Didiet Radityawan
Sejak tahun 2004 saya mulai merantau keluar Indonesia. Dimulai dari Dubai (2004-2007), lalu pindah ke Bermuda (2007-2008), terus ke Abu Dhabi (2009-2010). Selama itu saya pergi sendiri. Pacar yang kemudian jadi istri saya, Iren, masih tinggal di Indonesia. Jadi long distance relationship terus berjalan dari pacaran sampai dua tahun setelah menikah. Capek sekali rasanya. Saya lalu berusaha mencari jalan supaya saya bisa tinggal bersama dengan Iren. Dan sejak 2010, dream comes true, kami bisa tinggal bareng di Australia.
Pada 2009, saat masih bekerja di Bermuda, saya mencoba melamar beberapa lowongan pekerjaan melalui www.seek.com.au. Dari sekian puluh yang saya lamar, hanya satu yang serius membalas dan menyatakan siap memberi sponsor untuk visa 457. Yaitu sebuah bakery di kota Robe, South Australia. Robe Bakery & Coffee Lounge, namanya. Robe adalah kota pantai kecil, 320km sebelah tenggara Adelaide. Penduduknya cuma 1.000 orang tapi saat musim panas ada sekitar 20 ribu turis yang datang untuk liburan.
Dalam mengurus visa tersebut, saya dan calon sponsor menggunakan jasa sebuah agen imigrasi. Saya pikir kalau mengurus sendiri ke imigrasi pasti ribet, lagipula pemilik perusahaan juga berlokasi jauh di luar kota. Setelah saya dihubungi agen imigrasi itu, mereka malah menawari saya untuk sekalian melamar Permanent Resident (PR) dengan visa Regional Sponsorship Migration Scheme (RSMS). Robe Bakery pun tidak keberatan dengan rencana itu. Jadi dengan RSMS ini, saya harus bekerja selama dua tahun dengan sponsor yang berlokasi di regional area. Setelah itu saya boleh tinggal dan bekerja di mana saja di Australia. Juli 2010, setelah melewati proses yang cukup panjang dan menguras tenaga, pikiran, juga dana, visa saya diterima. Saat itu saya tinggal dan bekerja di Abu Dhabi. Akhir Oktober 2010 saya bersama istri berangkat ke Adelaide.
Awalnya kami tidak terpikir sama sekali untuk ambil PR. Tapi berhubung ada tawaran, ya kenapa tidak? Saya beruntung karena profesi sebagai Baker itu termasuk yang banyak dibutuhkan di Australia, terutama di regional area. Keberuntungan memang paling menentukan kami mendapatkan PR. Saya mendapatkan perusahaan yang bersedia memberikan sponsor, agen imigrasi yang sangat membantu, dan aturan pada saat itu tidak sesulit sekarang. Keahlian sebagai baker itu sesuai dengan latar belakang pendidikan saya di jurusan Manajemen Patiseri di Sekolah Tinggi Pariwisata Bandung. Setelah lulus pada 2000, setahun kemudian saya sudah mulai bekerja di sebuah hotel internsasional di Jakarta.
Karena dari pertama masuk Australia kami sudah PR, jadi banyak kemudahan dibandingkan dengan banyak orang yang sedang berjuang untuk mendapatkan PR. Enaknya kalo sudah PR itu bisa melamar kerja di mana saja. Dan akhirnya bisa memilih Melbourne sebagai tempat kerja dan tinggal. Menurut saya, Melbourne itu scene food & beverage nya paling keren di seluruh Australia.
Saat ini saya bekerja sebagai Head Baker di Cobb Lane Bakery, European Bakery & Cafe di Yarraville. Sehari-hari saya membuat roti, terutama sourdough breads. Bakery ini masih terhitung baru di Melbourne, baru berdiri setahun lalu. Pemiliknya, Matt Forbes, cukup punya nama di dunia pastry di Melbourne karena pengalamannya bekerja di beberapa Michelin Starred restaurants di Europe. Menu makanan di cafe ini dominan British, karena sang pemilik memang berasal dari England. Tapi untuk rotinya ada perpaduan antara British dan German, karena pengalaman saya yang beberapa tahun kerja di German bakery.
Istri saya Iren juga bekerja di dunia makanan. Sekarang dia sedang menekuni bisnis baru Loenpia Semarang Ndoro Njonja. Mungkin ini satu-satunya loenpia Semarang yang paling otentik di Melbourne.
Penghasilan kerja saya ditambah penghasilan istri bisa dibilang lumayan bagus. Nggak lebih nggak kurang. Untuk profesi Baker di Australia memang termasuk memiliki standard gaji yang baik.
Rencana ke depan kami ingin membesarkan bisnis makanan yang baru dirintis ini. Kami ingin membuat food truck jualan makanan Indonesia. Sebab sampai sekarang belum ada yang jualan makanan Indonesia menggunakan food truck. Kami ingin jualan Indonesian street food. Tidak perlu muluk-muluk dan mewah, karena kesederhanaan itu justru yang menjadi ciri khas makanan jalanan. Australia kan tidak punya budaya makanan jalanan seperti di Asia, nah, kami ingin membawa suasana street food ala Indonesia di negeri Kangguru ini.
Skill, Hardwork, and Good Fortune
Since 2004 I started to journey outside Indonesia. Starting from Dubai (2004-2007), then moving to Bermuda (2007-2008), continuing to Abu Dhabi (2009-2010). During that time I went alone. My girlfriend who later became my wife, Iren, still lived in Indonesia. So a long distance relationship continued for another two years after marriage. It was really exhausting. I then tried to find a way so I could live with Iren. And since 2010, the dream has come true, we can live together in Australia.
In 2009, while still working in Bermuda, I tried to apply for some jobs through www.seek.com.au. From the dozens to which I applied, I recieved only one serious reply and expression of readiness to provide sponsorship for a 457 visa. That was a bakery in the town of Robe, South Australia. Robe Bakery & Cafe Lounge, was the name. Robe is a small costal town, 320 km southeast of Adelaide. The population is only about a 1,000 people, but during the summer there are about 20 thousand tourists who come for vacation.
In organising my visa, my sponsor candidates and I used the services of an immigration agent. I think taking care of the immigration matters yourself is a big hassle, especially considering the company owners are located far outside the city. After I contacted the immigration agent, they even offered to apply for Permanent Residency (PR) with the Regional Sponsorship Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa. Robe Bakery had no objection to the plan. So, with the RSMS, I had to work for two years (for the sponsorship) located in a regional area. After that I could live and work anywhere in Australia. July 2010, after a long and exhausting process, much thought, also money I finally received my visa. At that time I was working and living in Abu Dhabi. At the end of October 2010 my wife and I departed for Adelaide.
At first we did not think to get PR. But, since there was an offer, why not? I have been fortunate because working as a Baker is needed in Australia, particularly in regional areas. Luck is the most important thing to whether we get PR. I got a company that was willing to provide sponsorship, an immigration agent that was very helpful, and the rules at the time were not as hard as now. My expertise as a baker fitted with my educational background at Patisserie Management at Bandung Institute of Tourism. After graduating in 2000, a year later I had started working at an international hotel in Jakarta.
When we first entered Australia we already had PR, so it was much easier compared to a lot of people who are currently struggling to get PR. It’s nice to already have work so you are able to apply for a job anywhere. And finally we chose Melbourne as a place to work and live. In my opinion, Melbourne has the coolest food & beverage scene throughout Australia.
Currently I work as the Head Baker at Cobb Lane Bakery, European Bakery & Cafe in Yarraville. Everyday I make bread, particularly sourdough breads. This bakery is still releatively new in Melbourne, being founded only one year earlier. The owner, Matt Forbes, is quite a name in the world of pastry in Melbourne because of his experience working in several Michelin Star restaurants in Europe. The food menu at the cafe is predominately British, because the owner is from England. But for bread there is a fusion between British and German, because I have several years of work experience in a German bakery.
My wife Iren also works in the food world. Now she wants to start a new business Loenpia Semarang Ndoro Njonja. Perhaps, the Semarang spring rolls are the most authentic in Melbourne.
My income combined with my wife could be considered pretty good. Not more not less. The profession of Baker in Australia has a good standard salary.
Looking ahead we want to start a new food business. We want to creat a food truck selling Indonesian food. Because until now noone has been selling Indonesian food using a food truck. We want to sell Indonesian street food. No need for it to be gradiose and fancy, because it is precisely the simplicity that characterises street food. Australia does not have a street food culture such as in Asia, well, we want to bring the atmosphere of Indonesia style street food to the kangaroo country.
Photo: Windu Kuntoro
