POPULARITY IN A
PLATTER, THANKS TO PLUM CAKES
The name 'Joseph'
is very well known in the Bible; the foster father of Jesus has been a
Carpenter by profession; the Joseph who happens to the hero of this story is
also very famous in Kochi; but, by profession he is a Chef; amazingly, the
reason for the popularity of this Bakery Chef has the yummy, tasty, delicious
PLUM CAKES, which will be whipped up during the XMAS -NEW YEAR season. For the
last 14 years, he has been contributing immensely.
Chef P Y Joseph (40) happens to be the face of THE
RIVIERA SUITES, an Apartment Hotel located on Thevara, Kochi. In 2001,
partnering Executive Chef Robin, he
rolled out 800 handmade plum cakes...in 2013, it has been 8000 cakes...what a
jump.....in 14 years.....let us not forget that Chef Robin is presently the General
Manager of this hotel.
The annual plum cake sales to the committed corporate
clients has been very encouraging and enticing; positive guest comments and
feedback from the elite customers further boosted the morale of the Riviera
team. The management was so supportive to Chef Joseph; in 2002, they bid
goodbye to handmade cakes; big oven came up along with a Dough Machine,
basically a cake mixer; in 2008 yet another heavy duty Multipurpose Dough Machine
landed in the Kitchen area of the Riviera Suites.
"Every year", says Chef Joseph, " we have been sincerely trying
to upgrade the quality of the plum cakes by ensuring variations in the fruit
mix as well the quality of the fruits that goes into cakes e.g. Sultana, Dates,
Candied peel and Ginger Peel etc to name a few.
Let it be Bread, bread rolls, muffins to cream
cakes......if ever The Riviera Suites has got the name to live up to in its
bakery & confectionery offerings to the guests as well as the customers, it
is because of Jospeh. This soft spoken, humble taste master is grateful to his
mother with gratitude for she has been his inspiration... she has been a
talented cook too. The feedback from the guests certainly is in embarrassingly
superlative words…Chef Joseph accepts the good words graciously and gracefully.
"Even today"' quips Chef Joseph, if I have any
doubt on cakes or cuisine, I will be asking my mother only. I have no
inhibition in consulting her".
Hardworking Joseph lapped up four promotions, ever since
he joined the Riviera suites in Dec 2000. Come the last week of August 2014, the
planning for the Xmas New year sales gets the kick start. Immediately after the
hustle and bustle of ONAM settles down, that is this year, in the 2nd week of September,
the materials will start arriving...by mid November the fruit mixing will be
over.... In the last week of November starts the production of plum cakes...the
green flag to sales will be by the second week of December.
This BSc Maths graduate, had the good fortune to complete
a five month, full time course on bakery & confectionery from the Gujarat
Agricultural University. Presently, he is the Senior Sous Chef of the hotel; he
has additional responsibility as the Administrator of the kitchen of this
hotel.
He lives in Kochi with his mother Aleyamma, popularly
known as Kunjumol. Other members in the family being wife Smitha, son Aaron (8)
and daughter Angel (4). Net surfing is his main hobby- that too on cakes and
cuisine.
R.Kesava Mallia in
Kochi
2 comments:
Dear Chef Joseph ....your plum cakes are to die for. I have had them to my hearts content every time Mr. Mallia has brought them for me and family. God bless you!
I must say that all the hard work does reflect in their cakes. Its not just a cake. Its an experience. Best wishes to the chef.
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