1. Looking back at your 18 years of hospitality journey, you certainly have climbed the hospitality ladder most gracefully, is there any one learning aspect/learning curve, that you wish to highlight about your journey?
It has been an amazing journey of almost 18 years filled with countless opportunities to learn and grow which has given me immense strength and confidence over the years. Throughout my journey in the industry I have been driven by an innate self-belief and gumption and have pursued assignments that have had few takers. I am a firm believer of ‘it is not over until it’s over’, and believe that one must relentlessly move forward despite the losses one has had in the journey. Only once you put trust and faith in self, will you be able to conquer the plan you’ve set out for.
2. From moved from F&B operations to moved to event sales to corporate – Sales and Marketing, What is the one aspect you carry forward from all these departments?
In all honesty and with humility, I have been able to make these radical changes early on in my career and pursue the road less travelled owing to the amazing mentors I have had the opportunity to grow with. The timely advice and feedback I received from them has shaped me into the person I am today. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of the best brands in the world over the past few years. Two very important motives that have kept me going is the zeal for challenges and belief that with a leap of faith, I will be able to drive a positive outcome in every task I take on. Having said that, the intensity of intent and effort eventually culminate into results.
3. Speaking about Sheraton Grand Pune, how has your journey been so far? What unique GM learnings do you bring into this hotel?
It’s been an amazing journey so far, even with all of the challenges we’ve faced. I joined the hotel right in the middle of the pandemic when the market was taking a severe hit due to all of the lockdowns and travel restrictions. We not only had to rebuild our teams from scratch, but also had to restore confidence and trust in the market while making sure that morale and energy stayed high within the team. Both consumer behaviour and spending patterns had changed drastically, because of which we had to alter our business plans and create new business streams. Our key ingredient to our success in the past year has been that we have been able restore operational excellence, drive profitability and great guest experiences. Most importantly, we re-invested in our key asset – our people.
4. The hotel reflects a strong aura, when it comes to its hospitality, how do you wish to maintain its legacy?
Sheraton Grand Pune indeed has a strong legacy of 23 years, backed by the loyalty of our patrons. Our vision is to further strengthen the hotel’s position as the only legacy address in Pune, known for its palatial architecture and outstanding hospitality experiences. As we gear up to celebrate our silver anniversary in March 2024, I wish for our guests to recognize how we built the hospitality space in Pune and continue to innovate and provide exceptional experiences for our discerning guests. In light of this, we recently launched Nuvo, our global contemporary restaurant. It’s one of the many steps that we are taking towards bringing unique and luxurious F&B concepts to today’s generation of go-getters who desire comfort and style. Chingari, our iconic rooftop restaurant, has served countless loyal customers throughout the years and with Nuvo, we hope to become a favourite dining destination for the next generation as well. With its one-of-a-kind atmosphere and excellent service, Nuvo is sure to provide an unforgettable dining experience that will have you coming back for more.
5. Where do you see yourself taking the hotel in the next 2 years?
Our endeavour is to build on our strong legacy, being the first international hotel in Pune. We are committed to reinforcing the hotel as a timeless address in the city given the glorious years the hotel has witnessed, and the special connect it has forged with our patrons in the past 23 years. We are driving initiatives to enhance revenues and achieve robust financial results. We’re doing this by offering innovative F&B offerings, whether it’s through our award-winning restaurant Chingari or through Nuvo. We know that we need to keep adapting to the ever-evolving tastes of our guests, so we continue to create meaningful experiences for them. Apart from that, our vision for the hotel is to continue fortifying its position as the go-to hotel in Pune not only because of its stunning architecture, but also for the unrivalled hospitality experiences we provide to our guests.
6. Are there any untapped opportunities can the hotel explore by utilising its existing F&B Infrastructure?
We very recently launched NUVO that stems from the desire to explore experiences that go beyond the ordinary. It offers its patrons a striking confluence of fashion, food and design.
Pune as an intimate market has a huge potential for celebration dining, social events, weddings and we see it as a great opportunity in uplifting the overall banqueting and catering experience. While we thought that takeaway as a concept was most relevant during the pandemic, we have come to realize that our guests continue to enjoy the fine dining experience in the comfort of their homes and hence our culinary leadership is working towards extending personalized menus from our award-winning restaurants.
Gifting dining experiences as a stream has evolved significantly in the past years as well, both for social and corporate clients. We have refocused our efforts to drive value for our guests, especially during festive season be it through our artisanal hampers, tailored menus and gifting solutions.
7. You are currently focusing on building a strong leadership team, Financial success and tremendous business growth for the hotel, how do you give your best in these times of growth?
The goal of any successful hotelier should be to increase market share while still providing excellent service that meets the new, up-and-coming trends. Good communication is essential to any business, but especially in the hospitality industry. It’s important to engage with your team, align everyone with the vision and goals of the hotel, and keep setting ambitious targets.
8. Reduced carbon footprint, care and concern for the hotel’s sustainability, water bottling plants etc currently play a vital role in the environmental domain, how does the hotel wish to further push its sustainability initiatives by 2024?
Keeping up with our global goal to drive positive and sustainable impact through our business, it is our constant endeavour to integrate sustainability across our operations, guest experiences, while continuing to support environmental initiatives locally.
We remain committed to arresting food wastage and have been working towards raising awareness and drive initiatives to curb this significantly within the hotel. We have installed a food waste convertor in-house basis which the manure is used for gardening. Additionally, we have an in-house waste water treatment plant wherein the treated water gets used for gardening and flushing system. The offsite solar energy power is being used to meet the energy requirements by the hotel.
9. Can you best describe your relationship with the hotel in 2-3 words?
The hotel is an extension of me and its success and prosperity is integral to my own personal success.
