FROM EASTIN AHMEDABAD.........2

"STICK TO THE BASICS. KEEP ON SHARPENING YOUR SKILLS"

                                            

"The chairman of the hotel compliments you in person with a warm handshake; then appreciation letter is given; a nicely wrapped gift follows, in yet another envelope a gift voucher...oho…that was my happiest moment in the last 15 years in this hotel industry" recalls Ram Kumar Gurung, Executive Sous Chef at Eastin Ahmedabad. Presently he is running the food production department of this hotel in the absence of an Executive Chef.

He was sharing with me his happiest moment at Lemon Tree, at St Mary's road, Chennai. That was in 2007. "The Pan Asian Restaurant Lemon Grass did very well right from day one. In six months we had crossed the budget given to us" Gurung remembers.

His dad was a banker; retired from State Bank of India as cashier; mom also was a working woman; she was working with Peerless in Kolkata. But, Darjeeling born Gurung was not interested in studies. 12th passed Gurung had a friend who owned a restaurant in Kolkata. This friendship slowly attracted him to the world of cuisine...he started working in small restaurants...learnt things from the scratch…

His first stint was with Kanishka Hotel at Delhi; Club Mahindra, Goa(4 yrs) Le Meridien Kovalam, Kerala (nearly 3 years) Rain Tree Chennai (3years) Regenta, Ahmedabad, Radisson Goa (both around 30 months)... Finally at Eastin Ahmedabad... The culinary journey of Gurung was utterly unplanned. Either a General Manager or an Executive Chef will offer him a job with a jump in salary...he will just go with the flow…that is all.

He had joined Eastin Ahmedabad in Feb 2014 as part of the pre opening team. Since August 2014, he was functioning as an Acting Executive Chef.

"Do not have any inferiority complex just because you are lacking a hotel management degree. Skill is what matters after all. Keep on sharpening your skills with unabated regularity. Work hard. Be fearless. Be honest at workplace. This will help you to get ahead in your career" answered Chef Gurung when requested to give out the message to those in production department who do not have hotel management degrees.

He is married to Supriya, who is working with Ramada, Goa in the Reservation Department. Blessed with two kids- Adithya (09) and Aasta (03). All three are living in Goa with Supriya's Parents.

Text and Pictures: R Kesava Mallia in Ahmedabad