Exclusive Interview | Chef Lallan Kumar, Executive Chef, Evershine Resort

Editor: How did it all start? Share your culinary journey with us

I have started my journey with Hotel Management from SAMS IHM Varanasi from 2005 to 2008 which I have completed my BSC HM Degree from SAMS IHM  Varanasi. I have done 6-month industrial training from Claremont Hotel New Delhi in all 4  Major Department ( Front Office, Housekeeping, F&B Service & F&B  Productions) 

Also, I have done 3 Months of Vocational training from ( ITC Fortune Gurugram, TAJ Gange Vanarasi) 

I have started my culinary journey with Neemrana Fort-Palace Rajasthan after that  many places experience like, ITC Welcome Pine N Peak Hotel Pahalgam, ITC  

Fortune Pune, KEYS HOTEL & finally with Evershine Resort as Executive Chef.  also I have worked out of India, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Russia, Iran & Oman) 

Editor: What are your earliest memories of the kitchens you worked in

Best Memories I have captured when I have made Kashmiri Kukkad with my own recipes.

Editor: A dish your patrons/guest love

Kulfi Pav Bhaji & Palak Kofta with Chukander ki salan 

Editor: A dish that you love but do not have on your menu

Couscous Ghost Dum Biryani with Gur Kerry ki Chutni

Editor: What according to you does it take to become a successful chef?

• Dedications on work

• Dedications on learning 

• Learn To Lead As Well As Manage 

• Have a passion for food 

• Spend time in the kitchen  

• Get a Culinary Arts Job

• Get familiar with the industry, Hone your skills 

• Work Ethic and Stamina, Management Skills 

Understand That The Top Line Drives The Bottom Line, Know How To Build the Brand 

Editor: What advice would you give to a young culinary student?

• Dedications on work 

• Development and learning skills 

• Read maximums Culinary books 

• Define Your Goals 

• Focus on the Goal 

• Be Ready to Ask Questions & Listen to the Answers

Editor: What instruments/ equipment/devices you cannot imagine working without?

Knife & temperature thermometer 

Editor: Your favorite ingredient is…

Kasuri Methi & Rose Petals

Editor: Name chefs, you find amazing or chefs work you admire

Jerson Fernandes. Executive Chef at Novotel Hotels 

Manish Kusumwal Corporate Chef at Keys Hotels 

Editor: What books should every chef read?

Laurus book 

Food nutrition books

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Exclusive Interview | Dr Manoj Srivastava, Professor, Manipal University Jaipur

Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?

Mobile bookings. There has been a large increase in mobile bookings. More guests are using their mobile devices to search and book hotels. This is one trend that is sure to continue in the years to come.  

Utilizing sophisticated distribution channel management that allows the client to specify a  plan for a unique hotel. For hotels seeking to tap beyond the local travel marketplace, global connectivity is vital. However, this isn’t easy. There are countless buyers (such as  Travel Agents and Corporate) and sellers (competitor hotels, resorts, serviced apartments,  hostels, etc.) that are a part of the global hospitality niche. In this competitive and confusing  scenario, 

Cloud-based systems. With the ease of access, the ability to update in real-time, and no bulky hardware, cloud-based Property Management Systems (PMS) are sweeping the industry. 

Content and social media marketing. With a strong online presence, properties are able to create brand awareness, establish their authority and gain the trust of guests. 

Shifting the focus to direct bookings. Online Travel Agencies take a large portion of hotels’  budgets, so properties are looking to revamp their sites to increase direct bookings instead of going through online travel agencies. 

Investing in visual media. Videos and photos are a great way to show – rather than tell – guests what to expect.  

Offering high-quality food. With a growing culture of foodies, guests are focusing on the quality of food available while travelling. There is a growing demand for healthy, natural & locally sourced options while on the road.  

Editor: Two things you would like to change in the industry.

A happy and stress-free work environment leads to more productivity and improves the performance of the employees.

Improved Role of Human resource in employee empowerment and training. Helping the employee in his Professional, Personal and social life balance would be the key areas that need attention.

The changes which are happening in the industry must be informed to the employees and to be prepared for some modern change in their learned skills. This reskilling is somehow necessary because of the changes in the industry.

Editor: What do you expect the industry to do to support academics?

Integration

The industry could support with a partnership or in the form of MOU between academics and industry by exchanging the current requirements of the industry so that institutions could add in their syllabi and help to improve education and training to meet the industry requirement to prepare industry-ready stuff / employable at the University or Institution Level.

Integrating the needs and wants of the industry and a close partnership could give fruitful results. These can provide more comprehensive preparation at the academic level.

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?

The most important thing is to make relevant yourself to the changing conditions of the job market by avoiding the fear of unemployment and making yourself an effective employee for seeking jobs. After confronting those challenges, the focus will be on learning and relearning for upgrading the skills and to make relevant themselves in the domain.

Profile

Dr. Manoj Srivastava is a Ph.D. from Manipal University Jaipur. Over three decades of experience in Hospitality Industry & Academia, Food Production Research, resulting made 9 culinary based Limca Book of World Record. For which he was honoured with Honorius Causa from England.

As a professor in the field of hospitality, join the Hospitality Industry in 1990 when he joined the Taj Group of Hotels. He rose quickly to product development and research. Joined Australian Bakels as National Support Manager & Worked around ten years in research. Then left the industry and joined Academics to set up Maharishi Aravind School of hotel management Jaipur as HOD.

He also commissioned the Hotel school of Gyan vihar University Jaipur as Principal. And rose to be the Member Academic Council, Board of studies & the Rajasthan Technical University as Member Academic Board Hospitality education.

He later joined the Manipal University Jaipur and is a Professor at The School of Hotel Management.

As a Full Professor, also contribute as an active Member of Different Academic & Professional Bodies like Board of Studies, Academic councils, Inspection Committees, Advisor for many hospitality institutions, Curriculum development & Updating, Introduced and successfully operated new Programs like BHMTT, BBA H& T, MBA HA and Patent search, R&D, engaged as an expert of Hospitality education in Rajasthan University, Rajasthan Technical University. Indian Hospitality Congress (IHC), International Society of Hospitality Education (ISHE), MTC Global, Indian Accounting Association, Indian Council of Hospitality Education (ICHE) At Present associated as Professor, Manipal School of Hotel Management.

He is authored a Book “The Art of research in Hospitality” and wrote 12 research papers in National and International journals of repute. He is on the board of many Journal as an Editorial Board member & Reviewer of Hospitality & Tourism.

For his contribution to hospitality education in India he has received many awards and recognitions some of them are:

⮚ Made Nine Limca Book of Records as a tangible result of research.

⮚ Honorius Causa Doctorate from World records University, U.K.

⮚ For the Service in Hospitality Education. Educational Institute of American Hotel & Lodging Association,

⮚ ”Shiksha Shiromani Award” Global Achievers Foundation, Uttrakhand. ⮚ “Jewel of India Award “for education excellence. From IIEM, Delhi ⮚ “Global Education Ambassador” MTC Global Education Appointed ⮚ “For outstanding contribution to the hospitality education “Chartered Accountant Association of India honored

⮚ Ph.D. From Manipal University Jaipur

⮚ Lifetime achievement award-2020- DHS foundation, in collaboration with Campbell University, North Carolina, USA

Associations & Activities

⮚ President World chef choice federation.

⮚ Chairman-Board of Studies, MUJ / External Member: Board of studies School of J&MC, MUJ

⮚ Editorial Board Member & Reviewer “Journal of Hotel Management (JHM), Med carve International Journal. U.K

⮚ Member –Board of studies, Academic Council, Faculty Board, MUJ ⮚ Member-Anti-Ragging Committee Manipal University Jaipur

⮚ Member -ISTD(Indian Society of Training & Development)

⮚ Life-Member -International Society for Hospitality Education(ISHE) ⮚ Life-Member- Indian Hospitality Congress (IHC)

⮚ Life-Member- Indian Accounting Association (IAA)

⮚ Life-Member –Indian Commerce Association (ICA)

⮚ Ex-Member – Board of Studies (Rajasthan Technical University, Kota) ⮚ BOS Member Rajasthan ILD Skill University, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, S. Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, BJMC MUJ,

⮚ Ex-Chairman- BOS, SGVU – HMCT, Member – Board of Management, Academic Council SGVU.

⮚ Examiner-Rajasthan University, Rajasthan Technical University, Amity University, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur,

⮚ Leader- Rajasthan Group in Jamboree (Scouting) at Bodh Gaya, Bihar. ⮚ First-class Scout. Received 26 Batches. Nominated for President Award in Scouting.

Exclusive Interview | Alma Resort’s Executive Sous Chef Mai Ly Huong

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.