Great culture, great Karma finds its home on the other side of the world
PEARL Randhay is a great Australian story. Coming from a country of 1.3 billion people on her own at age 16, Pearl has found love and home in one of the most scarcely populated parts of the world — the NT Outback
Centralian Advocate
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PEARL Randhay is a great Australian story.
A Sikh lady born in the Punjab region of India who took a leap of faith and moved to Australia by herself aged only 16.
Coming from a country of 1.3 billion people, Pearl has found love and home in one of the most scarcely populated parts of the world — the Australian Outback.
Pearl and her brother Jaideep grew up in Punjab, raised by their loving parents, Dad Sukhjit and Mum Rajwinder.
“In the Sikh culture, it is all about giving to people. And there is a big culture of food!” Pearl said.
This makes plenty of sense, given that Pearl’s Piccolo’s Cafe was recently voted the Number One Cafe in Alice Springs.
But her childhood dreams were on the other side of the sweet tooth.
“I wanted to be a dentist since I was 3! I don’t know why! I can still remember when I was 3, someone asked me what I want to be when I grow up? A dentist!”
Mum and Dad were keen for Pearl to leave India and head abroad to complete High School.
“My parents wanted me to come to Australia to get a really good education. I actually wanted to go to Canada! All my friends were going there.
“My Mum’s sister was already in Sydney, so they wanted me to come here, so I came over to go to a Grammar School in North Sydney.
“It was a huge change! A big shock.
“Sydney is such a big city, so many people, and it’s not easy to go from one place to another. It’s much more laid back where I’m from in India.
“I had only ever lived with my parents, and when I first got here I stayed with my Aunty, then I was boarding at school.
“My English was not bad because I studied it in India.
“I loved Sydney! Then after high school I went to Tennant Creek to do my remote work for my residency.”
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Born in India: 1.3 billion people.
Studied in Sydney: 5.3 million people.
First job in Tennant Creek: 2,991 people.
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“I was in Tennant for one-and-half years. I was 20 years old and the manager of the motel.
“Then I worked at the Westpac Bank for three to four months, and then joined the Government.”
Pearl made a big impact in Tennant as a thought leader and a highly respected member of the community.
She was invited to join the Liquor Advisory Committee, was part of the Chief Minister’s Round Table, the Youth Parliament and the United Nations’ Youth Australia group.
Professionally, Pearl was excelling, and soon love would enter her life, after a trip down the road to Alice Springs.
“I was out with some friends, and one of them said, ‘There’s this guy you have to meet!’
Pearl met Rupinder Singh at Monties in August of 2016.
In March of this year, they were married in a magnificent farm house setting, back home in Punjab.
“Our wedding was close knit, not many people — only 300!” Pearl said with a laugh.
“I didn’t want a big wedding. Originally we had 1000 people on the guest list. Then we cut it to 700, then finally to 300.
“My father was complaining the whole night about not getting to invite everyone he wanted to!
“He said, ‘Kids these days just don’t listen!’”
Pearl says Rupinder makes her feel like the most lucky person in the world.
In April 2018, Pearl and Rupinder — who is a chef — bought Piccolo’s Cafe.
“We saw that it was on sale, and we had a look, and thought this is a really good opportunity.”
Pearl and Rupinder both worked two jobs and pulled 16-hour days over an 18-month period to save the money and buy Piccolo’s.
“It was very daunting when we first opened. We had never ran or owned a cafe. We didn’t know what to expect.
“It took a few months to get our feet on the ground- like six months. Every single day was a learning curve.
“It was hard, but we had so much support from every single person and community member — the people of Alice are amazing!
“We are so, so blessed!”
Piccolo’s recently took out the NT News Best Cafe in Alice poll.
Pearl says it was an incredible honour.
“Oh my God! Coming to another country is an experience in itself. Such a culture shock. It’s completely different. But then for the community to give us so much love! It’s an experience I can’t even express in words.”
Pearl and Rupinder are about to expand even further.
The NT News can exclusively reveal that Piccolo’s Cafe will soon be re-named The Locals.
A major renovation is also about to take place, that will see The Locals be converted in to an Industrial Cafe and Restaurant.
They have already started a dinner service, with the new physical look set to start taking shape early in the new year.
“We were thinking of a new name, and we thought, the locals have given us so much love and support — we should call it ‘The Locals’!
“Another goal is to really make this end of the Mall busier. The main centre is busy — we want to create more action down our end, that’s our ultimate goal.
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Pearl’s Mum and Dad visited Alice and stayed for a year.
“They loved how small and special it is. Not too much traffic.”
They loved it so much, they are about to move to Alice permanently.
Rupinder’s Mum has also moved to Alice, and Pearl’s brother as well.
“Family means everything to me, it’s how we were raised. They are so special in my life.”
Pearl and Rupinder and their family are a wonderful part of our big family here in Alice.