Indonesian chef Tgede Arysantos is a welcome guest in Healesville resident Judy Bail’s kitchen.By Kath Gannaway
CHEF Tgede Mazmur Arysantose lost everything except the clothes he was cooking in, and his life, when he fled the Cumberland in Marysville on Black Saturday.
With a name which is pronounced “g’day”, and sponsorship involving a four-year contract at the iconic Marysville guest house, Tgede, had every reason to look to the future with optimism.
The Indonesian chef who has worked in some of the country’s top hotels, including the Hilton, Radisson and Sheraton, arrived in Marysville almost a year ago.
There were a lot of guests in on the fateful weekend and Tgede said he was preparing a meal in the kitchen when the owner came in saying “Tgede – go, go”.
“I got outside and my friend brought a car around and told me to just get in,” he said.
“The situation is very, very sad, but I am lucky.”
Lucky to be alive, and lucky to have Healesville couple Lindsay and Judy Bail putting him up and helping him to hopefully find work and a new sponsor so he can stay in Australia.
Mr Bail explained that Tgede lived on-site at the Cumberland and was able to support not only his wife and daughter in Indonesia, but also sponsored people in Bali.
“With no money coming in Tgede is very worried about not being able to meet those commitments,” Mr Bail said.
Tgede specialises in Indonesian and Asian cuisine but says having worked with expatriate chefs from Australia and Germany is also experienced with international dishes.
“We have been able to get Tgede a new passport and visa but he desperately needs to get a temporary sponsor for the next month to enable him to stay and have a real opportunity to continue to work here,” Mr Bail said.
He and his wife Judy are great fans of Tgede’s culinary skills, but say they will be more than happy to lose their guest chef to a “real employer”.
They have made many approaches to potential employers and while Tgede remains optimistic, there is an urgency about his situation.
Anyone who has a job, or contacts in the industry, is asked to contact Tgede on 5962 4703 or 0407 825 285.
