Exclusive Interview | Anuj Kumar Bhagat,Executive Chef, Skyview by Empyrean
/“A chef’s job is stressful and challenging. It requires long hours of work, sometimes with only short breaks doing both physical and mental tasks. Patience is a must if you want to stick to your career.”
How did it all start? Share your culinary journey with us.
My culinary journey started in my culinary college. In fact, I realized during my first month at IHM Kolkata that this is the only field where I can work, and my interest developed and the culinary journey began from there. Then I started working with Welcome Heritage as a Kitchen Operation Trainee, where I quickly learned the trade secrets to becoming the Chef in Charge and leading the kitchen within three years of passing college. I never looked back and just kept my focus trying to do my best whether it was as Executive Sou Chef with The Maya Jalandhar or when I went to Bahrain with a restaurant chain or when I joined Orange County Luxury Resort, Coorg, where I worked for four years. I was part of the pre-opening team of Park Plaza Salem, from where I went to Dubai with Ramee Group for their flagship property in Internet City. Soon after I joined the pre-opening team of an upcoming hotel in Coimbatore and also Tamara Kodaikanal, Luxury Resort. I have also worked with Waterfront Shaw Lavasa and the Fazlani Nature Nest Pune. During the 2nd Lockdown, I joined Flight Catering in Chandigarh and have recently joined Skyview By Empyrean, a unique leisure and adventure destination where we have several F&B outlets catering to a wide variety of tastes throughout the day from fine dining to street food to barbeque and sizzlers. In the last 22 years, I have worked at close to a dozen hotels and F&B outlets and have been fortunate to travel from north to south and abroad gaining vast exposure, experience, and knowledge of local and international cuisine.
What are your earliest memories of the kitchens you worked in?
My earliest memory of a kitchen would be when I went for industrial training at the Airport Ashok Hotel in Kolkata. I started my training in the food production department's huge kitchen with all the required kitchen equipment, machinery, utensils, and tools. Worked there for 45 days, doing all sorts of work from dishwashing to kitchen helper and assisting chefs in their day-to-day mise-en-place. Grinding masalas, making the paste, working in butchery, etc. I enjoyed every moment spent there and this golden opportunity to do my industrial training at Airport Ashok Kolkata helped me. My basics became very strong and I would thank those chefs who made the effort to teach me and be my guiding light.
A dish your patrons/guests love
Soups and Pasta are some of the dishes, which I prepare, and most of my guests love these dishes.
A dish that you love but do not have on your menu
This list is long, as I have been to so many places in India and abroad, and worked at so many hotels, resorts, and even wellness resorts, where I picked up new techniques, regional influences, incorporating local ingredients, here are a few dishes that i enjoy preparing:
Cold Cucumber Soup
Red and Yellow bell pepper Soup
Peshawari Kadhai Murgh
Grilled Prawns with Cous Cous and Lemon Butter Sauce
Grilled Lamb Chops with Mashed Potato and roast gravy
And some dishes from a health and wellness perspective are:
Vegan Broccoli Frittata
Whole wheat Waffle
Ragi Veggie Uttapam
Tofu and Vegetable patties
Rice and Soya Dhansak
What according to you does it take to become a successful chef?
The best motivation is passion. Being passionate in what you do simply means loving what you are doing. Since our job entails spending most of the time in the kitchen, it means cooking more often than just for meals. I would advise budding chefs to get to know kitchen tools, equipment, and basic food preparation as this will help build confidence.
Another golden rule is practice, practice, practice! Honing your skills means performing over and over until you master them.
A chef’s job is stressful and challenging. It requires long hours of work, sometimes with only short breaks doing both physical and mental tasks. Patience is a must if you want to stick to your career.
What advice would you give to a young culinary student?
Learn to communicate clearly.
Always show up early
Try and get into a routine and rhythm
Know your menu backward and forwards
Clean yourself and your workstation often
Consider going to a good culinary school
What instruments/ equipment/devices you cannot imagine working without?
The knife is the most important tool for chefs. Also, Combi Ovens available in most professional kitchens have made complex cooking tasks easier for chefs.
Your favorite ingredient is…
A basic ingredient like “Salt and Sugar” has the ability to make or break a dish
Name chefs, you find amazing or chefs’ work you admire.
Master Chef Dewan Chand Kholi, Noor Us Sabha Palace (A welcome Heritage Hotel) with whom I worked during my starting days.
What books should every chef read?
Basic of Cookery, Theory of Cookery, Larousse Gastronomy, Book of Ingredients and keep an eye on the latest trends published.
