Emad Seyam has faced more barriers in his life than most.
Growing up in Afghanistan as the only Deaf member of his family, he communicated with his parents and siblings "entirely through gestures".
After they fled to Australia in 2010 as refugees, Emad not only had to learn English, but Auslan (a sign language unique to Australia) as well.
"When I first arrived, I was very nervous — that was the predominant feeling," the 25-year-old says through an Auslan interpreter.
"It was difficult. I didn't have any language to communicate with anyone here."
It wasn't until he started at the Victorian College for the Deaf that he began to learn basic English and Auslan.
I didn't have any language to communicate with anyone here.- Emad Seyam
"I was using a lot of gestures. It was difficult and I had to persevere a lot to make myself understood.
"When we were in one-on-one situations, I could write things down, maybe use my phone, and I could point a lot, so we used a lot of that basic communication to start with."
While studying at the college, Emad and his classmates were taught some kitchen skills by Graeme Krause, the then-head chef of The Mail Exchange Hotel in Melbourne.
"It was a very hands-on process. I got to see and do a lot of the basics," Emad says.
"We progressed on from there, and I passed some of my exams and the tasks they gave me.
"That got me thinking about becoming a chef."
Not long after, Emad began work experience at the hotel. But there was one problem: no Auslan interpreters were provided to help him communicate with the other staff.
Emad first started at The Mail Exchange Hotel in Melbourne as a work experience student. Source: SBS News / Amy Hall
"When we were communicating with the chefs, there were some barriers."
Once interpreters were provided, Emad took the opportunity to teach his colleagues some key signs, as well as the Auslan alphabet.
Emad (right) and head chef Wayne. Source: SBS News / Amy Hall
"But once you're getting used to it, and you're getting things right, things come much more efficiently and smoothly."
The kitchen staff now have a system in place that allows them to quickly and easily communicate orders to each other using one or two Auslan signs.
"The team here are really great," Emad says.
"We practice together, and now when I see an order in the docket line, we know the Auslan words for the orders, so I can sign 'I'm going to do the pasta', 'I'm going to do the salad' and the people around me will understand that.
"Sometimes if there are words that are long words in English, people just might shorten it — like 'GF' for gluten-free, they’ll just spell 'GF' to me."
Posters of the Auslan alphabet and key signs are hung around the kitchen and staff room as well, so Emad's colleagues can practice while they're at work.
Venue manager Nici Nicholson has also made it a requirement that all new kitchen staff be willing to learn Auslan.
Wayne Mountford (left) has been learning Auslan to better communicate with his Deaf colleague Emad Seyam (right). Source: SBS News / Amy Hall
"It keeps it kind of fun," he says.
"One of my favourite parts of working here is how much I've improved, and how much Emad has improved by talking to people through sign and teaching them."
"It's been difficult, but nothing worth doing is easy."
Ms Nicholson says being inclusive has helped Emad transform from a "shy" person on work experience to a "confident" qualified chef.
"He wouldn't even lift his head to me and say hello," she says.
"Once he got his confidence up, I'd say, 'I'm going now', and he would pick up his wrist and point to it going, 'Really, you're going early?', so he's very cheeky, he's got a great sense of humour."
It's been difficult, but nothing worth doing is easy.- Wayne Mountford, head chef
Emad can now run almost every section of the hotel's kitchen.
"His cooking ability is second to none compared to some of the chefs I've worked with around the world," Mr Mountford says.
"I've been trying to teach him the chef de partie level of managing people ... and the sous chef level is a couple of years away from him.
Only 53 per cent of people with disability aged 15 to 64 are in employment in Australia, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. That compares with 84 per cent for people without disability.
The Australian Hotels Association's general manager of member experience and compliance, Kimberley Malcom, says workplaces "should reflect the community" they serve.
"The team at The Mail Exchange Hotel are leading the way … demonstrating all walks of life are not only welcome but valued."
Nici Nicholson is venue manager at The Mail Exchange Hotel. Source: SBS News / Amy Hall
"I'd love him to get into a restaurant or something, but then you have to find these people who are willing to take that on, and that's the hardest thing."
She says she'd encourage any employer considering hiring a person with disability to "just do it".
"I think there's more benefits and more satisfaction in doing something like this, than there's negatives."
Want to learn Auslan?
Deaf Australia's resources coordinator Paula Thornton says while there are lots of online tutorials available, she recommends people wanting to learn Auslan enrol in a community class.
"It's far better to have an interactive class so you've got a teacher who you are having time to go back and forth with," she says through an Auslan interpreter.
"Also, it's really imperative to have a Deaf teacher teaching you their language."
For those who can’t commit years to becoming fluent, it's still worth learning the Auslan alphabet and a few commonly used signs, she says.
"Everyday signs, like 'hello', 'how are you', 'thank you', 'come here' — those sorts of things are really quick to learn."
Emad says it means a lot to him when people can use even a little Auslan.
"If someone signs 'thank you' … you really feel that that other person is acknowledging my language."
After everything he's managed to achieve, Emad believes "there are no barriers that you can't overcome".
"I really love my job," he says.
Auslan Day is marked on 13 April.
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