About Criticism : Chef’s life is full of surprises. One man’s poison is another man’s cure, is an old age saying and I have experienced that many times in my career. There have been many a times, that a guest has returned the dish curated by me. I have learnt following things from these experiences- Every guest is special and treat their differences with patience and sensitivity. Its most important to be empathetic and listen to the guest (Mind you Listen and not just Hear)Do not try to push by saying that this is how the dish is made on the contrary, ask for specific feedback and curate what the guest needs. If its beyond your expertise, then offer alternative sources. Colloborations : Many things are already being done today through social media and various chefs groups on whatsapp keep sharing their experiences and offer help and support in case someone wants it. Being advanced technologically, we chefs can connect over live transmissions of lectures and mentoring without having to physically travel to such locations. Chefs conclaves are another great platforms, where all chefs form different companies, come together under one roof and exchange ideas. Young chefs are very energetic and full of ideas. I would like to see a young chef in my kitchen, who is humble, positive and always willing to improve. Continuous improvement is the key mantra for budding chefs. These traits go a long way in creating solid chefs, who can work in stressful environments efficiently and effectively Indian food i s the ta l k and the fl avour of the worl d today. Thanks to chefs such as Vi neet Bha ti a , Mani sh Mehrotra , Chef Gaggan and Chef Ga rima and many others who have made the peopl e rea l i se tha t I nd i an food i s much more than a curry and a naan. I feel proud when I see more and more I nd i an chefs getti ng Mi chel l i n sta rs and thi s defi ni tel y i nsti l s the confi dence tha t we a re on the right pa th. To make the I nd i an food best, we shoul d concentra te on ea rthy fl avours, organi c and seasona l food , whi ch i s trad i tiona l , whol esome, fresh and nutri ti ve. Paul o cohel os Al chemi st hel ped me rea l i se my d reams. I ts one of the best books tha t I have read . What message you want to give to young chefs out there? Perseverance, passion, d i scipl i ne and conti nuous l ea rni ng and devel opment a re wha t a re requi red to become a successful chef i n thi s i ndustry. There i s no short cut to success. I wi l l urge a l l of budd i ng chefs to focus on basi c l i ke kni fe ski l l s, understand i ng i ng red ients, the way the food reacts wi th one other to crea te fl avours and textures. Bui l d i ng a strong founda tion i n ea rl ier stages of your ca reer wi l l hel p you to be a crea ti ve chef i n future. #FINEDININGINDIAN | 28 September 2019
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