Team Profile - Jason Ford (Team Captain)

Jason Ford (pictured right) grew up in Logan City, Queensland, Australia.

After leaving school he felt naturally drawn to the kitchen. Jason's first job was as a kitchenhand, washing dishes at Webster's Coffee Lounge in the heart of Brisbane's Queen Street Mall.

In 1986, Jason was accepted into the recently constructed TAFE College of Tourism and Hospitality (COTAH). Following a year of intensive hospitality training, Jason chose to commence a chef’s apprenticeship. He worked within the Brisbane CBD in restaurants such as the award winning Rumpoles Restaurant and the popular New Orleans Restaurant; and trained under some of Brisbane’s most acclaimed chefs.

On the completion of his apprenticeship, Jason moved on to a successful career in many of Brisbane’s five star hotels, Royal On The Park, Brisbane Hilton,Stamford Plaza, Hotel Carindale and the prestigious Brisbane Riverview Hotel. It was during his time in the international hotel environment that Jason established himself as a specialist pastry chef. Jason was the first chef to study and graduate from the Advanced Trade Certificate in Patissiere within Queensland and was awarded COTAH Pastry Chef of the Year.

During the mid-90’s Jason discovered his appreciation for teaching when he became a part-time cookery teacher at Brisbane’s Southbank Institute of Technology.

In 1998 Jason decided to move to the South Burnett with his wife Karen to pursue a quieter, family lifestyle in a burgeoning wine and food region.

In 2003, Jason captained the first team of South Burnett chefs to compete in Adelaides's LifeStyle Food Channel Australian Regional Culinary Competition. In the same year, Jason was awarded Kingaroy's Australia Day Citizen of the Year for his tireless efforts promoting the South Burnett's food and wine industry.

Currently working for the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE Kingaroy as a Commercial Cookery Lecturer, Jason has a Bachelor of Vocational Education and Training, a Diploma of Hospitality and writes regular food columns for various newspapers and websites and has a weekly radio cooking segment on Crow FM 90.7. He is also Lead Author of 'Professional Chef' ISBN-10: 017015821.