Commercial kitchens are notoriously loud, frantic, high-pressure environments.
But after 15 years, Sydney restaurant head chef Sarinporn Trirattana found herself creating a quiet space in hers.
"When there are too many people around, it gets quite hectic and stressful," said the chef, who goes by the name "Pear".
Pear set up the quieter space for a new hire, Darren Man, who is autistic.
The space in the back part of the kitchen includes a separate bench area and utensils for whenever Darren needs a break from the hustle and bustle.
Darren is one of two recent recruits at House Made Hospitality, which runs several inner Sydney restaurants.
The second employee is Robbie Logan, who lives with an acquired brain injury.
The two men work as preparation chefs, organising ingredients for use in the kitchens.
Pear had never worked with anyone with disability before and said only minor adjustments had to be made.
For Robbie, whose brain injury has impacted his growth, those adjustments included ways to help him reach items stored in higher places.
"Because of my height restriction, it's mainly equipment I need," Robbie said.
"[Things like] stepladders to help me get into those higher shelves or asking assistance from others to get things I can't reach."
Darren has been in the role for six months and said he was enjoying expanding on his skill set.
"I like preparing the food, working with the team, socialising with them and cooking," he said.
Communication key to a good workplace
People with disability can face significant barriers to employment.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows 53.4 per cent of people with disability are in work, compared to 84.1 per cent of people without disability, and those figures have barely changed in more than a decade.
However, some businesses are making their workplaces more inclusive and having great results.
Pear puts a large part of her restaurant's success down to taking the time to get to know the new employees and understanding their strengths at the beginning.
"Just working closely with them, giving them advice and training them as a partner — you work together," she said.
Creating an inclusive workplace was a long-held goal of Scott Brown, the director of the Sydney restaurant where Darren and Robbie now work.
"It was always part of our business plan," Mr Brown said.
"It just took us a little while to find out how to do it and with who."
For that, he reached out to disability recruitment agency Omnia Inclusive.
As well as finding jobs for employees, it helps business owners find equipment, technology or training to make their workplaces more accessible.
Mr Brown said taking more time in the induction and onboarding process helped set Darren and Robbie up for success.
"In every organisation, you can find a role for somebody," he said.
"It might just take some time and some out-of-the-box thinking."
Omnia chief executive Deborrah Lambourne said many employers were often simply worried about saying or doing the "wrong thing".
"That's where we step in and facilitate the learning and communication between employer and employee," she said.
"Employment has to be fit for purpose — it can't be a charitable gesture, which it has been in the past."
'Tricky' to find a job
Both Robbie and Darren work part-time and are paid award wages.
Omnia contributes subsidies towards their salaries of $500 at four weeks, and $1,500 at 26 weeks.
Their employer also received a government payment at 13 weeks of just over $1,500.
Despite having years of hospitality experience, Robbie still found it difficult to find work before he teamed up with Omnia.
"We didn't know about disability support providers, so it was actually tricky to get a job," he said.
He would like to see more business owners think about ways they could make their workplaces more accessible. At its core, he said, it all came down to better education and awareness.
"The more information an employer has about all disabilities, the easier it is going to be for them to hire someone," he said.
Darren also wants to see more people with disability in employment.
"It may seem too hard but once you do it, it's fine, so just get on with it," he said.
