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Chefs talk about equipment and supply challenges, retention of trained manpower, being held to ransom by suppliers and much more.

Cruise liners pose the biggest competition for hotels in terms of trained chefs – how much truth lies in this?
SOUMYA GOSWAMI: Most chefs realise after a few years that they cannot leverage a cruise liner experience to come back and get better jobs .I do not consider it a threat.

SACHIN JOSHI: There are highly skilled chefs on cruise liners yes, but apart from that, I personally don’t think that poses any competition.

AMIT BHARADWAJ: This is true for candidates in a certain age group; the money is very good and it’s for a short time. I don’t cruise liners as a threat - I see them as an escape route for certain individuals to achieve the above, then they come back at pretty much the same designation. Very few individuals rise up the hierarchy: this is due to the fact that Indians are not encouraged to become management cadre on cruise liners.

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KARIM HASSENE: I think for a young chef yes, they need to have this experience for two seasons just to learn about a big level of cooking, cost savings and so on.

STEPHEN DOE: Yes I believe it’s true, however, even the cruise line industry has cut back hiring due to global economics.

How much onus is placed on you, as a chef, to maintain hygiene standards with vendors?
SOUMYA GOSWAMI: A lot of emphasis is placed on hygiene in vendors premises in our organisation; we inspect them before signing our contracts. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in this area through training and strict audits.

SACHIN JOSHI: Vendor hygiene plays a very important role in my day-to-day operations. All standards are mentioned in the contract. Every month there is a vendor audit which also includes hygiene aspects and there are mystery audits which take place at the vendor’s site. Daily hygiene is checked at the Receiving area and this responsibility is shared by chef as well as receiving manager.

AMIT BHARADWAJ: We have very high standards and specifications for vendors, with clearly written terms in the rate contracts, however, the suppliers are sometime unable to adhere to the same and then are penalised. These specifications are made by the chef and given to the purchase department as guidelines.

KARIM HASSENE: Between our purchasing department and my team of sous chefs we oversee a very high standard of hygiene with the vendors. Our suppliers adhere to the strictest hygiene standards or they won’t be supplying to any of the five-star hotels here in Udaipur.

STEPHEN DOE: This is part of the company procedure in that we check and inspect our vendors and also, have a preferred vendors list.

OUR DISTINGUISHED PANEL

SOUMYA GOSWAMI
EXECUTIVE CHEF AND CHEF DE CUISINE
THE OBEROI group
New Delhi
I am also wholly responsible for The Oberoi New Delhi. I believe there are no short cuts to success and have put in a lot of hard work to open three innovative restaurants since 2007. I was also instrumental in opening The Oberoi Patisserie and Delicatessen.

SACHIN JOSHI
EXECUTIVE CHEF
TAJ DECCAN,
HYDERABAD
My 18-years of experience in F&B production and five years as an executive chef have made me conform well to variations in trends and adapt to the seasonal influences in the hospitality industry.

AMIT BHARADWAJ
EXECUTIVE CHEF
ALILA DIWA, GOA
I started my career with The Oberoi Group. At various times, I have been an integral part of Casa Amore, Papa Pancho, Tea Centre, Joie de Vivre Pvt.Ltd, Hard Rock Café – India, ADF Foods Ltd, as well as DGM and consultant chef de cuisine for Caliente.I set up ‘Pet Pooja’ in Pune and also did innovative styling concepts for Dominos Pizza and Pepsi.

KARIM HASSENE
EXECUTIVE CHEF
THE LEELA PALACE KEMPINSKI, UDAIPUR
I began my career at the Hotel Management School, in Paris at the young age of 16 – and that’s where I learnt to make magic with my hands. Chef Gerard Vié, who owns a two-star Michelin restaurant in Versailles, has been one of the formative influences on my career. However, I feel no journey is complete without an enigmatic halt at India at India.

STEPHEN DOE
EXECUTIVE CHEF
JW MARRIOTT, MUMBAI
My first stint was at the Le Chien Qui Fume, which exposed me to gastronomic French fine dining. I have also worked with renowned chefs like Chef Jean Paul Naquin, currently executive chef at the Burj al Arab, who was my mentor during the opening of Atlantis Resort and Casino and the One & Only Ocean Club, both in the Bahamas, and Chef Jean Claude Garzia in Tokyo.