FROM THE EEST RESTAURANT, THE WESTIN GURGAON, NEW DELHI

THAILAND’S BEST EXPORT TO INDIA

The India connection paid him rich dividends in his second innings.

It was in 2004 January that Chef Jatsalid landed in India for the first time at New Delhi. He worked as the Head Chef of the Thai Restaurant at the Grand Hotel. He spent three years in India. The next three were in USA and then he was back to India again in Hyderabad where he was instrumental in opening the Thai restaurant at Hotel Ishta. (Remember: He has opened two more Thai restaurants, one in South Africa and another one in Teheran, Iran).

After Hyderabad he moved to Ishta in Amritsar, Punjab. From there he moved to Courtyard Marriott in Pune before joining the EEST - the Pan Asian restaurant at Westin Gurgaon in Jan 2014.  Since joining the Starwood family last year he has been already beckoned by Le Meridian, Kochi, Westin Chennai, Westin Pune and Westin Hyderabad to pitch Thai Food Festivals. All of them have been roaring successes as well.

Having picked up the initial cooking skills from his uncle, Jatsalid spent his first decade (1982 to 1991) in three different five star hotels in Thailand after passing out from Blue Elephant Cooking School. Providence took him to Lake Forest Resort in Kyoto thereafter where he donned the chef coat in the capacity of a Thai chef for the first time. Thereafter he ran a Thai Restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa. From June 1998 to September 1999, he was back in Thailand working at two different hotels before taking up an assignment with Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai. After a short stint of five months in a star hotel in Thailand, he landed in India for his first innings.

Lamb curry and butter naan are his favourite Indian food. Music is his hobby. He is married and blessed with three children - two sons and a daughter. His family lives in Thailand.

This 52 year old Chef is a silent person. Speaks very less.

Says Marissa D' Rozario - The Manager of EEST “Chef Jatsalid is a very knowledgeable Chef with 27 years of five star experiences with him. He has good knowledge on Chinese delicacies too. During special functions his vegetable and fruit carvings have always drawn the attention of our esteemed guests".

His carving skills have been telecast by CNN globally while he was working in Cape Town in South Africa. 

Recently, I had my dinner at EEST. This is the second time I was tasting his magical Thai food. But food aside I will also give full marks to his vegetable carving.

Amit Saxena, the F&B Director at The Westin Gurgaon also confidently bets on his carving skills. Amit continues -" Chef Jatsalid is a silent performer. Calm and cool headed. Importantly, his work speaks for itself.”

Text and Pictures: R Kesava Mallia in Gurgaon