Caitlin Robinson
Lead Chef
Born in the UK but raised in Cairns, I started my cheffing apprenticeship at 16. I worked in a small local seafood restaurant before moving to a larger scale, finer, modern Australian cuisine restaurant on the waterfront. I qualified when I was 19 and worked there for 4 years on and off, travelling in the quiet seasons.
I spent the last few years travelling the country in a campervan, getting as much experience in a variety of different establishments from a small-town pub to a vegan cafe in the heart of Byron Bay. I worked in bars, pubs, cafes, restaurants and yoga retreats along the east coast making incredible connections and learning everything I could about life and my career.
When I first started my apprenticeship, it was all about learning what flavours pair with what and how to cut a perfect onion, but it very quickly became so much more than that. For me, cheffing is all about the adrenalin, the risks you take with every dish you create and every ratio of ingredients, being able to produce dishes faster than you can count and the precision and art of plating every meal.
When I was introduced to Coral Expeditions through a close colleague, I discovered that I would be able to utilize everything I know and could learn new skills while producing a different menu every day, meet incredible new people, form connections from all over the world and be able to wake up in a new breathtaking location each morning. It couldn’t get any better than that.
My favourite part about my job is being able to motivate others and see where their passions lie to create a supportive and positive home away from home.
I look forward to continuing to expand my knowledge and further my career to new heights, all while having a pretty cool view and being surrounded by an amazing crew.