What does your job entail on a daily basis?
I manage the entire kitchen operations at Ista, Bangalore. We have two restaurants – Zaman, the fine dining Awadhi restaurant, and Lido, an all day coffee shop. There is also the Liquid lounge that has fast become a favourite place for Bangloreans for its green setting and great F&B.
In addition, we have 143 rooms, and my kitchen takes care of the room service too.
What is your favourite part of this job?
Variety, it keeps me going. The fact that I need to serve new dishes every day, look for newer and more interesting recipes to regale my regular guests, research for regional specialties, all this keeps me on my toes and keeps me passionate about my job.
How do you motivate yourself to parts of your job that you do not like?
The only thing that I dislike about my job is the long hours. On some days, I need to put in about 10-14 hours and that can get very tiring.
I get no time to do other things that I enjoy and because of my work hours everything takes a back seat.
But I try to keep going by doing new things, or getting old things done in a new way. Ours is a very interesting industry and there can be lots of innovation, if one wants.
That’s what keeps me going.
What would you like to be reborn as and why?
I do believe in re-incarnation, so also believe that I may have another chance at being born as a human being. If I do, I would like to follow the same profession in my next life.
I don’t feel being a chef is only my profession, it is my personality, the person I am.
What is your all time favorite movie and why?
I am not a movie buff but I enjoy action, thrillers and comedies. I also enjoy watching movies with my children and we all love Garfield.
If you could do any job in the world what would it be?
I’d like to be a photographer, shooting beautiful models on the beach. No seriously, I’d like to be a fashion photographer, that’s one calling I’ve missed. I love photography and would have liked to take it up as a profession if I was not a chef.
Which celebrities have you met at work and what were they like?
In my 22 years of being a chef in the best hotels in India, I have met a number of celebrities. Believe me, they all love food, even the anorexic ones they have all loved my salads. I shall take no names, but yes, I have fed some of the most beautiful women in the country. Bipasha Basu, for instance, would visit Hyatt Regency whenever she was in Kolkatta, I really admire her. Jagjit Singh and the poet, Gulzar, have loved my fish preparations, and Jagjit Singh would always ask for my shorshe maachh. I really feel great when someone remembers the dish I made for them, and enjoys it. Narendra Modi and Tina Ambani have been my guests too.
One thing I have noticed is that almost every celebrity we have entertained has been modest and good humoured. I have never encountered any airs or maybe it’s because I am a chef they are very cordial and respectful for me.
Which is your favourite hotel in the world?
I know many people find it ostentatious, but I really think Jumeirah Beach is the best hotel in the world. Not because it is expensive but because it manages to incorporate tradition along with wealth and modernity. I think it is an extremely beautiful place, at a great location.
