German-born chef Ulli Rabsch has cooked all over the world in restaurants in Paris, London and Sydney. He is now head chef at the events centre @ Maroochy RSL, yet his wife will still not let him in their home kitchen, as Genine Howard discovered.

Despite being an internationally-renowned chef, German-born Ulli Rabsch is banned from his own kitchen. In fact, he’s not even allowed to set foot within an allocated radius of the pots and pans. “I am banned from my own kitchen,” he said. “I cooked a meal for my wife one night and I used every pot and pan. Her first comment was ‘we don’t have kitchen hands in this house to clean up after you’.
“So now she won’t let me cook at home. I can only provide advice.”
Ulli has been providing advice and working as chef since he was 16 years of age. After working for top restaurants around Europe, Ulli joined the hospitality team of the QEII in 1980. But the lure of Sydney was too much so he jumped ship. After a stint at the Hilton in Sydney, Ulli opened two of his own restaurants; Red Gum, which served native Australian food, and later a seafood restaurant in Manly Bay. Between the two restaurants, Ulli won six prestigious Sydney awards in restaurant and fine dining.
Driven by his never-ending passion to know everything about food and local produce, Ulli travelled with the Bush Tucker Man, Vic Cherikoff, for three months to the Kimberleys. It was on this trip that Ulli learnt everything he knows about Australia’s bush food, which was implemented into his Red Gum restaurant.
“The opportunity arose to open my own restaurant, after travelling with the Bush Tucker Man and learning about Australian food. My passion for Australian cooking was my inspiration behind Red Gum, hence the very Australian name.
“Sydney was an easy city to get a job in. It’s the most beautiful city in the world, of course because of the harbour, and there are 225 beaches nearby,” he said. “But the people are relaxed, friendly. After 25 years in Sydney, it was time to leave. It was too hectic, busy and crowded.”
Five years ago, Ulli decided to sell his restaurants and move to the Sunshine Coast to take up a position with the award-winning Picnics restaurant in Yandina.
“After living in big cities around the world for much of my life, I enjoy the laidback lifestyle and the close proximity to local, fresh produce to use in my cooking – this was the huge drawcard for me [to the Coast].”
During his time at Picnics, the team won the Best Family Restaurant of the Year award. Twelve months later, he won the Best Restaurant Award in a club, hotel or tavern; regional and state (QLD) while working at the Peregian Springs Golf Club.
“I feel the standard of the food offered on the Sunshine Coast is on par with cities like Melbourne or Sydney,” Ulli said. “It has the potential because there are a dozen restaurants that offer quality food and have quality chefs.”
In 2009, Ulli joined fellow German native Herb Gabert as head chef at The Events Centre @ Maroochy. Ulli and the team – Herb, and Andrew Strange – have recently launched an innovative, new menu for the events centre, which was officially opened mid 2009.
“The standard of the food at the events centre is extremely high because it’s new,” he said. “The expertise between the three of us [Andrew, Ulli and Herb] makes us a strong team, one of the best.
“The most enjoyable part of the job is being able play around and rearrange. At the moment I’m reading old cooking books about old French classics.
“This is what I like, taking classics and using modern flavours. I love using bush food, and local seafood and fresh ingredients. We can work the ingredients with our knowledge and experience to cater for low or high budgets.
“People can expect two things from The Events Centre,” he said. “One is that you get a good deal for your money. And the second is the food experience – it’s not something they can get any day, anywhere. You’ll get a good deal and different food that’s as good as any restaurant, if not better.”
Ulli’s favourite dish from the new menu is the macadamia nut crusted loin of lamb, set on Asian greens and kipfler potatoes.
And his ultimate favourite?
“My signature dish that I love to include on menus where possible and I cook at home regularly is crocodile wontons with Buderim Ginger chutney and chilli soy.”
During his career, Ulli has been recognised for his talents with a swag of other awards including (but not limited to); Winner – Speciality Restaurant Metro and State 2000 and 2001 (Red Gum), Winner – Best Theme Stand in the World’s Longest Buffet 1998, and  Winner – Best New Restaurant of the Year 2000 Metro and State (Manly Bay Restaurant).
Locals and their tastebuds are lucky that this master chef now calls the Sunshine Coast home.