"Never give up, never give in"
Ark Global News
West Coast TAFE
16/06/2008 Top Chef delivers strong alcohol message to students
Former head chef of The Ritz Hotel (London) Michael Quinn MBE shocked hospitality students at West Coast TAFE, Joondalup, this week with his compelling story of alcohol abuse that ended his high-profile career and nearly…. his life.
Quinn’s visit to West Coast TAFE has formed the first of a series of drug and alcohol seminars that he will deliver (through international charity Ark Global*) to TAFE and college hospitality students across Australia in the next few months.
Gaining the support of celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver (an honorary vice-chairman of the charity) and Gordon Ramsay, Quinn has spent the last 8 years addressing over 20,000 students across 300 colleges on the early warning signs and effects of alcoholism, determined to prevent other young chefs from falling down the same dark hole.
“In the hospitality industry, you are surrounded by alcohol all the time,” says Quinn. “There is a social aspect to it – the winding down after a service, working irregular hours, working under high pressure as well as the ‘work hard, play hard’ culture that often encourages drinking in this industry.
“I saw the Ark as an educational tool to take the message of alcohol and drug awareness into (catering) colleges,” says Quinn who, doing little cooking these days, has made this important drug and alcohol awareness campaign his full-time occupation.
Director of the West Coast Academy of Hospitality & Tourism, Patrick O’Brien said he felt both honoured and privileged to welcome Michael Quinn to address the academy’s hospitality students on the issue of drug and alcohol abuse.
“Michael Quinn’s commitment to educating young people in the hospitality industry is remarkable,” Mr O’Brien said. “His intriguing story was an inspiration to our students who will (if they haven’t already) almost certainly become exposed to drugs and alcohol during their career.”
During the seminar, Quinn addressed West Coast TAFE students on what he called “the invisible line” between social drinking and dependant drinking (or alcoholism). He spoke about the early warning signs of alcoholism and shocked students with his tales of wetting the bed, impotence, a broken marriage and finally, being diagnosed with liver failure and given his last rights by a priest in hospital.
“I’m an alcoholic but I never chose to become one,” said Quinn.
“I couldn’t stop, I had no choice, I had to drink and I had too
much of an ego to admit that I had a problem.