Coleen Emata

“Growing up in a Filipino home, it has always been a tradition in our family to gather together to celebrate special occasions and momentous achievements. My love affair with cooking started during these simple get-togethers. I have vivid memories as a young fourteen-year-old helping my dad out in the kitchen with the mise en place. I found joy in assisting him with his specialty dishes and serving my family, even pretending that the beautifully garnished dishes were my own recipes. My innate creativity, fondness for cooking and entertaining, and natural inclination to serve others led me to seriously consider a career in the hospitality industry.

Immediately after graduating secondary school, I completed a bachelor degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management in the University of the Philippines. This qualification led me to work at the Food and Beverage Department of two of the most popular hotels in the Philippines: The Edsa Shangri-La Hotel and The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Manila. Later on, I embarked on a career as an Events Specialist, conceptualizing and styling events for almost a decade. All these experiences have taught me so much about the hospitality industry and its main objective: to keep customers happy. Since then, I always aim to consistently deliver unparalleled customer satisfaction, making it my mantra. As a result, my efforts have been well recognized. It was a confirmation that, indeed, I belong in this industry!

At present, I am pursuing a Diploma for Hospitality at Quality Training and Hospitality College in South Australia in the hope that I could fulfill a childhood dream: to make a reputable name for myself as a chef. Becoming a chef will allow me to truly share my passion for food with others and harness my creativity through a fusion of great dishes. It will also inspire me to display an excellent level of service that is focused on customer satisfaction. As a chef, I want to improve my creative craftsmanship to add colour and excitement, and find ways to make the customer experience more enjoyable.

Without a doubt, Quality Training and Hospitality College is my gateway to attaining the success I desire. I know this because QTHC delivers professional and quality education with a curriculum that is based on an approved quality framework set by the Australian Education Department. I take pride in how QTHC's learning materials are practical and relevant to the ever-evolving hospitality market. The school also provides its students access to a world-class kitchen (Sprout kitchen), where I am able to experience a commercial kitchen setting complete with modern equipment in my Commercial Cookery class with Ms. Michaela Marcus. Through QTHC, I am able to gain all the vital skills I need to become a great chef. These include preparing mother sauces and their proper application in producing delectable European and Western dishes, cooking popular Asian Satays, Vietnamese cold rolls, salads, and many more. I am also able to discover innovative techniques in the application of different cookery methods to produce excellent quality dishes—techniques that you would not learn in any recipe book. It is no surprise then that QTHC bagged the "SA 2014 Winner for the Large Training Provider Award".

Lastly, QTHC’s vast affiliations within the industry have paved the way to my landing my first job shortly after a two-week work experience at a 4.5 star reputable hotel (Stamford Grand) in Adelaide through the recommendation of Ms. Barbara Derham, Liaison Consultant at QTHC. I am very grateful to QTHC for going the extra mile in finding opportunities for their International Students through the range of assistance and advice they provide (Australian culture orientation, job opportunities, family entertainment, footy match tickets, etc.), easing our experience in settling in a new country.

Indeed the hospitality industry opens many doors to the world. I aspire to be nothing less than a world-class chef someday, and Quality Training and Hospitality College is definitely my preferred partner in achieving this goal. I believe we have a shared vision, because QTHC strives to produce world-class hospitality professionals as they take pride and find success in the success of their students.”