W
atchingLouisTikaramjoking
around,confidentlyconjuring
a dishontelevision,it’shard
toimaginethechefwasonce
sopainfullyself-conscioushe
wouldlethisbigbrotherdoallthetalking.
“Atthegeneralstoreorfish-and-chip
shop,I’dhidebehindhimandsaynothing,”
saysTikaram.“He’dalwayshavetoorder.”
TikaramreturnedtoAustraliaearlierthis
yeartoheadupthekitchenat Stanley,a new
CantoneserestaurantinBrisbane,followinga
four-yearstintleadingthekitchenat Asian-fusion
hotspotEP&LPinLosAngeles.
Hesaysit wasthecamaraderieandpaceofworking
intheindustrythathelpedhimfindhisgroove.“If
it’stherightenvironmentit canreallyhelpyoucome
outofyourshellasa person,andthatalsotranslates
ontotheplate,”hesays.“I rememberbeingonthe
lineat Bentley.We’dbeworking16-or17-hourdays- mybestfriendDanHong(nowMerivale’sexecutive
chef)andI – andwe’djustbetalkingandchatting
andlaughing.It wassucha greattime.”
WorkinginLAalsotaughtTikarammediasmarts
andon-cameracomposure,somethinghesayshenever
imaginedwhenhestartedoutasa chef.“Thechef
usedtojustbethisguybehindtheswingingdoor.But
that’sallchangedthroughcookingshowsandtravel
showsandfilms– who’dhavethoughtBradleyCooper
wouldplaya chef?Theperceptionofwhata chefis
haschanged,aswellaswhatis requiredtobea chef.”
Hisfirsthospitalityjob,ina localThairestaurant
inMullumbimbyinnorthernNSW,waswhatgot
himthinkingaboutcookingasa career.Hequickly
graduatedfromdishwashing,andsoonhadthe
keysandwasspendingallhisfreetimethere.
“I lovedit.It transformedmylife,”hesays.
“I wasgoodat it andI reallyfeltit wasinmy
blood. I knew I could make a career out of it.”
Aftercompletinghisfinalschoolexams,hedrove
toSydneywhereheknockedonthedoorofthethen-
headchefofLongrain,MartinBoetz,andeventually
persuadedhimtotakehimon.“Onthefourthday
hecameoutandsaidtome,‘You’rea persistentlittle
fucker,aren’tyou?’I saidyes– andheputmein
a backroomgrindingspiceforthenext 12 months,”
saysTikaram.“I washookedandworkedevery
singlepossiblehour.”Tikaramthenspenttime
workingat SydneyrestaurantsBentleyandTetsuya’s,
and later, he returned toLongrainastheheadchef.FIRSTHOSPO JOB: Washingdishesat age 17
at the now-shuttered Gecko Thai in Mullumbimby.Top,leftandright:LouisTikaram.
Above:Tikaram(centre)withcolleagues
during his time at Bentley, Sydney.LOUIS TIKARAM, HEAD CHEF, STANLEY, BRISBANE, QLD64 GOURMET TRAVELLER