Josip Hlusko, Chef de Cuisine at Seafire, at Atlantis, The Palm spent the last 16 years in Melbourne, Australia working in some of the top rated restaurants that were both privately owned as well as in large hotel chains. As Chef de Cuisine at Seafire, Joe is responsible for day to day operations of the restaurant and managing a team of 16 chefs. He also designs the menus, creates recipes, liaises with suppliers, sources and tests new supplies and maintains food quality and cost control.Atlantis, The Palm is a 1,539 room, ocean-themed destination resort located at the centre of the crescent of The Palm in Dubai. This US$1.5 billion joint venture project was developed with Dubai Government owned, Istithmar. Opened in September 2008, the resort utilises the 46 hectares site with 17 hectares of water park amusement, further marine and entertainment attractions and a collection of some of the most renowned world-class chefs including Nobu, Giorgio Locatelli, and Michel Rostang. Atlantis, The Palm offers an unprecedented entertainment centre, an impressive collection of luxury boutiques and shops and extensive meeting and convention facilities. It is home to one of the largest open-air marine habitats in the world, with some 65,000 marine animals in lagoons and displays including The Lost Chambers, a maze of underwater corridors and passageways providing a journey through ancient Atlantis.

In 2000, Joe graduated from Swinburne University of Technology studying Engineering in Internet and Telecommunications. Following this, he spent three years at Chisholm Institute and successfully completed Certificate III in Commercial Cookery. While getting his certificate in Commercial Cookery, Hlusko worked as an Apprentice Chef at Imperial Inn – Princess Restaurant in Melbourne. Joe then continued his work at Circa – The Prince for four years, growing from Apprentice Chef, to Chef de Partie, to Sous Chef. His responsibilities included assisting with menu design and implementation, staff organization, food costing, rosters and payroll. Before joining Seafire, at Atlantis, The Palm, Joe was working as Chef de Cuisine at Number 8 Restaurant and Wine Bay – Crown Melbourne. Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant averaged 300 covers a day, in addition to catering for exclusive wine dinners and product promotions.

Joe’s interests include fitness, cooking, reading, eating out at fine dining restaurants and cycling. He prides himself on his expert knowledge of computers, including programming, formatting, and databases.