Meet The Head Chef At Whitsunday Sailing Club

Growing up on a farm in Brazil, Igor Mafra has worked his way up to becoming the Head Chef at Whitsunday Sailing Club.
Whilst on the farm, Igor grew up around animals, with his mother asking him to collect milk from the coral. During his childhood, he connected with his father in the kitchen and went on to open his first restaurant in Brazil alongside his brother.
Igor became a professional chef at 19 years old after graduating in Brazil and has 16 years of experience in the kitchen.
After deciding to seek new opportunities and wanting to grow personally and professionally, Igor decided to pack up his life and move to Australia in 2016.
Despite not speaking English when he arrived in Australia, Igor has worked in restaurants in Sydney, the Gold Coast and then Airlie Beach.
Aspiring to become an Executive Chef, Igor explains how he really enjoys working at the Sailing Club, where he has now worked for six months. Igor added that he really enjoys working with his five other colleagues in the kitchen.
“The people in general, the boss, the manager, the person coming to clean the floor, the customers coming in for beer, everyone!”
When asked what his favourite dish on the seafood-based menu was, Igor stated that it was the scallops, a dish he created back in his university days.
Whilst scallops are the Head Chef's favourite dish, diners at the restaurant often opt for the succulent pork belly. Igor highlights that the Sailing Club's menu stands out due to his Brazilian influence, offering unique dishes such as chicken hearts.
When away from the heat of the kitchen, Igor likes to warm up a different way, participating in many different sports, such as Jiu Jitsu, cycling, kite surfing, soccer and handball.
Don't drift past, head on down to the Whitsunday Sailing Club to try some of Igors delicious dishes.

‍