Daman Shrivastav: Indian-Origin Melbourne Chef bags “Citizen of the Year” Award

An Indian-origin chef in Australia has been delivering free food to the needy ever since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Based in Melbourne, the 54-year-old Daman Shrivastav is raising funds for a food truck to help him deliver meals to the homeless and the needy.

The city of Whittlesea in Northern Melbourne awarded Daman Shrivastav the Citizen of the Year Award on October 28, 2021.

  Presently working as a Culinary Arts Lecturer at the Box Hill Institute, Daman lives with his family in South Morang, Melbourne. Working in 5 and 7-star hotels, surviving the Gulf War, being a fruit-picker at an orange farm, Daman has done it all. Daman believes that each of the phases that he had been through have made him a better person. Born in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Daman was raised in Delhi. In 1982, Daman completed his Diploma from the Institute of Hotel Management, later securing a job with Oberoi Hotels in Delhi. A few months later, Daman had moved on to Baghdad to work for Al Rasheed Hotel. In 1984, Daman moved to London, completing a Diploma of Professional Cookery from Westminster College. Staying in London for three years, Daman worked with The Dorchester and The Savoy. Daman returned to India in 1988 and went on to work with Maurya Sheraton and Maurya Oberoi in Delhi. Al Rasheed reached out to Daman with another offer, this time for an executive position. A few months later, the Gulf War happened. While others left for their home countries, Daman decided to stay back in Iraq and cook meals for the civilians with his team. Once things were back to normal, Daman decided to move back to India. Reaching Amman on the way back, Daman took up a fruit-picking job in an orange farm. The owner of the farm happened to be related to the then king of Jordan, Hussein bin Talal. Recommended by the farm owner to a local that wanted to open a French restaurant, Daman was hired in 1992 and was back in the restaurant line. It was in 1995 that Daman moved to Australia. From working in a hospital kitchen to fine dining, Daman gradually moved up the ladder. In 2008, Daman opened his own place. Delivering free food to the helpless and the stranded, such as the international students in Australia, Daman has been serving selflessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Daman cooked around 150 meals a day in his home kitchen, using his car to distribute the meals to the homeless. Cosmopolitan to the core, Australia remains a top choice for individuals looking at migrate overseas options. Australia immigration is expected to see a post-pandemic boom. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RELATED Australia Skilled Immigration Points Calculator – Check your eligibility now! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are looking to Migrate, Study, Invest, Visit, or Work Overseas, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No. 1 Immigration & Visa Company. If you found this blog engaging, you may also like … Indian migrants are the second largest immigrant community in Australia