Read MoreThe hospitality industry is highly customer-focused, and success often lies in providing exceptional service and creating memorable experiences. By embodying these qualities and continuously striving for excellence, you can position yourself for success in this dynamic industry
Read MoreBe prepared. It doesn’t matter what situation you find yourself in if you aren’t prepared to make the most of it.
Be willing to serve. If you want to learn from the best, you can’t be afraid to be an intern or start at the bottom.
Be consistent. Show up every day and show up well.
Be forward. Take a chance and watch as all of your hard work pays off.
Read MoreThere is no substitute for hard work and diligence. One has to hone one’s craft with time, because the food and beverage segment is constantly evolving. Businesses that are able to innovate and stay ahead of the curve will be well-positioned to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace. Those that fail to innovate risk being left behind.
Working for 18 years in this industry has been a roller-coaster ride for Chef Dias. He has worked in a variety of trying job conditions facing labour scarcity, job stress and dealing with the complexities of working alongside colleagues from over 46 different nationalities.
How did it all start? Share your culinary journey with us
Watching a baker in action can lead one to perceive baking as an art form, with the baker as the artist who combines a variety of flavors, textures, and aesthetics to create edible masterpieces.
An art form, yes, but according to Chef Playton Dias, who is a faculty at the Goa-based Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts (KCCA) Bakery & Pastry section and the person in-charge of shaping the careers of young bakers for the future, to become a good baker, one needs to know a little bit about number crunching too.
What are your earliest memories of the kitchens you worked in
He smiles as he recalls how he lived to relish his childhood dreams of becoming a chef on a cruise ship.
“I had big dreams as a child. I always imagined myself working on a cruise ship,” says Dias who hails from Rivona village, a tiny, but picturesque hamlet in South Goa.
After completing his studies and plying his trade as a chef at various starred hotels in Goa, Chef Dias embarked on a journey aboard on one of the many luxurious cruise liners operated by Princess Cruises, sailing along the US coastline and living his childhood fantasy to the fullest.
His drive to reach the top is what enabled him to persevere in the face of adversity. There have been good times too, as he was able to travel to multiple countries and forge friendships across the globe.
Name chefs, you find amazing or chefs’ work you admire
He holds great respect for Chef Andrej Brzeskot, a noted Corporate Pastry Chef. He spent a significant amount of time working as an Executive Pastry Bakery Chef with Chef Brzeskot at Princess Cruises. As a mentor, Chef Brzeskot has earned his admiration due to his work ethic and willingness to impart his knowledge to colleagues. He has gained valuable insights from Chef Brzeskot, particularly in areas such as chocolate art, entremets, and flavor matching.
Your favorite ingredient is…
Dias states that his preferred ingredient is dark chocolate. He explains that dark chocolate has a more intricate flavor profile than milk chocolate due to its lower sugar content, which can improve the taste of baked goods.
Dias believes that maintaining a healthy relationship with food is crucial for one's overall well-being, and dark chocolate can be a part of that balanced approach. Moreover, consuming dark chocolate has been associated with decreased stress levels and enhanced brain function. It's essential to remember that indulging in a chocolate treat should not lead to feelings of guilt or stress, and maintaining a positive and balanced attitude is key to a healthy relationship with food.
After several years of sailing the seas, Chef Dias decided to return to Goa and spend his days imparting knowledge to youngsters wanting to make a career in the global culinary industry at the KCCA.
“Teaching skills and techniques to the students here at KCCA gives me immense satisfaction. I see myself in these young students as they work towards learning the skills which will make them leading chefs of tomorrow, " says Chef Dias.
What according to you does it take to become a successful chef?
He went on to talk about the four essential skills that a baker needs to adapt to for a successful career, which are patience, organizational skills, stress management, and the use of mathematics. "It may be surprising that I mentioned maths!', he says and quickly adds, "The use of maths and fraction conversion helps immensely while measuring ingredients."
Referencing his time as a pastry chef on a luxury cruise liner, Chef Playton stresses the importance of adaptability in this industry.
There are several difficulties one could run into in the kitchen on a ship, he says and there is always a need to work around challenging circumstances and come up with adequate solutions.
“Being a baker can be rewarding, but it also requires a lot of effort, making problem-solving abilities crucial,” Dias says.
What books should every chef read?
Cookbooks are a valuable source of knowledge that contains diverse information on ingredients, techniques, and ways to combine flavors. They also provide an understanding of the cultural and historical importance of different cuisines, making them a valuable resource for budding chefs. By learning from the experiences of successful chefs, young aspirants can enhance their craft and gain a deeper understanding. Chef Playton recommends several books, including all the editions of 'Professional Baking’ by Wayne Gisslen, ‘The Professional Pastry Chef’ by Bo Friberg, and ‘Making Dough’ by Russell van Kraayenburg, to help budding chefs improve their skills.
Keeping himself updated with the latest baking trends has helped Chef Playton to keep abreast of the ever-evolving food industry. There is always a demand for chefs, especially bakery chefs. Many are also venturing into starting their own entrepreneurial ventures and skilled chefs are the need of the hour.
What advice would you give to a young culinary student?
Dias urges his students to "learn with zeal and push their limits.”. He advises young talent to make notes about all the tricks they learn along the way which will come in handy in the future, perhaps when they jot down their own book of recipes.
"Avoid the use of machines as much as possible as it will allow one to learn and perfect the handcrafting of all products. Finally, every little recipe you put together deserves to have its own place in your personal recipe book,” he says.
True culinary mastery lies not in specializing in one cuisine, but in embracing every kitchen as a place of learning—where passion, adaptability, and respect for ingredients transform food into meaningful experiences, and where leadership is measured by how deeply you inspire growth, trust, and creativity in your team. - Chef Aditya
“Humility and consistency are the unsung ingredients that make a chef last in this industry.” - Chef Shriram Rajendran
The session I’d design wouldn’t just teach recipes—it would instill values, build strong foundations, and shape future chefs who are thoughtful, skilled, and proud of their craft.
Read MoreWhen you are at an entry level, you have to be skilful, passionate & hard working.
When you become HOD, you must know how to manage your colleagues, juniors, and your bosses.
However, when you reach the GM level, I think common sense plays a vital role more than skills. It is because if you reach this level, you already have skills, but common sense is not so common. This will make you different.
Read MoreWhatever you do, look at it as a calling and a purpose and not as a job.
Be consistent, even passion gets lost after a point.
Have a strong moral compass, if the compass doesn’t point true north you end up cheating yourself.
Read MoreIn my experience, I have realised that while making a vision in life, we should never consider our weaknesses as the decision making criteria. If you are weak today, but you are passionate, the journey to the destiny will shape you. Life is a very good teacher.
Read MoreThe future of the hospitality industry is looking very bright and promising. Hotels can look forward to a robust demand.
What changes with AI?
I have wondered about this quite often and I truly hope that one day we would have a software that automatically receipts the employee history as soon as the candidate applies for any position across any hotel in the country. This shall be possible irrespective of the mode of application- online/offline or brands within India.
Read MoreWhat advice would you give to a young culinary student?
Pursue your passions. I know it may sound trivial but try to work around things that you are good at. Sometimes it takes trying something to know whether you are good at it. Experience can teach you twice as much as education can. Try to partner with the right companies earlier on in your career to grasp all the necessary knowledge and learnings you need to upskill yourself.
Read MoreRead MoreI always look for people who know their job and ready to learn more, we are moving more towards multi skilled team members, who have the hospitality attitude. I believe skills can be taught but not attitude.
“Welcome is not just a word, it’s our philosophy!” — Trinh Quan Huy Philip
Read MoreRead MoreIn my view, passion towards your work is required to succeed in this Industry. It doesn’t matter if you are a Front Of The House employee or Back Of The House employee, you should be passionate enough for the happiness of your internal and external customers.
Read MoreAI is a fast-growing trend in all industries, particularly hospitality. We are starting to see some very interesting applications that facilitate the day-to-day operations and allow for a fast workflow and better experience for our guests.
Read MoreSince I come from Nepal, there’s a specific Nepali dish that always reminds me of home - the Sekuwa. It’s a traditional dish mostly made in Kathmandu, where I stay, where the meat is mixed in hard-sought herbs and roasted in a wood fire. It’s those herbs that transfer the flavours into the meat.
Read MoreOne more memory I’d like to share is from my home kitchen. It was probably the first time I was cooking bhindi. My mother had kept diced bhindi for making Bhujiya. As she got busy with other work, I promptly stepped in and asked if I may sauté the okra. Her positive response made me very happy and I started cooking immediately only to realise something was wrong. The okra turned out to be very sticky. Baffled, I asked my mother why that happened, and she smiled and asked if I had washed it? Well, not only had I washed it twice, I had done it after it was cut!
Read MoreMy favourite interview question is asking about a challenging situation that the interviewee faced and how they arrived at the solution.
What according to you does it take to become a successful chef?
Read MorePassion and your sole reason to exist is to eat (Food), learn, think outside the box, learn-unlearn-re learn and Army commando stamina
Read MoreVegan is really going to be big; people are going to be moving a lot towards healthy eating which are are already doing post the pandemic. People are really becoming conscious and choosing the food they want to eat so healthy food will really boom in India and worldwide whether it is plant-based recipes or vegan food.
Read MoreUnlike most hotels which work for 6 days, we but being the leader in the industry, we have 5 days workweek for our employees.
everything hospitality
only hospitality
Explore modern upselling strategies in hospitality—how smart, guest-focused techniques boost revenue and elevate guest experience worldwide.
