Academic Team

Stuart Wiggins

Deputy Head of College

Post-graduate Certificate in Research Methods - Macquarie University
Cert Ed (Post Compulsory Education) - Northampton University
HND Hotel, Catering & Institutional Management - Bournemouth University
Cert IV TAA 40104

Having studied hospitality management, at Bournemouth University, Stuart worked in the Hotel sector for many years, mainly in Food and Beverage Management positions for companies such as Trust House Forte, Queens Moat Houses, Marriott and Mirvac. Stuart was also training manager for the opening of the acclaimed Merrion Hotel, Dublin.

Following his move into education, with William Blue in 1995, Stuart has taught at vocational and higher education levels across a range of management subjects with the Dublin Institute of Technology, Griffith College Dublin, Northampton College and the University of Technology Sydney.

Stuart's passion for the hospitality and tourism industry drives his focus on each student's experience preparing them for the real world. This is something that he continues to explore through his PhD studies with Macquarie University.

Matthew Peade

Program Director, Vocational Programs

MEd - University of New England
BEd - Charles Sturt University
Cert IV TAA 40104
Cert III Commercial Cookery Wollongong TAFE

A highly qualified and experienced chef, Matthew has worked in leading restaurants in both Sydney and London. In Sydney, he has worked at Restaurant Forty One, Quay, Coast and Manta where he was the head chef for several years. Matthew also travelled to London to join the Conran group where he spent two years at the group’s flagship restaurant Le Pont de la Tour.

Matthew is in a unique position of having current, high quality industry experience, postgraduate qualifications and academic experience which he is able to combine and deliver vocational training to students of the highest quality. For his Masters of Education, Matthew majored in Online Learning and Information technology; an essential feature of the education delivery at William Blue.

Anthony Mitri

Head Lecturer - Rooms Division

MEd (current) - UTS
BBus (Hospitality Management) - University of Western Sydney
Cert IV TAA 40104

While studying at UWS, Anthony was awarded the prestigious Corporate Management Traineeship with IHG and completed this at the Holiday Inn Sydney Airport with a focus on Front Office Management. Upon completion of this course and subsequent graduation from UWS, Anthony ventured into the world of hospitality entrepreneurship before returning to hotel operations with the Accor group at Mercure Sydney Airport as an Assistant Manager (Front Office) and then on to the Novotel Darling Harbour and the Menzies Hotel.

In 2006, Anthony moved in to the education arena with a range international colleges in Sydney and was quickly promoted to management posts within the academic field.
Now a full-time lecturer at William Blue, Anthony not only supervises the rooms division subjects but also William Blue's duty management program and the student housekeeping work experience with industry partner, Vibe Hotel North Sydney.

James Ballingall

Program Director - Culinary Arts

Cert IV in Workplace Assessment & Training
Canadian Red Seal (Chefs Diploma)
ACF accredited Culinary Judge (National)
Previous Board Member ACF (NSW)

With 23 years of professional experience behind him, James knows the hospitality industry inside out. He worked as the Executive Chef at Eden Park Stadium in Auckland where he oversaw $10M in food revenues, and spent four years teaching at the prestigious culinary college, Le Cordon Bleu.

A nationally-accredited culinary judge and Salon Culinaire multi-medallist, James sat on The Australian Culinary Federation Board of Directors (NSW Chapter) for four years. He is passionate about about the "lost arts" of smoking/curing foods, cheese-making and food history. He delivers extension courses on molecular gastronomy and sous-vide, vegetable and melon carving, chocolate and pastry work, whole animal butchery, and master classes on knife selection and maintenance, and the mystery of souffles.