IT SEEMS IT was always destined to be. A young Australian boy growing up on a small South Pacific island, mixing with the local southern Chinese, playing mahjong.
In his early days, Jens Corder enjoyed the lifestyle of an expatriate on the island of Nauru, and the uniqueness of an ethnically diverse society. The few local expats would gather in the only hotel to socialise and enjoy the French chef's cuisine. It was here that the young, impressionable Mr Corder got his first taste for becoming a chef.
Almost two decades later he is still knee deep in the hotel restaurant business. Only now he sports a suit instead of an apron.
'I've always had an interest in hotels. It goes way back to my days in the Pacific. I grew up around hotels and travel,' he said.
From his humble beginnings as a barman, Mr Corder has risen through the ranks to become food and beverage director at the Kowloon Shangri-La.
'Food and beverage is a large operation in the hotel. We employ 230 people and have eight food and beverage outlets to run,' he said.
'Food and beverage is a 24-hour operation, seven days a week. There is a lot of planning in terms of figures, revenues, budgeting and forecasting.