Vienna Lelei Castilla proudly shows off her Employee of the Year Award alongside nephew Notch Earl Daniel Espiritu and sister Jerrie Lou Espiritu.
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“First of all: holy shit!”
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Those were the words that slipped from Vienna Lelei Castilla’s mouth as she stood stunned on the stage at Rich River Golf Club accepting her award for employee of the year.
The raw outburst of emotion drew rapturous laughter from the crowd, but for Vienna the moment meant more than she could possibly put into words.
Moving to Australia almost four years ago, Vienna didn’t know what to expect.
She’d grown up in a regional area of The Philippines, and with broad Australian accents hard enough to understand even for native English speakers, she was under no illusions the transition would be easy.
Except, in large part thanks to her charisma, charm and outgoing nature, it was.
“When I came here, it was so similar to home,” Vienna said.
“The biggest difference is it’s quiet at night because in The Philippines it’s always loud.
“It was easy for me to connect with people (because) my sister has been here for a long time and she knows a lot of people.”
Vienna also comes from a family full of culinary talent ― and that was about to prove a big plus.
One of her sisters is a chef at the Moama Bowling Club, another runs a chicken shop back in the Philippines, and her mum worked for a period as a chef in New Zealand.
Despite all that, Vienna had never set foot inside a commercial kitchen before she was hired at Riverbank.
“The first month was very hard for me, (it was) a pretty crazy transition,” she said.
“I didn’t even know how to hold a peeler (because) in The Philippines we use a knife to peel things.
“It was the same with a whisk, because we use forks to whisk eggs.
“It was all very different, a weird transition.”
Vienna Lelei Castilla after graduating from culinary school in Melbourne.
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The learning curve was steep, but Vienna said her co-workers made a world of difference.
“They were so supportive,” she said.
“Especially chef Nikki and chef Paul (Cohen).
“On our day off we go out sometimes to try food at different places and meet the chefs and new people there.
“(It’s been) amazing how I’ve gotten to know so many people in such a short time.”
And just as her bosses and co-workers have helped her, she’s returned the favour.
She started as a dishwasher, but her work ethic caught the eye of her managers and she quickly rose through the ranks to sous chef.
It’s a career progression which has left even Vienna somewhat surprised.
“I started washing the dishes and now I’m helping control the kitchen,” she said.
“When chef Paul isn’t there I’m the one who tells people what to do and what to cook.
“It’s a big responsibility as well as a big achievement (and it wouldn’t have happened) without my Riverbank team.”
The team showed up in droves to support Vienna, with even the staff who were unable to leave the restaurant waiting on tenterhooks to find out if she’d won.
When news eventually filtered back to the kitchen, there was chaos, with Vienna’s phone ringing non-stop with congratulations.
The celebrations didn’t stop there for Riverbank, with the business itself also taking out the Rich River Golf Club Hospitality Award, and its star employee couldn’t be prouder.
For Vienna, work isn’t just a job. It’s a place of community, a tool for integration and a vehicle for meeting new friends, and seeing it get the recognition she thinks it deserves means almost as much to her.
“I’m so happy for the whole team,” she said, rattling off thanks to each employee individually.
“I’m also so thankful to those who’ve supported me extra: chef Nikki and chef Paul, my family here, and my mum and dad in The Philippines.
“Thank you too to the councils for putting on tonight, it was the best.
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