Bernd M. Uber

The journey started 50 years ago in Germany, early one morning walking into a kitchen for the first time, frightening, to say the least! Never the less it has been a great one, and still is, despite the physical and mental abuse from the Chef de Cuisine in the first one and a half years. This eased off once his theory of reverse psychology worked. He had told me on many occasions I would never be a cook, so did I try to prove him wrong! Work was always six days a week, with no weekends or public holidays off and to top it off, no pay! Even the food for us was strictly controlled and limited.

Once I had finished the training, my chef’s parting words were: “You have coped and learned to work for the toughest task master there is, you now are ready to work anywhere and for anybody. He was right, and every time I went back home in years to come; I paid homage to the Master and bowed thanking him!

Everywhere I worked I joined professional organizations and still belong to all of them, a great investment. In my 50 years of passionate belonging to a fantastic industry I have worked as a cook, a Chef de Cuisine, have owned two successful restaurants were I learned the front of the house challenges, changed to teaching commercial cookery in various institutes in Melbourne Australia, which was also enormously rewarding.

For the last 25 years I have been honored by being invited to judge culinary competitions nationally and internationally, Germany, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and Malaysia.

For my commitment & dedication over all these years, a number of organizations have graciously bestowed upon me various awards & honors such as Master Member, Pioneer of the Industry, Life Memberships and the prestigious “Black Hat Award”.