A Day in Hospitality
- DATE
- 8 and 9 December
- TIME
-
9am - 1pm
- LOCATION
-
Ipswich and Toowoomba
- PRESENTER
- TAFE Queensland
Get a taste of a career in hospitality
Join us at our Toowoomba or Ipswich campus for a hands-on introduction to cookery, bakery and hospitality training. Tour our industry-standard training facilities, meet our experienced teachers and learn about courses commencing in Semester 1, 2027.
Whether you’re finishing school, considering a career change, already working in hospitality or supporting someone as they explore their study options, this free event is a great opportunity to discover where hospitality training could take you.
What to expect
During the event, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- tour our training facilities
- meet and speak with our experienced teachers
- explore cookery, bakery and hospitality study options
- watch live cooking and food preparation demonstrations
- discover modern plating and presentation techniques
- see bakery and dessert displays
- experience canapé preparation
- learn more about coffee and contemporary beverage preparation
- ask questions about courses, careers, entry requirements and study options
Interactive hospitality stations will operate throughout the event, allowing you to explore different areas at your own pace and speak directly with teaching staff about the courses that interest you.
Meet apprentice chef Caitlin Baxter. Caitlin was named the Queensland Training Awards’ 2025 Harry Hauenschild Apprentice of the Year for the Darling Downs South West region. But Caitlin’s journey has been about much more than winning an award. Hear how she has overcome challenges, built her skills and turned her passion for cookery into a promising career..
Join an event at your local campus
Date: Tuesday 8 December 2026
Time: 9am to approximately 1pm
Location: Toowoomba campus, A Block, Futures Restaurant
Cost: Free
Date: Wednesday 9 December 2026
Time: 9am to approximately 1pm
Location: Ipswich campus, D Block, The Miner's Right Restaurant
Cost: Free
For Sarah Bollard, teaching the Certificate II in Baking (FBP20221) at TAFE Queensland is a full-circle moment.
At TAFE Queensland, Shayne Vaughan is more than a cookery and hospitality educator. With nearly a decade of teaching experience under his belt and two decades of industry experience, Shayne’s career is a perfect blend of culinary expertise, education, and a deep commitment to helping students change their lives.
Chef Andrew Bowden had enjoyed the most illustrious 30-year career — notably cheffing for the likes of the late, great Michael Parkinson, among other celebrities, as an Executive Chef at the London-based ITV television network, as well as working in Paris and Dubai.
When Kristina arrived in Toowoomba in 2023, she was starting a new chapter in a new country, one filled with opportunity, learning and hope for the future.
Max Bingham is already making his mark in the culinary world. A commercial cookery student at TAFE Queensland, and apprentice chef at a Japanese fine dining restaurant in Toowoomba, Max recently showcased his skills on the national stage at the prestigious 2025 Australian WorldSkills competition — proudly bringing home a Medallion for Excellence.
Caitlin Baxter is the newly crowned Queensland Training Awards ‘Harry Hauenschild Apprentice of the Year’ for the Darling Downs South West region – well deserved, given she was up against more than just her competitors.