• Paul Smart is a man (chef) intent on proclaiming the Gold Coast as a destination worthy of culinary broadcast. His food is as his name states..elegant, well dressed and stylish…as I said Smart.

    Paul Smart Sous Chef Room 81 picture Brian Usher

Your first memory of food: Mussels straight off of the BBQ at Christmas time. I remember my dad saying when the shell opens up they are ready but wait until they get on the plate. I couldn’t help my self

Your culinary hero: Ferran Adria

Your advice for aspiring chefs: Work hard and honest. Keep up with current food trends also keeping the best of the traditional cooking styles and techniques. Keep learning no matter what level you are at.

Favourite cheap eat: Sushi train

Favourite childhood food: My Nanna had an apricot tree, she would cook them in a stock syrup and we would have them for dessert

Most memorable meal: At Becasse in Sydney on Clarance Street, every thing was flawless right down to every little detail. it blew me away.

I read that a career highlight for you was cooking for the Queen. Can you explain how this came about? I was working at the Ritz in London. There were 30 chefs on the night we cooked for the queens birthday and 300 guests were invited, the same week I worked with the El Bulli team on 2 outside catering gigs. That was a busy week