Third country's the charm

At the age of 10, Eunsol and his family moved from South Korea to Spain for his father’s work. It was there that he learned his second language and how to adapt to a new culture. 

“Once we arrived, I was immediately put into a Spanish school. I was lost at the beginning,” Eunsol recalls. “But it pushed me to learn Spanish quickly. Eventually, I became fluent, and it was a good experience.” 

The biggest challenge came at age 20, when Eunsol was told he had to return to South Korea to complete mandatory military service. 

“I was in Spain, and I got a call from the South Korean government instructing me to return and complete the training,” he says. “It was hard. I’d lived in Spain since I was 10, and I had to leave all my friends.” 

After 18 months of military service, Eunsol was ready for a new adventure. “I was a little bit lost in life and looking for something different, and Australia sounded good!” 

Once in Australia, his third language- English, improved quickly, and he got a job as a kitchen hand in a restaurant. 

“I had some experience working in kitchens, but I’d never had any formal training.” 

As time went on, Eunsol began building his confidence. 

“The chef where I worked gave me more responsibilities and great feedback. I felt really valued, and I thought - I could do this!” 

That moment was a turning point. He decided to take cooking seriously and enrolled in the Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery and Diploma of Hospitality Management. (SIT4052, SIT50422) 

“I did a lot of research and TAFE Queensland was the best school, so I just went for it!” 

“All the teachers at TAFE Queensland, you can tell they have a lot of experience. My teacher right now has over 20 years’ experience. He knows everything. He’s my mentor.” 

Eunsol’s dedication soon paid off. He applied for the Proud to Be a Chef competition and was selected as one of just 32 finalists from across Australia and New Zealand.  

“A chef came to our campus to talk about the competition. I applied, and they chose me to represent TAFE Queensland! The Cairns newspaper even came and interviewed me. I felt like a rock star!” 

“My teacher was so proud of me, and so was I. It felt amazing that my campus wanted to promote me. It was a great experience” 

Eunsol beams as he describes living in such a tropical climate that has a thriving tourism sector. 

“Cairns is a special place, full of nature and good people. The hospitality industry is really big here, so if this is the industry you’re passionate about, there are lots of opportunities.” 

His advice for future international students? “Don’t think twice. Just come here and try!” 

Looking into the future Eunsol is inspired and driven by what he’s achieved. 

“TAFE Queensland has helped me find and follow my path. My goal is to become the best chef I can be.”