Chef Ford’s recipe for lifelong learning

Jason’s interest in hospitality began in high school during home economics classes, where he discovered a love for cooking desserts and baked goods.

However, it was his first full-time job after leaving school that truly set him on his career path.

Working as a kitchen hand in an upmarket coffee shop in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall, he spent his days washing dishes while observing the chefs around him.

“I was washing dishes there as my first full-time job after leaving high school and just watching the chefs working around me, I started getting quite interested in what they were doing,” Jason said.

“They started teaching me a few things and that led to me then enrolling in TAFE to get formal qualifications.”

Jason enrolled at the historic College of Tourism and Hospitality (COTAH) at South Bank in Brisbane, one of Queensland’s leading hospitality training facilities of the time and later became part of the Southbank Institute of TAFE.

Jason recalls being among the first cohort of students at the newly established South Bank hospitality training facility.

The experience left a lasting impression, particularly the professionalism of the teachers who interviewed him before he commenced his studies.

“I would say that my journey to being a TAFE teacher as a career, that seed was planted right at the beginning when I was 17 years old and I first went to an interview to enrol as a student at the college,” he said.

“Seeing these experienced professionals working as teachers, I thought, ‘Wow, that would be an amazing job to have.’ I’d say that’s where it began for me.”

After completing his initial cookery studies, Jason commenced his apprenticeship and spent more than a decade working across restaurants, hotels and hospitality venues throughout Brisbane.

“I preferred larger establishments where you were working with a lot more tradespeople, so you could learn a little bit from each one,” he said.

“I was looking for the best processes other chefs had. Working in different places exposed you to different menus, different styles of service and cuisine.”

While many apprentices looked forward to returning to work placements, Jason particularly enjoyed his time back in the classroom.

“What I really enjoyed during my apprenticeship was my time going to TAFE,” he said.

“You were learning from qualified chefs that had worked all over the world and working with apprentices from other businesses. You got to network with other tradespeople and qualified chefs.”

One area that particularly challenged Jason was pastry. Rather than avoiding it, he leaned into the challenge.

“I found myself really enjoying desserts and pastries,” he said.

“That became something I was most interested in, particularly because I wasn’t very good at it and I wanted to be good at it. So I took much more of an interest in it to learn the skills.”

His commitment to improvement saw him return to study while continuing to work full-time as a chef. He completed additional pastry qualifications and eventually became both a qualified chef and pastry chef.

Over the years he worked in pastry kitchens within major Brisbane hotels and progressed into leadership roles, continually adding new skills and knowledge to his repertoire.

While completing advanced pastry studies, one of his teachers recognised his enthusiasm for understanding not only the practical aspects of cookery, but also the science behind it.

“He noticed that I was very interested in the technical aspects of what I was doing,” Jason said.

“I had a real keen interest to learn the skills, the techniques and the science behind what we were doing.”

That teacher encouraged him to become a tutor, providing Jason with his first opportunity to teach.

After moving to Kingaroy to manage a restaurant, Jason was approached about teaching part-time at the local TAFE Queensland campus.

To take on the role, he once again returned to study, completing a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40122) while continuing to work in the industry.

That decision marked the beginning of a career in vocational education that has now spanned many years.

Today, through the TAFE at School program, he introduces secondary school students to the hospitality industry while helping them develop confidence, workplace skills and professional aspirations.

For Jason, the most rewarding moments are seeing students realise what they are capable of achieving.

“I love those light bulb moments really, when a student finally masters one of the skills and understands it,” he said.

“Once the light bulb comes on, people never forget those skills. They stay with them for life.”

He also enjoys seeing former students go on to successful careers.

“I love when I go out to dinner and I see previous students working in that restaurant and I know that they’ve continued on to make a career out of it,” he said.

“You feel a sense of pride because you remember the start of their journey.”

Despite decades of industry and teaching experience, Jason continues to develop his own skills.

Since joining TAFE Queensland, he has completed a Bachelor of Vocational Education, a Diploma of Nutrition and most recently a postgraduate certificate in innovative learning design through Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

“Even for TAFE Queensland teachers, lifelong learning still continues,” he said. 

TAFE Queensland cookery educator, Jason Ford, entertained guests with a live cooking demonstration at the opening of Plenty Foods’ new nut powder manufacturing facility in Kingaroy in February 2026.