Exclusive Interview | Maria Bou Eid, General Manager, The House Hotel Jeddah CityYard
/Simply stand out in everything you do, no matter how simple and small it is.-Maria Abu Eid
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Ullas Arora, Food and Beverage Manager, Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida.
/Traits like Resilience, Empathy & Genuine Problem Solving Attitude give you the X-Factor to deal with all kinds of people in the Hospitality Industry-Ullas Arora
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Vivek Chauhan, Executive Pastry chef, Le Meridien Delhi
/While passion for cooking is necessary to be successful as a chef, following senior chefs and their respective stints also play a role to enhance the horizons of learning. At the end of the day, it's your practice and that smile on your face will make a difference.-Chef Vivek Chauhan
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Chef Anirban Dasgupta - Executive Chef, Radisson Blu Hotel Spa, Nashik
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Determination, discipline, and practice are the three core principles for anyone to be successful-Chef Anirban Dasgupta
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Ankush Verma, Executive Housekeeper,Ozen Reserve Bolifushi
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Conscientious, Compassionate, Persistent, Resilient, and above all the Attitude is what makes a difference in one's success.-Ankush Verma
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Jai Kishan, General Manager, New World Phu Quoc Resort, Vietnam
/Our core values of Innovation, Collaboration, Transparency, Ownership, and Service from the Heart at every touchpoint are the success mantra for any business.
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Ian Mahajan, Food and Beverage Manager | Raffles Seychelles
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“one needs to be humble yet bold, be composed, yet positively aggressive. ”
Introduction: Ian Mahajan is an alumnus of IHM Bangalore with 16 years of industry experience in Food and Beverage. During this career journey, he worked with many brands like Marriott, Hyatt, Accor to name a few. Currently, he is the Food and beverage manager in Raffles Seychelles
Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
I started in 2005 with JW Marriott Juhu after completing my BSc in hospitality from Bangalore, India. Then moved to Dubai and spent a little over a decade there, working with Hyatt and Minor International. To test the waters (not quite literally) I moved to Seychelles, worked with the Four Seasons followed Accor - Raffles which is my current home ground.
Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
Perception management, endurance, dedication, a lot of passion, and even more patience. You need to be humble yet bold, be composed, yet positively aggressive.
Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
Needs to Have an engaging personality, ambitious and passionate
Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
Sustainability, conscious eating, seamless technology, a dynamic approach towards everything, timeless travel gave the current situation
Editor: Tech is now an enabler for great hospitality. Can you share with us some of the techs that go into creating your guest experience?
Strong wifi
Mobile apps
Whatsapp communication
mobile check-ins
Editor: Two things you would like to change in the industry.
The hiring process
The concept of the minibar
Exclusive Interview | Tarun Kumar Assistant Food and Beverage Manager,Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah
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“Passion, Passion, and Passion only takes you to Success”
Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
It all started with a short internship during school at one of the iconic luxury hotels in New Delhi the Taj Palace hotel. After this short but very interesting experience, I decided to pursue my hotel management career with IHM – Jodhpur and eventually got an opportunity to head start my career as a management trainee with the Taj group of hotels.
Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
Passion, Passion, and Passion only. Hospitality demands a multitude of approaches and skills every day. Nonetheless, the basics will always remain the same irrespective of the format. As famous Restaurateur Danny Meyer quoted – Service is monologue but Hospitality is Dialogue.
Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
I always look for a passion for Hospitality first and technical always second. Personality is key as technology could be trained or learned. Like IQ or EQ, I look for the Hospitality Quotient in a successful candidate that I learned myself long back which is: Optimism, Self Awareness, Integrity and Intelligence not just smart but urge to learn consistently.
Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
Definitely, the cloud kitchens would be one the next thing coming out more capturing the market apart from this
Affordable Luxury in accommodation segment an upper premium but with great value and
Bring Back Chef – Concept where customers would be able to invite their friends and family along with reputed chefs cooking and service team serving ala minute in there own home in a very niche and personalized setting or simply will see some of the very best names and brands in the industry would offer their meals including the branded delivery over user-friendly mobile apps. Kitch-In in Dubai is one exciting example.
Editor: Tech is now an enabler for great hospitality. Can you share with us some of the techs that go into creating your guest experience?
Well, I always believe that technology is something that if supplemented well with the Human element can elevate the guest experience to a whole new level.
There have been important yet experiential tech abled solutions from Digital check-in to Touchless interactive Menu in restaurants to web-based mobile ordering solutions with payment capability around the pool and beach.
Editor: Two things you would like to change in the industry
The fair review system - Not just for guests but also for the team. Think of a combination of TripAdvisor and Glassdoor.. isn't it exciting!!
Exclusive Interview | Muhammad Saleem, Director of Restaurants & Bars InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort
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Hotel industry must apply a sustainable approach to design, build and operate its premises. We have to ensure that the entire industry complies with sustainable practice.
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Veenu Rastogi, Area Director Sales & Marketing, North India and Director of Sales & Marketing, Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida
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In an increasingly competitive environment, the way hotels react to guests' expectations has a dramatic impact on their profitability.
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Supreet Singh, General Manager, Taj Theog Resorts and Spa, Shimla
/Editor: What is your favourite interview question and why do you ask it?It would have to be......."Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years"?The answer to this question shows intent of the candidate, gives perspective of his or her vision.Exclusive Interview | Sushma Khichar, General Manager, Courtyard Marriott & Fairfield Marriott Bengaluru
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Editor: What advice would you give to a young, aspiring hotelier for their internship?
It’s imperative to have the ability to adapt to the ever-changing times in this industry. Adaptability teamed with creativity and the desire to learn will be the top influencers for success.
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Venu Gopal, General Manager, ibis Hyderabad Hitech City
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Communication, willingness to learn and grasp knowledge, staying focussed in career and service-centric. Our objective is to hire the right fit who is positive and has the right temperament, and we will groom as future leaders for the industry.
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Hitesh Nareda, Operations Manager, Premier Inn Doha Airport
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Read MoreI always had an inclination towards connecting with people, making friends, having great conversations, and learning from their experiences, I had understood by then that I needed to find a profession where I could maximize the use of my natural skills.
Exclusive Interview | Pramod Naithani, General Manager, Anuraga Palace
/I always look for people who are passionate, bold, and fierce at work. Apart from soft skills and knowledge, I always prefer to hire staff with the right attitude. We can always train their skills but can't transform one's mindset or attitude.
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Pijush Dasgupta, Hygiene Officer, Hyatt Regency Ludhiana
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To succeed in this industry first and foremost you should be willing to learn, willing to connect to people and have characteristic of trying to make people happy, resolve people’s concern.
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Gaurav Sekhri, Hotel Manager, The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa
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For me, the most important attribute while hiring is the passion that the individual has towards hospitality and service, his commitment, and most important his attitude.
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Janitha Chathuranga Madawala, General Manager, Thinnai Group Srilanka
/Demonstrating leadership in difficult times takes an additional measure of tolerance and empathy. It means working more diligently to rally the team, find the lessons you can discover through hardship, and commemorate your victories. It’s a time to lean into sharing your purpose and vision even more
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Sunandita Das, President & Founder of Urbane Luxury Services Inc, Canada
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I look for the attitude, period. Skills are transferable, attitude is not. Attitude is a combination of your upbringing, culture, values, education, lifestyle, beliefs – in short, it is who you are.
Read MoreExclusive Interview | Chef Ashfaque Ali, Executive Chef, The Oberoi Maidens, New Delhi
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“ There is only one recipe to become a successful chef is to believe in you and a hunger to deliver the best as anything less than a best is a failure.”
Editor: How did it all start? Share your culinary journey with us
As a family, we love to eat good food. Everyone in my family is very possessive about their food. I never thought of becoming a chef because there was no plan. I developed an interest in cooking when I moved to Kolkata to study and had to survive on hostel food. I always believe that Kolkata is the food heaven of India. The City of Joy has various things to offer and I got to learn the art of cooking from the city. Later I pursued my Hotel Management from Durgapur School of Hotel Management and that is how the journey began.
Editor: What are your earliest memories of the kitchens you worked in
My earliest memories go with my first job with The Oberoi Wildflower Hall Shimla, joined there as a Commis. It was very hard yet very rewarding. I had a great learning experience with Chef Baranidharan who was the faculty of “OCLD” back then and my first Executive Chef.
Editor: A dish your patrons/guests love
Biryani is one of my most favourite dishes whether I have to cook or eat. I always get vibrant feedback from my guests, family, and friends and more importantly from my kids.
Editor: A dish that you love but do not have on your menu
I do lots of regional dishes and I would definitely add them to my menu for sure. I always want to add local pond small fishes to my menu and will definitely find a way to incorporate them.
Editor: What according to you does it take to become a successful chef?
According to my there is only one recipe to become a successful chef and that is to believe in youself and have the hunger to deliver the best as anything less than best is a failure.
Editor: What advice would you give to a young culinary student?
Have patience, keep cooking, keep learning, success is around the corner
Editor: What instruments/ equipment/devices you cannot imagine working without?
A good stove and a knife.
Editor: Your favourite ingredient is…
I love spices and fresh herbs. It will be very difficult to choose one but I think rose petal is one of the most favourite ones in my spice box.
Editor: Name chefs, you find amazing or chefs work you admire
I worked with many great chefs like Chef Baranidharan, Chef Vineet Bhatia, Chef Karl Blunden, chef Darren Robert Conole but I always admired Chef Baranidharan because of his passion for food and technique.
Editor: What books should every chef read?
“Theory of cookery” is the simplest and easily available. There are many in the market but I always find this one the most beneficial and easy to understand.
One of the chef’s beautiful creation
