At twenty two years old Ashley Peek was appointed Sous Chef at Adelaide restaurant Stumps Bar and Kitchen – just five years after making the transition from his then school to St Patrick’s Technical College in order to further his career ambitions.

In 2007, Ashley made the move to St Patrick’s after being given advice by his then teachers that the College was better placed to put him on the road to success by harnessing his passion for food and cooking.

Shortly after joining, the St Patrick’s team assisted Ashley in gaining an apprenticeship at the famous Rigoni’sBistro on Leigh Street, Adelaide, where he worked for five years before taking on his role at Stumps Bar and Kitchen in Hyde Park.

In his role, Ashley is responsible for menu development, training new chefs, sourcing and purchasing produce and overseeing a busy commercial kitchen.

It’s a remarkable achievement for a young chef and Ashley credits St Patrick’s Technical College’s industry focus as playing a pivotal in achieving success at a young age.

Ashley says St Patrick’s Technical College really helped him prepare for life in the hospitality industry including making him aware of the possible rewards on offer and the hard work needed to be successful.

“The teachers at St Patrick’s have real world experience and knowledge and the ability to not only teach but guide you in your chosen career,” said Ashley.

“In my case, the teacher running the course had worked as a chef and baker for more than 25 years and was still working in the industry as well as teaching at the College. He understood my passion for the industry and was very supportive in helping me to make positive decisions about my career.”

“Being able to indulge my love of food and cooking and learn in an environment so closely aligned to the real world also inspired me in my study of core subjects like Maths and English.”

“Finishing my SACE has proved invaluable. The lessons learned in the core subjects have been directly applied in my work, particularly for menu development and food costings. The facilities at the College are also industry standard so students use commercial grade equipment and this is a great help when undertaking an apprenticeship and going onto further study at Regency College. It makes the transition much easier.”

“Students at the College also get to prepare restaurant quality food using modern cooking techniques and top quality produce. The College helps you to gain an understanding how of food is grown and produced including visits to market gardens and food manufacturers.”
Ashley was among the first students to attend St Patrick’s Technical College but he’s not the only former student to have experienced success in the hospitality industry.

Former students have gone on to work in some of Australia’s leading hotels and restaurants with one St Pat’s graduate already crowned South Australia’s winner of the prestigious Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat.