE. With over 20 years’ experience, Paul has worked in five-star hotels in Europe, Sydney and on the Gold Coast. When he is not teaching at TAFE, Paul is highly sought after as a chef and has worked in the industry for prominent caterers including John and Peter and Belinda Franks Catering with whom he has served up meals for Nicole Kidman, the Olympic Committee (in Turin, Italy) and 900 people at the ASTRA Awards at the Hordern Pavilion.

Paul has participated in and placed highly in numerous competitions both in Australia and internationally. Among these, Paul won first prize in the Restaurant of Champions competition in Sydney in 2005 and again in 2009, represented Australia in the Trophée de Passion in Paris in 2006, winning a trophy for ‘degustation’. In 2010 Paul travelled to Singapore with the Australian Culinary Olympic Team for the Battle of the Lion where he was awarded both gold and silver medals.

“I really appreciated the people who took time out to show me things when I was an apprentice. I wanted to do that for other people. I love the interaction with the students.

 “I do love cooking and I think my passion comes through [in my teaching].”