Coby Cockburn

Born:

Mossman, QLD.

History:

I did my apprenticeship with P&O resorts (Silky Oak’s Lodge and Dunk Island) before working my way around Australia. After doing a stint on Bedarra Island, I became a personal Chef – I was one of Keanu Reeves’s personal Chefs while he was filming the Matrix 2 & 3.

I took a job as a Chef de partie on Lizard Island as I worked my way up to Junior Sous Chef. I decided to move to the snow fields, to a little 5-star hotel called Breathtaker All Suite Hotel, where I worked for three years. I then decided it was time for the warm weather again, so I took over a restaurant in Port Douglas, called Watergate, which I ran for 3 and a half years, before moving on to a little 5-star boutique hotel called Thala Beach Resort.

My longest stint was when I moved to Dunsborough, to take over a winery called Palmer Wines, which I ran for 8 years. Now, I’ve opened my own restaurant, as of December 2017, Blue Manna Bistro is my current home.

Have you always wanted to be a Chef?

I have always wanted to be a Chef, and I enjoy the lifestyle. I love the food, the comradery in the kitchens and travelling around.

How do you define your style?

Modern Australian.

What is your feature flavour these days?

I love anything with spice. Spice doesn’t always have to be hot. To me spice can be anything that makes your tastebuds dance.

Obsessive compulsive about?

Fresh Seafood and finding new ingredients that I haven’t seen before.

Greatest Inspirations/influences:

Nobu, Tetsuya and Christine Mansfield.

An ingredient you can’t do without?

Chilli

Most Eyebrow raising menu item:

Korean Spicy Sashimi Salad (Hwe Dap Bap).

Signature Dish:

Black Bean Blue Swimmer Crab.