Inside the Kitchen with Chef Louis Tikaram: From Farm Roots to Fine Dining Perseverance often creates extraordinary success stories – for chef Louis Tikaram, his culinary career reads like a series of bold moves that took him from Australia to West Hollywood and back again. Farm Life and Family Traditions Louis Tikaram was raised on a 110-acre farm in Mullumbimby, on the north coast of New South Wales, to Fijian Chinese and Fijian Indian parents. His family’s diverse heritage meant dinner tables featured a variety of dishes, fostering a deep connection for food and as a source of happiness and entertainment. Learning to cook was key in the family, Louis’ grandmother ensured her six children took turns cooking the family meal each night - a tradition passed down to the next generation. Now, Louis enjoys sharing his kitchen skills with his two young daughters. The Unexpected Start in the Kitchen However, becoming a chef was never front of mind for Louis until, at 16, he got a job washing dishes at the local Thai restaurant, Gecko Thai. One day, he was given the opportunity to impress the manager with his familiarity with spices like cumin and coriander. That initial spark ignited a passion in him, and his next goal was to work at Longrain, a Thai restaurant in Sydney. “I went home and told my parents I’m moving to Sydney. My brother was going to Sydney University at the time, so the next day I packed the car and drove to Sydney,” says chef Louis Tikaram. “I walked into Longrain and asked the chef for a job, and he flat out said ‘no’. The next day I went back and did the same thing and again was told ‘no’. So, I went back for a third time, and the chef said ‘oh, you are so persistent, aren’t you?’ and I said ‘yep, I want to work here.” Building Skills and Reputation Cooped up in a tiny room for nine hours a day with a coffee grinder, Louis’ job for the first year was to grind spices and make curry paste. After that first year, he started cooking, refining his craft and never looking back. While at Longrain for 8 years, Louis Tikaram was named 2014 Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year by Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide. That recognition caught the attention of investors in Los Angeles, offering him the chance to open a restaurant in West Hollywood, which Louis describes as the pinnacle of his career. Bringing Southeast Asian Flavours to LA “To introduce the unique Southeast Asian and Fijian-inspired cuisine in LA and teach chefs new flavours and ingredients was amazing,” Louis says. After six years in the US, he returned to Australia and opened Stanley Restaurant in Brisbane in 2019. Today, it thrives as a showcase of his versatile style as a chef, blending casual and fine dining. He loves working with seasonal ingredients, especially flowering garlic chives in spring and the tropical fruits Queensland offers in summer. The restaurant's close proximity to Brisbane's farms and suppliers provides constant inspiration, allowing Louis to directly source fresh produce and develop exciting new dishes. Chef Works Ambassador Now as a Chef Works Ambassador, Louis Tikraram raves about the lightweight, cool vent chef pants, calling them his favourite product so far. “They are an absolute game changer; they are flexible, breathable, lightweight material, and with the elastic waistband, they are so comfortable,” he says.
