International Chefs Day: Key Learnings from Culinary Heroes

Your whole idea of visiting a restaurant is a big flop if the food served doesn’t meet the expectation. We have always praised the restaurant for its interior, food, quality, music and service and have seen restaurant owners taking all the praises for the work done; but have you ever thought how much effort a chef put to bring the best on the table. It’s all because of the creativity in the kitchen that a restaurant is all praise.

Ever since its inception by Late Chef Dr. Bill Gallagher in 2004, International Chef's Day has been as much about celebrating people in the culinary profession as promoting the importance of healthy and responsible eating.

Here are key learning experiences from the culinary heroes this International Chefs day for the young and aspiring chefs to look and incorporate:

Keep Learning Every day & Strive for quality and consistency: According to celebrity chef Abhijit Saha, it’s about learning new things everyday along with looking for quality and consistency in a restaurant kitchen.

It’s about Team Work: All members of the team contribute in making the customer experience memorable which is of prime importance in the F & B industry. “Effective team work makes the employees more productive and also keeps them driven and engaged,” shared Chef Ashish Singh, Corporate Chef, Dhansoo Cafe, Gurugram. He also pointed that as a chef one should also keep the process of cooking as simple as possible and respect all the ingredients equally so that all the ingredients retain their flavour and the dish comes out well wherein the essence of each ingredient is justified.

Always trust your instincts: “Good is art and there is always a new way or a new approach to something. Ingredients are key and speak to people differently - the best chefs cook on instinct- sometimes it’s great to deviate from a recipe and make it your own,” added Chef Gauri Varma, Founder & CEO- Confect,  Entrepreneur, Food Technologist.

Too much Innovation Ruin the Biz: “Never over play or under play with the authenticity of traditional recipes and flavours. Innovation is important but without losing the original essence of a dish,” believed Chef Kush Koli, Head Chef, SAGA, Gurugram by pointing that it is very important to educate your guest on flavours etc but a Chef should in my opinion never force their opinion instead should understand the palate of the guests / region / culture and imbibe that into their cooking.

Focus on your Work: In the pursuit of a successful career in the hospitality industry, it is imperative to always align yourself with the right individuals who possess a visionary mindset and have a proven track record, particularly skilled chefs who share your culinary aspirations. “Two pivotal lessons emerge from this journey: firstly, during the initial five years of entering the world of kitchens, focus on continuous learning and dedicate yourself to mastering the fundamentals, drawing wisdom from experienced mentors. Secondly, an unwavering commitment to the right attitude is paramount, characterized by an unyielding willingness to learn and an ever-present "yes" to customer needs. Success hinges on the bedrock of passion and discipline. Additionally, one can adopt the three guiding principles of dedication, devotion, and determination, collectively known as the three Ds, to steadfastly pursue their personal and professional goals within the hospitality industry,” commented Chef Vaibhav Bhargava, CHÔ - Vietnamese Kitchen & Bar.

Patience is the Key: According to Chef Nikhil Rastogi, UNOX India, like any other process, the learning process never ends in professional as well as personal life. No matter how hard we try to live multiple lives as a Chef, Father, Son or Colleague, there are some learnings that stay with us and mould as an individual who we are today. “The primary learning for me as a Chef has been PATIENCE. During my professional career as a chef, I have learnt it the hard way that we come across different entities and individuals in the form of Seniors, subordinates, peers, guests, vendors etc who all have different ways of perceiving communication. What we feel as an effective communication sometimes isn’t taken the same way and hence not reciprocated accordingly due to different socio economic backgrounds of all these people. We need to develop this virtue of Patience in order to transform Customer experience, which is at the heart of hospitality,” he added.