Executive Chef, Leigh Sanders
Christchurch-born Leigh Sanders started his apprenticeship at the Horizon Mission Beach - a place he says is one of Queensland's best kept secrets. After two years, hewent to work for Voyages on Brampton Island to finish his apprenticeship. What followed was a short stint in Tasmania, working forCradle Mountain Lodge, where he finished his pastry apprenticeship at Savour Chocolate and Patisserie College.
Whilst still with Voyages, and at the ripe old age of 21, Leigh entered into The Young Chef of the Year Competition. He blitzed the state competition and went on to win the national finals (despite transferring back toBrampton Island to take a Sous Chef opening - becoming the youngest Sous Chef in Voyages' history).
Leigh's love affair with Queensland resort's and Queensland local produce continued and, at age 24, he took a job Hayman Island as Executive Pastry Chef. What followed were stints at several Cairns restaurants, before he was put in charge of the Day Dream Island Resort's Mermaid Restaurant, which went on to win Restaurant of the Year under his stewardship.
Leigh has a passion for experimenting with Australian bush flavours and has found a niche with the team at Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island, where he has been Executive Chef for almost five months.
Seabelle Sous Chef, Nathan Roberts
As a young child, Nathan grew up in a small town of Weipa and developed a life-long friendship with his current Executive Chef at Kingfisher Bay Resort, Leigh Sanders.This friendship has moved from the playground and into the kitchen and their professional association has seen them work together four times in their careers to date.
Both boys moved from Weipa to Cairns where they took up their trade and Nathan went on to train under Gary Jones at a Brisbane foodie institution - Michael;s Riverside Restaurant. Under Gary's leadership, Nathan has travelled the world and even cooked at the Coronation of King George Tupou V in Tonga.
Once qualified, he rejoined with his mate, Leigh Sanders, at Hotel Cairns cooking in their fine dining restaurant, Lipstick. At age 22, Nathan went on to join Chef Nick Holloway working in the acclaimed NuNu, Palm Cove and it was here that he developed his passion and understanding of fine food and wines. He stayed with the company for two years picking Nick's brain about everything from NuNu's famous desserts to Nick's flair with seafood dishes.
Many years later, Nathan and Leigh were reunited when Leigh convinced Nathan to leave Brisbane burgeoning food scene to spearhead Kingfisher Bay Resort's Seabelle restaurant - where bush tucker flavours are artfully blended with fresh local produce.
Senior Sous Chef, Travis Owen
Travis grew up in a small town in Victoria and started his apprenticeship at a very young age. Travis has only worked at 5-star resorts throughout his career including stints at El Questro (as Sous Chef when he was 24) and Qualia and Beach Club (as Sous Chef).
Travis is a Golden Chef's Hat finalist (representing Victoria in 2011) and a Fronterra Proud To Be A Chef Competition Finalist (Fonterra Proud to be a Chef provides 32 apprentice chefs a unique opportunity outside of their normal working environment to learn, develop new skills and be mentored by some of the best chefs in Australia. Each year one of the 32 participants is chosen to receive a fabulous major prize - an International Culinary Scholarship tailored to their individual aspirations as a professional chef).
He has also conducted Master Classes at the Noosa Food and Wine Festival with Aria's Matt Moran and The Press Clubs' George Calombaris. Travis is currently a Senior Sous Chef with the very talented Kingfisher Bay Resort team.