SaCSA and TAFE Queensland brought industry representatives and educators together on the Gold Coast to explore practical solutions to strengthen culinary career pathways, support apprentices and retain skilled workers in Australia’s hospitality industry.

Held on 15 October, the Shaping the Future of the Culinary Workforce Workshop provided an opportunity for industry and education stakeholders to share their experiences, discuss workforce challenges and identify opportunities to build a stronger, more sustainable culinary workforce.

The workshop opened with a welcome from Robert Petherbridge, General Manager, TAFE Queensland Gold Coast Region, followed by insights from SaCSA CEO Natalie Turmine on the national culinary workforce outlook, current industry challenges and future workforce needs.

Addressing key culinary workforce challenges

Facilitated by Terry Patriarca, SaCSA General Manager, Project Design and Delivery, the workshop focused on three key areas influencing the future of Australia’s culinary workforce.

From classroom to kitchen

Participants explored ways to attract more people to culinary careers and strengthen the transition from education and training into employment. Discussions considered how industry and training providers can work together to better prepare aspiring chefs and cooks for the realities of working in commercial kitchens.

Setting apprentices up for success

The workshop examined opportunities to strengthen apprenticeship pathways, improve practical skills development and better support apprentices throughout their training. Participants considered approaches to improving the apprenticeship experience and supporting training completion.

Keeping culinary talent

Retaining skilled chefs and cooks was another key focus, with discussions exploring how workplace experiences, leadership and career development opportunities can influence long-term workforce retention. Participants considered ways to create supportive workplaces where culinary professionals can develop their skills and build sustainable careers.

Turning industry insights into action

Building on these discussions, participants took part in an industry prioritisation and action planning session to identify potential solutions, opportunities for collaboration and practical next steps.

The session brought together perspectives from industry and education, highlighting the importance of collaboration in addressing workforce challenges across the culinary sector.

Supporting the workshop throughout the day were SaCSA’s Aaron Hines, Executive Director, Products & Projects, Katrina Higham, General Manager, Product Design & Development, and Althea Montano, Stakeholder Engagement Advisor, Hospitality.

Working together to strengthen the culinary workforce

The insights and ideas shared during the workshop will help inform SaCSA’s future work to strengthen pathways into culinary careers, improve workforce retention and support a skilled and sustainable hospitality workforce.

SaCSA thanks TAFE Queensland and all participants for contributing their time, expertise and perspectives to the discussions.

By bringing industry and educators together to identify challenges and explore practical solutions, SaCSA continues its commitment to shaping our workforce of tomorrow.