At just 17, John Stevens had no hesitation stepping into the kitchen of one of Perth’s most popular restaurants just a few days after completing Year 12. Having had some kitchen experience and a chef for a mum, the young apprentice felt he’d had a bit of a head start and some idea of what to expect from the heat of the kitchen.
John’s commitment paid off. Supported by HTN throughout (part of the IntoWork Group) he recently completed his apprenticeship after three years at Rockpool and is now a fully qualified chef.
“I really wanted to throw myself in there just to see what sort of knowledge I could yield and see what my own creativity could bring,” John said.
On a busy night, Rockpool can seat up to 200 guests. The pace is fast and the expectations are high, but John was always confident he had enough support around him to learn the tricks of his trade.
“Once you understand how the place operates and apply a bit of common sense, it’s pretty easy to anticipate what to expect. It’s an environment where the right people will show you the right way to do things. The pressure isn’t too overwhelming. You’ve always got plenty of hands to help when things heat up.”
Even a thumb injury that sidelined him for a couple of months couldn’t slow John down. He still finished his apprenticeship ahead of schedule. John said the art of multitasking is a key ingredient to success in the kitchen, and a skill that’s transferable to all sorts of situations.
“It’s all about structuring the day so you can be as efficient as possible,” John said. “While you’re thinking about how to make yourself faster, you also have to factor in everything else – the food itself, what the team is doing, how each ingredient cooks and what’s forgiving if something goes wrong. There’s a whole bunch of things that play a part.”
For now, John is happy to keep sharpening his skills at Rockpool. He’s also keen to explore some different cuisines and techniques in a different setting some time down the track. Despite not really having had a break since finishing school, he has no intention of hanging up his apron just yet. “While I’m still young and got all the stamina that I have, it’s better to learn it all now and learn fast. Then I can take the foot off the pedal a little bit later on.”
