A hotelier should have a combination of skills, attitude, and entrepreneurial approach. Emotional intelligence plays a big role and all of these are stepping stones towards success.
Read MoreRead MoreCulinary is not a joke, it is a dead serious profession. You are playing with the taste bud of the guests. For me, it is just not a career but it is a lot more than that.
A true passion for service; An innate ability to grasp concepts quickly; Anticipation of another human being’s needs; Attention to detail in every sense; and a Drive to be the best at what you do while staying humble.
Read MoreIt takes several years of training and experience to become a chef.
Read MoreTwo things you would like to change in the industry.
Read MorePerception of people towards the work requirement in the industry.
Companies should set clear goals for the progress of an individual for becoming global leaders.
Read MoreDon’t just come to wear a nice chefs coat, click food pictures to post on Social media, being a chef is far more than this. Have patience and work hard, respect your colleagues and seniors.
Interns or freshers should Keep their eyes & ears open – asking questions & improving knowledge base apart from textbooks: is extremely essential.
Read MorePassion, Perseverance, Patient. But most important the right behaviour and love to serve. Emotional intelligence plays a big role as well that you succeed.
Read MoreRead MoreIn order to become a good chef, one needs to understand the taste buds of their guests and needs to play with the creativity while curating.
Editor: How did it all start? Share your culinary journey with us
People always remarked “your mother cooks really well” and I knew that. Meanwhile, my grandmother encouraged me to be self-sufficient, dream big and take on the world. And so it all started with me wanting to cook as well as my mother and to cook for my grandmother to make her happy. I received a Certificate of Cooking from Nha Trang’s Huong Duong Vocational Centre and started my career at Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel and Spa in 2012. I worked at Sheraton Seoul D Cube Hotel in South Korea, Aloft Al Ain in Abu Dhabi, JW Marriott Phu Quoc & Sun Aqua Iru Veli at the Maldives before joining Alma as a Sous Chef in September 2019.
Editor: What are your earliest memories of the kitchens you worked in
Before I started my career, I thought kitchens would always be full of happy and smiling chefs who would welcome me with open arms! However, when I started out I asked my immediate boss how I could help and what I should do and he didn’t respond to me. He just kept quiet and continued with his job. I wasn’t sure why; perhaps he wanted to see if the new staff would sink or swim in the deep end. It felt like he wanted to prove he was the boss and make the new staff feel afraid of him and of the kitchen. I was so hungry to learn but I felt so bad as I really did not know what to do in this busy and tough environment. So I left him alone and went about attending to the buffet live station, keeping busy there serving the guests while he focused on the a la carte menu.
During those first few months, when I was a commis chef making omelettes at the live station, the guests and their compliments gave me a glimmer of hope. So many guests would come up to me and say thank you. The fact that I was helping them start the day on a positive note made me feel a bit more confident in the kitchen.
My immediate boss eventually came up to me and said that if I saw he was busy, I should come and help. He started showing me how to do everything in the kitchen and I was really grateful for the guidance. I worked hard to learn everything and started really enjoying kitchen life.
Kitchens can be tough, particularly when you’re starting out, yet they can also be very rewarding. You need to be eager to learn and persevere.
Editor: A dish your patrons/guest love
Broken rice.
Editor: A dish that you love but do not have on your menu.
Pan-fried Lizardfish with shallots, spring onion, black pepper & salt. The fish is served with steamed Jasmine rice and coriander sauce. It’s a dish my grandmother made throughout my childhood.
Editor: What according to you does it take to become a successful chef?
To become a successful chef, you should have good knowledge of food and be creative, patient, a team player & a good listener & communicator. A good tongue and a good stomach are crucial so you can taste all of the different dishes 😉😉😉.
Editor: What advice would you give to a young culinary student?
You need to work smart and be modest and honest. Do what you love, love what you do. The important thing is you should cook food with all of your heart.
Editor: What instruments/ equipment/devices you cannot imagine working without?
A knife to cut and a spoon to taste.
Editor: Your favorite ingredient is…
Salt-life seasoning.
Editor: Name chefs, you find amazing or chefs work you admire.
Chef Duncan Morrison and Chef Nguyen Minh Phuc.
Editor: What books should every chef read?
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.
A hotelier needs to be committed, flexible, quality-oriented, guest-centric with an eye for detail to be successful. Of course, you can not skip from hard work to be a successful hotelier.
Read MoreRead MoreThere are only two things that lead to success in this industry, patience and perseverance
“Focus” on your basics and never forget your roots!
Read MoreRead More“There is nothing called a perfect world out there so what matters is your attitude, be experimental and never forget one can be as good as his team. is it’s all about teamwork out there.”
Read MoreThe most important thing if possible will be to change the perception of people towards the work requirement of hospitality industry wherein people assume a job of a chef as to be that of making food while it’s an art similarly people look at Housekeeping as a menial job while the kind of eye for detailing & passion is involved is not respected. This has to be changed and this can only be changed only if the industry propagates this first.
Create unique experiences. Today guest doesn’t buy rooms or villas, they buy experiences.
Read More“Keep trying with a practical approach, success will come one day!”
Dr.Amaresh Kumar
Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
I am from a teacher family, coming from Sita Mata's birthplace called Sitamarhi. I did my BHM from oriental school lakkidi land of mists, along with that I did my International diploma in Hospitality management. Later working with Sheraton in India ( Bangalore ) I did my MBA in tourism & hotel management later did Ph.D. in Tourism & hotel management. I had written an interview booklet called Pinnacle for the hospitality industry.
Later I joined Executive Housekeeper with Four points Sheraton & CY Marriott 2015 to 2018. Currently with Vividus hotels as Director of Housekeeping.
Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
It is how you cope up with situations & keep learning how to deal with new people & how innovative are you.
Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
They should have time management skills. Everyone should have trait-like learn & excel.
Editor: What according to you can trainees do while they are training at hotels to make it a win-win for them & the hotel/unit?
Trainees should make their own schedule after work they learn technical aspects which will help them in the future.
Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
Smart washroom,
App-based check-in, steam cleaning, online reservation web portals are new trends in the hospitality industry
Editor: Tech is now an enabler for great hospitality. Can you share with us some of the techs that goes into creating your guest experience?
Mobile check-in planned for Vividus hotels guest can open rooms from phone & control guest room lights from the phone itself.
Editor: Two things you would like to change in the industry.
The hotel industry should pay equally in all departments.
Happiness meter to be inducted for employee show that daily one should know how is employee doing .
“Being an academician myself, I would also like to change the way hospitality education is being imparted and we have taken the step by starting Servo Hospitality School where our key focus is on experiential learning”
Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
One of the most defining characteristics of Indian culture is hospitality and I have been bought up to the common phrase of “Atithi Devo bhava,” meaning, “Guests are forms of God.” Hosting guests at home during vacation is one of the fond nostalgic memories I have of my childhood. This is perhaps what instilled in me an interest in hospitality, and I choose Hotel Management as a career option. I completed my Hotel Management training from MS Ramaiah University and started my career with Taj Gateway in Bangalore.
Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
It is Passion, Discipline, Hard work, and Patience that are the key virtues that every hotelier must possess and make it a part of their professional life. Leadership skills are also a prerequisite once you start managing big teams.
Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
We look forward to hiring passionate people who are open to learning, carry a good attitude, and have good communication skills. If any candidate fulfils the above attributes, he is the right candidate for us.
Editor: What according to you can trainees do while they are training at hotels to make it a win-win for them & the hotel/unit?
They need to be more responsible about their attitude and their learning. Trainees need to be proactive and inculcate the belief that learning is their own responsibility.
Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
The millennials and Gen X travel trends are different compared to others. They are more focused on new experiences rather than focus on luxury. They are more inquisitive and always on the lookout for something new. We as hospitality professionals should start creating experiences for the new age travelers. Personalization of experiences is also one of the key requirements of the new age travellers.
Editor: Tech is now an enabler for great hospitality. Can you share with us some of the techs that go into creating your guest experience?
Technology makes processes faster and more accurate. Data is the new gold and we as an industry have also started focussing on the same. Incorporation of Artificial Intelligence in our reservations, feedback mechanisms, revenue management, and food orders will drive the growth of the industry in the years to come. In the expansion phase at Hotel Ramada, Dehradun, we are also looking at AI integration and creating smart rooms with Smart Locks and many other features including Alexa integration. Future is tech-driven and in countries like Japan and China, bots have been put to use to do many jobs that were earlier performed by humans.
Editor: Two things you would like to change in the industry.
Firstly, the way teams are being managed. Secondly, work timings in the hospitality industry. Being an academician myself, I would also like to change the way hospitality education is being imparted and we have taken the step by starting Servo Hospitality School where our key focus is on experiential learning.
Editor: What can we expect in the coming year?
Gen X is going to drive the changes in the next few years. Sustainability is going to get a lot of focus and every hotel brand is working towards the same. It is all going to be about the data and tech-driven decision making and creating a personalized hospitality experience for every traveller.
How did it all start? Share your culinary journey with us
I started helping my grandmother and mother cook when I was younger and instantly loved it. I often went out to dinner with my parents, family & friends; I really enjoyed the experience and the joy it brought me. What made it more special was that we spent all of our celebrations and special occasions together in restaurants and I soon realized that the atmosphere in a restaurant makes people happy and, thus, I wanted to work in this environment and become a chef.
What are your earliest memories of the kitchens you worked in?
As a child, we used to visit the same restaurant often and during that time we became friends with the chef, who offered me a summer holiday job when I was 14 years old. That was the first time I worked in a restaurant kitchen. He guided me and showed me the ins and outs of working in a kitchen, opening a whole new world for me.
A dish your patrons/guest love
Tortelli stuffed with fresh scallop and pumpkin puree.
A dish that you love but do not have on your menu
Fresh artichoke salad with shaved bottarga (dried mullet roe)
What according to you does it take to become a successful chef?
You should really have a passion for the job as it requires a lot of time and dedication.
What advice would you give to a young culinary student?
Strive to learn as much as you can about other cuisines and travel to broaden your knowledge and skills. Set goals for yourself and push yourself to reach them.
What instruments/ equipment/devices you cannot imagine working without?
A pasta machine. This is a must-have in an Italian kitchen and I cannot imagine working without one.
Your favourite ingredient is…
Sea urchin.
Name chefs, you find amazing or chefs work you admire
The chef I worked with while growing up, Chef Alessandro Visentin, was my mentor. I really look up to him and appreciate everything I learned from him. I also really admire chefs Antonio Cannavaciolo and Norbert Niederkofler.
What books should every chef read?
I would say that every chef should read books by Gualtiero Marchesi - he made kitchen history.
Editor: How did it all start? Share your culinary journey with us
Thank you for your question, well it will be a long story, however, I will summarize it as short as I can My culinary journey basically since I was a kid, I was loving cooking at an early stage as a teen, I always catch my own food and cooks my own lunch back home from school, how ever it starts from the feeling I went to engineering college at first after several attempts I just realize I am not too good with one of those and my brotherThank you for your question, well it will be a long story, however, I will summarize it as short as I can My culinary journey basically since I was a kid, I was loving cooking at an early stage as a teen, I always catch my own food and cooks my own lunch back home from school, how ever it starts from the feeling I went to engineering college at first after several attempts I just realize I am not too good with one of those and my brother advised me to take the culinary school in 2002 , and however I tried it & start to love it and graduate at 2003 thanks to my brother who adviced me.
I start apprentice in Hyatt group hotel at 2002 -2003, after graduated school, I apply for a job thru competition of cooking and one of the chefs look at my talent and directly hiring me as senior commis (not helper or second commis and after working a year I get promoted to chef de partie
I worked for around 12 years in my country throughout the archipelago of the countries In 2011 I was working at Jakarta in an international chain hotel which just starts to get a huge grip in the hospitality industry, i worked there for 3 years with 2 times promotion I held my second executive pastry chef position there, including I did the competition with an awarded silver medal at showpieces, bronze medals for plated dessert and runner up in Asian pastry cup
In 2015 I joined the Westin hotel in Bali and in 2016 I joined The Biltmore luxury hotel as a pre-opening executive chef which is the most luxurious hotel in Georgia.
In 2018 I left Georgia to work in regency corp, Intercontinental Hotel I was learning my art sugar and chocolate directly with chef Ewald Notter (world champion 2001) and Chef Stephane Treand MOF
Editor: What are your earliest memories of the kitchens you worked in
Well at that time I working at pastry and bakery all in, one person in a single shift produce everything Alone including A La Carte, well the best things is I learn a lot and spend times more than 15 hours a day in the kitchen, and at the earliest time education in the real-life kitchen not like recently a bit violence and hard not for fainted heart, you will get sue if you practicing recently haha
Editor: A dish your patrons/guest love
Well overall guest always love my product, however, I always customize the dish for special guest, the pastry philosophy is you need to update your creation with knowledge and technology so you are forbidden to leave behind One of my favorite dishes is the classic one with personal and modern touch like modified millefeuille, etc
Editor: A dish that you love but do not have on your menu
Currently, I did nikkei dessert however I need to put it out due to the demand for more guest like classic
Editor: What according to you does it take to become a successful chef?
Plain and simple “you are a successful chef if your team member as good as you did and operation still smooth whether you around or not “ so they keep hunger and need to be developing
Editor: What advice would you give to a young culinary student?
You need to be All in, being chef the sweetest fruit will come to you at the end-stage not the first or middle stage, so always do perfect regarding the odds and accelerate maximum in your careers at an early stage with knowledge and hard work
Editor: What instruments/ equipment/devices you cannot imagine working without?
Well, a good chef needs to accomplish the job at the end, that’s why it needs creativity and improvisation, I was in charge with kitchen almost zero equipment at an early stage on my careers, so it will sharp your senses and improvisation But If you insist I will mention a thermometer.
Editor: Your favorite ingredient is…
My favorite ingredient is vanilla beans
Editor: Name chefs, you find amazing or chefs work you admire
Well I work with Chef Darren Lauder award-winning chef and he is a judge in WACS so my works been judged every single day just like a competition, that’s what makes you.
Editor: What books should every chef read?
I recommended the french laundry book Thomas Keller and the specific pastry is Matter Chocolat by Stephane Leroux.
everything hospitality
only hospitality
Eclat Hospitality Weekly Newsletter - 43 by Eclat Hospitality
This is edition: ^ Career Article Of The Week: Bridging the Knowing-Doing Gap ^ Our Open Positions ^ Stuff We Loved This Week
Read on Substack
