Our People in QLD
Charlie Van Beelen - Bli Bli
Good cooks are hard to find and they don’t come much better than Charlie Van Beelen.
The man behind Bli Bli Butchery’s prize-winning sausages and pies devotes a couple of weeks each year to the RAAF Reserve, cooking for young airfield defence guards during their field training.
After nine years with the Navy and 11 years with the full-time Air Force, Charlie joined the RAAF Reserve in 1996 and stayed with it ever since.
“They’re struggling to get cooks when they go away on field trips,” Charlie said.
“Plus it’s a bit extra pocket money for me, so it all adds up.”
Charlie recently flew to WA with Amberley-based 1st Air Field Defence Squadron while it complete training to defend RAAF people and aircraft from ground based threats.
“The dollars help and being away from the shop gets you a bit of a break,” Charlie said. “I’ve got a good manager there so that I can walk away at any time and know that it’s in good hands.”
The store came second in the Australia-wide Sausage King contest in 2008-09 and won the Queensland Pie and Pastry Competition this year and last.
And when Charlie goes away the hungry young riflemen know they’re on a bonus, with fresh pies among the dishes on offer.
“I get the satisfaction that I’m helping these guys out,” Charlie said. “With my own butcher shop, I can give them a little bit extra on the butchering side.”
And Charlie is a big fan of the ADF as a mentor for young people. “I think they come out a lot more disciplined – self disciplined, which a lot of them don’t know about,” he said. “And a lot more experienced – they grow up a lot quicker. I know I did.”