Abhi regards Juniper chef role as a career highlight

For Abhi Bhatnagar, working as a chef at Juniper Chrystal Halliday in Karrinyup is more than a job, it’s a passion.

Born and raised in India’s capital of New Delhi, Abhi’s love of food dates back to his childhood and he has fond memories of cooking with his mother as well as letting his father know that he wanted to become a chef as a youngster.

“When I was a kid, I would go to a lot of hotels and restaurants, which made me very inspired and motivated,” Abhi said.

With a long-held love for travel, Abhi decided to “mix it up” and made tracks for New Zealand in 2002 to develop his cooking career.

He went on to complete his hospitality management and culinary studies in Auckland and just as importantly, met his wife-to-be during the following decade.

A move to Perth in 2012 led to a mix of chef roles in restaurants, hotels and resorts to gain exposure and experience, and in 2020 he started working in the aged care sector.

Part of Juniper for the past 18 months, the talented and affable chef regards being a Juniper chef as “one of the best things” he has done in his life and considers it an honour to cook for residents.

“I love my profession – it’s one of the best professions in the world,” he said.

“It’s about engaging with people, I love this kind of lovely, homely and caring environment – it’s a passion job for me.”

When not preparing his latest tasty dish for Juniper customers, you will find Abhi at the beach to take the family pooch for a walk or making the most of his spare time with a bit of gardening.

“I don’t see being a chef as a job, it’s about the people,” he said.