Chef Larry Dini-Ay sues George’s Paragon, labour hire firm for more than half-a-million dollars

A Gold Coast chef claims repetitive lifting of heavy objects in one of the region’s most well-known restaurants caused him injuries that are still felt to this day.

George's Paragon Sanctuary Cove. Picture: George's Paragon

A Gold Coast chef is suing one of the region’s most popular seafood restaurants and a labour hire company for more than half a million dollars, claiming repetitive lifting of heavy objects in the kitchen ruined his shoulder.

Ormeau chef Larry Dini-Ay, 44, lodged a damages claim against his employer YDT Hospitality Pty Ltd, and his workplace, Paragon Seafood (Peninsula and Sanctuary Cove) Pty Ltd, in the Southport District Court on May 28.

Mr Dini-Ay, in his claim, said he was employed at YDT from approximately November 2021 to October 2022, during which time he was deployed to George’s Paragon Seafood Restaurant at Sanctuary Cove.

Ormeau chef Larry Dini-Ay. Picture: Facebook

As part of his employment, the plaintiff said he was required to regularly lift several boxes of frozen food weighing 10kg each, pots of cooked octopus weighing 35–50kg, potato bags weighing 30kg, and rubbish bags weighing up to 30kg.

“During the period of employment, the plaintiff experienced increasing levels of pain in his right shoulder from performing the above mentioned lifting tasks,” his claim said.

On or about September 28, 2022, Mr Dini-Ay lifted a pot of cooked octopus weighing “in excess of 30 kilograms” during which he allegedly “felt immediate and sudden significant pain” in his right shoulder.

According to Mr Dini-Ay’s claim, the defendants breached their duty of care to him by requiring him to lift and carry heavy weights, failing to conduct an adequate risk assessment, failing to require or implement a two-person lift policy for heavier items, failing to train employees in safe lifting techniques, failing to provide a sufficient number of staff to ensure additional assistance was available when heavy items required lifting, and other alleged failures of process and procedure.

His claim alleged the risk was foreseeable and not insignificant.

Mr Dini-Ay’s alleged injuries were particularised as a “soft tissue injury to the shoulder, injury to the elbow, [and] psychological injury secondary to the physical injury”.

Mr Dini-Ay is claiming general damages, past economic loss, future economic loss, past special damages, future expenses, past and future care and assistance, and past and future superannuation.

Tassis Group managing director Michael Tassis with younger brother Yianni Tassis, the owner of labour hire firm YDT Hospitality Pty Ltd. Picture: Instagram/michael_tassis

The largest amount sought is $360,000 for loss of future earning capacity.

All up, Mr Dini-Ay is seeking more than $500,000 worth of damages.

The two defendant companies, which were both contacted for comment, are yet to file a defence.

YDT Hospitality is owned by Yianni Tassis, whose father, George Tassis, established the first George’s Paragon restaurant on the Gold Coast decades ago.

Yianni’s brother Michael Tassis is the managing director of Tassis Group, one of the best-known restaurant empires in Queensland, led by heavy-hitters such as Opa Bar + Mezze, Fatcow on James St, Longwang, and Massimo Restaurant & Bar.

Originally published as Chef Larry Dini-Ay sues George’s Paragon, labour hire firm for more than half-a-million dollars