qualia Executive Chef - Doug Innes-Will
qualia Executive Chef – Doug Innes-Will
Doug Innes-Will began his career working in and around Sydney and the New South Wales South Coast before commencing as sous chef at Paperbark Camp in 2008, where he shaped his cooking style by incorporating the exceptional local produce.
Further north and inland at Bowral was his next stop in 2011, as chef de partie at Biota dining, a regional designer restaurant again with flavours inspired by local ingredients.
Innes-Will returned to Paperbark Camp 2011-2012 in the capacity of head chef then turned his hand to modern Asian cuisine at Berry on the NSW coast, where he worked as sous chef to David Campbell at Hungry Duck before moving to Queensland.
Prior to qualia Innes-Will held the role of executive chef 2013-2016 at Spicers Peak Lodge at Maryvale in Queensland, awarded two hats two years running by the Brisbane Times Good Food Guide 2015-2017 and Australia’s Best Culinary Boutique Hotel at the World Boutique hotel awards in 2015.
Loving the relaxed Queensland lifestyle, following his penchant for roles outside major cities, and drawn to qualia’s destination and experiential offering, Innes-Will began at Hamilton Island’s luxury resort as head chef in October 2016.
There is a comfortable synergy between qualia’s unique architecture, designed within the island’s natural landscape, Hamilton Island’s business ethics, and Innes-Will’s own food philosophy of creating dining experiences with an inherent sense of place through a respect of produce, producer and environment.
Innes-Will says the honest, produce driven Modern Australian cuisine served at Long Pavilion restaurant and the more relaxed Pebble Beach restaurant complements the tropical paradise setting surrounded by ocean, and his own cooking style.
Appreciating that qualia’s guests are at Hamilton Island to relax, his aim is to keep things elegant yet simple and fresh.