Katikati hotel owners say community support for chef heartwarming

Mahesh Peters with wife Adige and their daughters outside the Armani Hotel where he used to work in Dubai.

International award-winning head chef Mahesh Peters came to Katikati to work at the Talisman Hotel in February 2020.

He has not seen his wife and two daughters since.

A petition has been launched to reunite Mahesh and his family and has close to 600 signatures as he and his employers continue their battle with Immigration New Zealand to bring his family to New Zealand.

Mahesh and his wife, Adige, wanted to come to New Zealand to start a new life together, after 15 years in Dubai.

The business owners of the Talisman Hotel Danielle, Michele and Fred Reichmuth, offered Mahesh the job as head chef in 2019 and submitted a visa application for him and a family visa application upon receiving Mahesh's confirmed work visa.

Award-winning head chef Mahesh Peters with business owner Danielle Reichmuth at the Talisman Hotel.

Danielle says there is currently still no change in the situation.

"To lose Mahesh for us would be absolutely devastating and, after being in the industry for the last 12 years, I can honestly say we wouldn't be able to find someone else like him."

The petition was put in place to show how much support is out there to get Mahesh and his family reunited.

Danielle says they want to use the petition as evidence for INZ to show the impact Mahesh has made in the community and the number of signatures to reflect that.

She says they are hoping for 1000 signatures, but it is unlimited and the more the better.

"Getting Mahesh on national television would be a massive help as it looks like our best bet to get some attention to the issue and to try to get a positive result.

"Signing the petition and sharing it online to get the number of signatures up would be amazing!"

She says people have left positive comments of support and it is heartwarming to read.
"We are so grateful for all the support we have already received."

To see the petition go to https://www.change.org/p/immigration-nz-reunite-mahesh-with-his-wife-and-two-daughters