In a classic case of boy meets grill, David Baldwyn has earned the nickname of “King of the Barbie.”

The Englishman ate his first-ever BBQ meal at the age of 90. Now David not only loves the smokey taste but volunteers to help chef Made Widiana cook the meat to perfection at the regular BBQ lunches at Uniting AgeWell Manor Lakes Community where he lives.

“Not bad for an Englishman who spent his whole life eating traditional meals like bangers and mash and pies,” laughs David as he sports a chef’s hat and a special apron the staff have given him bearing the slogan “King of the Barbie.”

The nearly 91-year-old is certainly in his element as he expertly turns over skewers and chops. “I love volunteering to help out,” he says. “It’s fun and it’s good to be busy.”

David and his late wife, Ursula, who originally hailed from Malta, lived in the UK until 2011 when they moved to Melbourne to join their daughter. Their son lives in Germany.

Ursula later moved into Manor Lakes when she needed higher care and after she passed away, David lived on his own for a while before moving in for extra support.

“The staff are all very kind and I’ve made good friends,” the great-grandfather says. “They look after me very well.”

But while David has developed a taste for meat done on the BBQ, not all iconic Australian food and drink gets his tick of approval.

“I’ve had flat white coffees twice now – just give me a cuppa tea any day!”

Find out more about Manor Lakes Community.