Settlement Pathways

Lean In Inc’s latest workshop, Settlement Pathways for Women was held on the 13th of March 2021 at Parravilla Function Centre. The inspirational speaker for the event was Associate Professor Ruta Gupta. Dr Gupta spoke about her journey as a new migrant and the hurdles that she faced as she first established herself in Australia. Her presentation truly inspired the participants as she encouraged them with her story and those of her colleagues.

Mrs Sue Advani,one of the founding members of Lean In Inc, presented on Australian Workplace Culture which was very helpful for the participants and provided an insight into the Australian way of life. Khushboo Punjabi, a recruitment specialist from PersolKelly, presented on CV writing skills which provided very practical tools for the participants of the workshop. The presentation on the effective way to search for jobs was done by Heena Bawazir, a lead technical recruiter in Canva. Ankit Sharma, a senior recruiter at Atlassian delivered a highly useful and practical presentation on Interview Skills.

Apart from skills and tools to gain employment, the workshop also gave the participants support and advice on starting a business in Australia. Mr Deep Mitra a chartered accountant from DNACA presented on the set up required to start a business including setting up a company.

Mittu Gopalan from Freedman and Gopalan Solicitors informed the participants on the legal aspect of setting up a business.

Lean In Inc is very grateful for all the presenters who gave up their time to present at the workshop to provide pertinent information and skills and tips to the participants.The workshop was very well received by all who attended. The workshop was generously funded by Women NSW.

Lean In Inc is holding its next workshop on the 15th of May 2021 at Parravilla Function Centre, Parramatta. Information can be obtained on Lean In Inc’s facebook page or eventbrite.

By: Sheila Dhillon

A: I have been watching MasterChef Australia ever since it started airing on TV. I filled out my application around three times but finally mustered up some courage and confidence to submit it this time. For me it was now or never.

A: The application process is quite long and it’s natural to feel anxious. When I applied it was really important to manage my own expectations because I didn’t want to be disappointed. So even though I was nervous, I had to give it my best shot and accept whatever the result may be.

A: I feel the most important quality is to be able to handle feedback from the judges. It’s also crucial to be able to adapt to different situations or challenges presented, not everything will always go your way and you might not always get what you want. Having an open mind and a positive attitude will take you far in a competition like this because it’s very easy to get disheartened.

A: The two major highlights were when I saw the judges for the first time and my very first cook in the kitchen, when I received the white apron. It was a dream come true moment.

A: Every cook

is interesting and brings its own difficulties however I find mystery boxes quite challenging as we have limited ingredients and we are forced to think outside the box. Sometimes there are ingredients in the mystery box that we have never cooked with or seen before so you have to rely on your intuition.

A: One of the many lessons I learnt during my MasterChef journey is playing to your strengths. Secondly following the brief is crucial with every challenge as this can make or break the dish. Lastly cooking with a smile and a positive attitude will take you far in the competition.

A: Absolutely, I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I could ever be a part of MasterChef Australia.

A: Oh yes, over and over again! There is something about cooking in the MasterChef kitchen and I would want to experience it again and again, as many times as possible.

A: If you are a strong cook and you are looking to follow your food dream, there will never be a good time so just go for it. For many years MasterChef Australia has been the best platform to showcase our cooking style. For me there is nothing higher than MasterChef Australia, it’s the benchmark of all cooking shows around the world. It’s rewarding but one needs to be prepared to work really hard!

A: Both of us met at a Sikh Youth Australia camp about ten years ago and clicked immediate- ly because of our common love for sports and travelling. We are always up for doing anything that keeps us fit and pushing ourselves to do what most people would think twice about. Being a pandemic year and having the travel bug, The Amazing Race gave us a platform to challenge ourselves and a way of getting out of the house.

A: The application process was dauting to say the least. There were video submissions and we had to answer questions about all facets of their lives. We had to assess who we are as a character and demonstrate how competitive we were from a race perspective using strategies and decisions. We could not believe it when we received an email saying we had gotten to the next stage considering there were over 30,000 applications and only 14 teams selected. From there, the ball just kept rolling with medical, physical and psychological examinations. As strenuous as the initial 2-3 months process was, it was fun, and we knew we had nothing lose.

A: Many people may be unsure about applying for a show like this because of their identity. Some of us lead our lives wondering if our appearance makes us stand out more. But our advice would be: Don’t hold back and don’t think twice – just do it! Colour or appearance should not matter. We hear such stories all the time, but it’s how you train your mind; and confidence is the key. If you are confident, it changes how people perceive you. We didn’t see ourselves as Sikhs on The Amazing Race; we saw ourselves as Australians on The Amazing Race who happen to be Sikhs.

A: Everyone we met on the journey was so supportive, open, and considerate to

our needs. They were generally curious about us and always reaching out to see if we needed anything. Above all, the support from our friends and family really pushed us along and helped us keep our focus on the big picture.

A: The biggest challenge was the clash with our work and commitments. We had to take two months off work and had not access to friends and family. We were uncertain how this would impact our careers as there was so much uncertainty during the pandemic. There even came a point where we contemplated withdrawing our application but our friends and family were instrumental in pushing us over the line. They did not want us to miss the opportunity and told us that people will forget easily about what you accomplished at work in two months but if you do this, you will live to tell your grandchildren about these two amazing months.

A: The biggest lesson we learnt is the importance of going through life with someone you can get along with. The teamwork and duality we had was paramount. There were mornings we would wake up and just want to be lazy and do nothing, but we encouraged each other through these mental battles. Knowing how we both worked and our motivations helped us to move on, stay level-headed and work hard. Having the determination and willpower to give anything a shot was key.

A: We received overwhelming support from our whole community and around the world. People somehow related to our story and our journey, and we were humbled by the impact our participation on the show had on people and their mindsets. Twelve months ago, there was no one who would have told us we were role models, but now parents say to us we’ve changed the perspective of their kids. No amount of money can describe that winning feeling.

A: We would absolutely do it again. We pushed ourselves, laughed throughout the day, had a positive impact on those around us and most importantly we met some amazing people.

A: If you want to do something, go for it. You don’t need to be the fittest person. If you think you can do something, the only thing stopping you is yourself.

A: Cooking is something we have always been passionate about and enjoy. We have been cooking together for over 14 years now and although we have grown up overseas since we were both 10 years old, India is our home. We share a passion for spice and flavour and wanted to share our heritage and our dishes with Australia, so we thought we should go for it. There is also a misperception that Indian food is difficult to make and unhealthy since it’s carb-loaded. We wanted to break this mindset and kept experimenting how we could make healthier versions which suited today’s lifestyles without sacrificing the flavours. We also wanted to win the hearts of younger people who might think Indian cuisine is hard to prepare; and convince them otherwise.

A: There was a rigorous application process to get selected for the show given there are so many excellent Indian cooks in Australia. We competed with some of the best and we had to prove that we were willing to challenge ourselves and demonstrate new possibilities with our cooking. Upon selection, we were ecstatic and couldn’t wait to share our food and our personalities on a national stage. We also felt proud as the first Indian husband and wife duo to hit the airwaves.

A: It takes a level of mental toughness, a never give up attitude and of course being a good cook to be on a show like Plate of Origin. It was a challenging time as COVID had just started and our kids were being home-schooled. Being away from them was exceptionally difficult; but we wanted to do our community and our country proud. Thankfully we had each other and had to keep reminding ourselves that the short-term pain was for a long-term gain. Our biggest motivation were the kids. Seeing their sparkling eyes on national TV was priceless and having those moments was important to keep us going. an Australian icon) in a flavour of our own heritage. We came up with Samosa Pie and incidentally won that round. We received a lot of support for this recipe and that is now our business. We are currently selling Samosa and Butter Chicken Pies across Sydney at markets and events, and plan on expanding to metro cities across Australia later this year.

A: In one of the episodes, we were challenged to come up with a pie (which is

One of the best things about our Samosa Pie is that it’s cooked with premium healthy ingredients and is baked instead of deep frying which makes it 100% wholesome. Another highlight was working as a couple. There is a stigma about Indian men in the kitchen which we think we have helped to break on this programme based on the feedback we received. Working with a great set of judges and learning so much from them was also a fantastic part of this journey.

A: The biggest challenge was time. On the show, the clock is real, and the clock does not stop. Those who are familiar with Indian food know that there are things which we cannot speed-up; but throughout the show we had to find creative methods to expedite the process. For example, we had to cook chicken biryani in 45mins which would normally take hours – and that was a challenge in itself; but we did it! Everything that was presented had to be made from scratch; there was nothing from a box and you could not fool the judges who were acutely aware of the flavours of Indian food. We had to stay authentic and true to our heritage throughout.

A: The biggest lesson has been to be resilient and strong. You have to look deep into yourself and ask yourself what you want. There will always be sceptics along the way who have a set perception on the limitations of being a mum with kids; but you just have to follow your heart and not look back.

A: We were so very proud to be representing dishes from our motherland. We felt a sense of pride each time we saw the Indian flag and had tears in our eyes. This pushed us to do our best – with no regrets.

A: Yes, yes, yes. We would do it again and definitely together. We have been each other’s backbone through the whole journey and continue to be. A: We know it is super, super, super hard to put yourself out there, but just do it and do it with pride and passion. It can be anything – cooking, sports, or music – but the most important thing is to be ready to step out of your comfort zone, challenge yourself, put everything on the line and do it with a bang!

A: If you want to do something, go for it. You don’t need to be the fittest person. If you think you can do something, the only thing stopping you is yourself.