Elli serves up a Michelin-starred hospitality career

A graduate of the Diploma of Hospitality Management (SIT50422), Elli developed her knowledge and service skills across bistro, bar and fine-dining environments, discovering where her interests could lead.

Representing Australia in Restaurant Service at WorldSkills in Lyon, France, put those skills to the test.

Having never travelled overseas before, Elli gained experience and confidence as a Skillaroo that encouraged her to look beyond Australia.

“TAFE’s training showed me how big the world is, and it was really the kick starter for everything I wanted to do,” Elli said.

While visiting her partner’s family in California after the competition, Elli discovered Troubadour in, Healdsburg, which is located within the well-known wine region of Sonoma County.

An invitation to undertake a trial, known in hospitality as a stage, gave her the chance to experience the restaurant firsthand.

With the team’s support, she secured a specialist US work visa and took the leap into an international hospitality role.

“I won’t say getting to America was easy, but I had a team on a completely different continent who were willing to bend over backwards to make it happen,” she said.

“All I really had to do was take the leap and, I guess, work very hard to make sure they were happy with their decision!”

To transform Troubadour from a sandwich shop by day to an intimate tasting-menu restaurant by night demanded teamwork, flexibility and attention to detail, from clearing away flour and seeds to preparing tables for fine-dining service.

The unconventional setting gave Elli room to build on her training, anticipate guests’ needs and adapt to different service styles. Working wherever she was needed, she learned that fine-dining service could still reflect her personality.

“If I learnt anything there, it’s that you can be completely yourself and still deliver fine-dining service,” she said.

Months of consistent work and collaboration culminated in a career highlight when Troubadour was awarded a Michelin Star. Elli was one of just two front-of-house staff members helping deliver the guest experience alongside the kitchen team.

The Michelin Guide awards up to three stars: one for high-quality cooking worth a stop; two for excellent cooking worth a detour; and three - the highest rating - for exceptional cuisine worth a special journey.

While the owners and head chef attended the ceremony, Elli and the rest of the team watched the livestream at a local wine bar.

“When Troubadour came up and we went absolutely wild. We were a team with the same goal, all playing our part in making people happy,” she said.

“That’s what it was about. Everyone knew what was expected of them, and every day we played our role to make it happen.”

The restaurant’s journey to potentially earning a Michelin  Star was also captured for the Apple TV documentary series Knife’s Edge, giving Elli another unexpected experience as cameras followed the team’s daily work.

Behind the milestones were the challenges of adapting to a new culture and living far from home. Support from her colleagues, partner and local community helped Elli find her feet, with regular customers becoming familiar faces and Australian treats easing homesickness.

“The community is what made it possible for me to succeed,” she said.

That experience strengthened her confidence as well as her service skills.

“I’m really proud of how I showed up every day with an open mind, ready to learn but also ready to speak up when my experience came in handy,” she said.

After just under a year in California, Elli travelled through Europe before returning to Australia, bringing new skills, confidence and experience to the next chapter of her career.

“Hospitality wasn’t what I thought I’d end up doing, but it’s given me a life I’m so grateful for,” she said.

Elli also credits her TAFE Queensland teachers and the WorldSkills team with encouraging her ambitions.

Her WorldSkills trainer and Expert, Deborah Smith, who urged her to explore the world, was among the first people she called after Troubadour received its Michelin Star.

“Deborah supported me throughout my WorldSkills journey and is still there for me today. Calling her when Troubadour received its Michelin Star shows how much her support has meant to me. She encouraged me to see the world and chase every opportunity.”

For Elli, training opened the door, experience strengthened her skills and hard work helped turn opportunity into achievement. Her advice to anyone considering their own next step is simple.

“Say yes, even when it’s a bit scary. All I really did was take the leap,” concluded Elli.