Gold Coast chef sues seafood restaurant George’s Paragon
A Gold Coast chef has filed a damages claim exceeding A$500,000 against prominent seafood restaurant George’s Paragon and labour hire company YDT Hospitality Pty Ltd, alleging workplace conditions led to a debilitating shoulder injury.
Ormeau-based chef Larry Dini-Ay, 44, lodged the claim in Southport District Court on 28 May, naming both his employer YDT Hospitality and Paragon Seafood (Peninsula and Sanctuary Cove) Pty Ltd, the operator of the Sanctuary Cove restaurant where he was deployed between November 2021 and October 2022.
Dini-Ay alleges that during this period, he was regularly required to lift heavy kitchen items, including frozen food boxes (10 kilograms), cooked octopus pots (35–50 kilograms), potato sacks (30 kilograms), and rubbish bags of similar weight.
“During the period of employment, the plaintiff experienced increasing levels of pain in his right shoulder from performing the above mentioned lifting tasks,” the claim states.
He said the pain intensified on or about 28 September 2022 after lifting 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.
The claim accuses the defendants of breaching their duty of care by failing to conduct adequate risk assessments, not implementing a two-person lift policy, failing to provide proper lifting training, and not ensuring sufficient staff were available for heavy tasks. It alleges the injury risk was foreseeable and significant.
Dini-Ay claims he sustained a soft tissue injury to his shoulder, an elbow injury, and a psychological injury secondary to the physical trauma. His claim includes general damages, economic loss, medical expenses, and superannuation. The largest individual amount sought is A$360,000 for future loss of earning capacity.
The defendants have yet to file a defence. Both companies were contacted for comment.
YDT Hospitality is owned by Yianni Tassis, whose father, George Tassis, founded the George’s Paragon brand. Yianni’s brother, Michael Tassis, heads the Tassis Group, which operates several high-profile Queensland venues including Opa Bar + Mezze and Fatcow on James Street.
Jonathan Jackson, 17th June 2025
