Left: Vincent Kumar, Harden Country Club’s new Chef. Right: Chad Gilmore, Harden Country Club’s new Greenkeeper.

The Harden Country Club have recruited two fresh employees who have recently moved to town.

Chef Vincent Kumar and Greenskeeper Chad Gilmore have both hit the road and relocated to Harden for work.

Before commencing work at the Country Club, Vincent was a chef at Bowral Hotel. Harden is roughly two and a half hours from Vincent’s hometown of Bowral.

“I made the move when I found out that Harden was about two and a half hours from my place, so I still commute back every time I get a day off,” the chef said.

43-year-old Vincent was born in Fiji and completed his culinary qualifications at the Fiji Institute of Technology.

The chef then migrated to Australia in 2007, spending 14 years working and residing in New South Wales.

Although a master of all, Vincent has one specialty cuisine that he loves cooking the most.

“I’m from Fiji Islands, so basically seafood is my deal,” he said.

“I love cooking steaks and doing mixed grills, but mostly seafood.”

This is Kumar’s second week in Harden and at the Country Club.

“The club has opened their arms to me. The staff and the management have given me the freedom to do things,” he said.

“We’re going to get fresh fish and fillet it. Vincent developed his passion for cooking when growing up in the Fiji Islands and watching his mum cook.

“Chefs do things to a great level, but watching mother’s cook, it’s to another level again so you’ve got to respect that,” Vincent said.

Like Vincent, Chad is also finding his feet in town.

The greenkeeper has recently moved to Harden from Ararat in Victoria, to pursue his passion.

“I’ve moved here for a new challenge and direction. Also, to get closer to family. All my family is in Sydney,” Chad said.

“I’m enjoying it. It’s a good country lifestyle and the people are really friendly.”

After finishing Year 12 at school, Chad became a first-year apprentice greenkeeper and started at Bardwell Valley Golf Course in Sydney to learn his trade there.

Chad spent nine years as a greenkeeper in Queensland, before making the move to Ararat where he spent two years.

“I’m here full-time, my wife’s still back in Victoria, but with Covid I don’t think I’ll be able to get back down there for a while,” Chad said.

Chad moved to Harden three weeks ago, at the end of July.

All the recent rain has been making the greens slower than usual.

“We’ll cut the greens every day in Summer and Spring, but at this time of the year we do it about three times a week. The growth isn’t all there at the moment, it’s still a bit cool,” he said.

“There’s exciting times ahead for the club, it’s a good layout and we’ve got big things planned.”

The Country Club has the Two-Ball Ambrose competition coming up on November 5,6 and 7, which has been pushed back due to Covid.

The club championships are coming up at the end of the month.

If you see Vincent or Chad around town, please make them feel welcome.

Tim Warren