Beloved chef in fatal bike crash
A talented Tasmanian chef who was a foundation member of one of the state’s best restaurants has been remembered as a dedicated professional who loved animals and motorcycles after he died in a two-vehicle accident.
Newstead man Jim Handley, 31, was pronounced dead at the Launceston General Hospital on Saturday evening after he was involved in a collision with a small vehicle at the intersection of Doyne and Lindsay streets, Invermay, while riding his motorcycle.
Mr Handley was one of the longest-serving chefs at renowned Peppers Silo Hotel restaurant Grain of the Silos, having joined the kitchen before the venue’s opening in June 2018.
He completed his chef’s apprenticeship at Josef Chromy
Wines in the mid-2010s.
Launceston woman Carlynn Taggart-Berwick, who worked with Mr Handley for about three years at Grain of the Silos, said she received calls from former co-workers about 8pm, bearing news that would make her world crumble.
“They rang to let me know because they knew how much
I loved him,” she said.
“I was in disbelief, it didn’t really hit me until Sunday morning.
“All I did was cry and think about how I’ll never be able to tell him how much I love him again.”
Ms Taggart-Berwick said Mr Handley was always in tune with her emotions and acted as a big brother to her.
“He was genuine and kind. I’ve known him for over four years and he was always so kind to me. He’d make me eggs benny [benedict] at work on days I wasn’t doing well to cheer me up because he knew it was my favourite,” Ms Taggart-Berwick said.
“He was honestly the best person and he loved the team at Grain.”
Ms Taggart-Berwick described her friend as a “little nerdy” who “loved to make people laugh”.
“He had pets, a labrador and some fish that he would always show me pictures of,” she said. “He loved his bike and taking it on scenic drives.
“It’s a huge loss for everyone.”
It’s understood Mr Handley had a partner but no children.
Speaking on Sunday, Tasmania Police Inspector Craig Fox described the loss of Mr
Handley as a “tragic incident”.
He said there had been risktaking behaviour leading up to the incident, but it was too early to say which motorist was at fault, although the speed of Mr Handley’s motorcycle “will definitely be a major contributing cause of the crash”.
“This is a classic example of where a split-second decision of taking a risk has most likely ended in someone losing their life,” Inspector Fox said. No charges have been laid. The Mercury spoke briefly with Peppers Silo manager Paul Seaman, who referred queries onwards to Claire Haigh, vice-president of communications for Accor Pacific.
Ms Haigh has been contacted for comment.
Mr Handley is the 30th Tasmanian to lose their life on the state’s roads in 2023, figures show.
All I did was cry and think about how I’ll never be able to tell him how much I love him Carlynn Taggart-Berwick Co-worker